Amangalla

An immaculately restored, impeccably managed 150-year-old landmark hotel, presiding over Galle’s historic fort

The Amangalla - with its resonant sense of history, sweeping entrance, magnificent Dutch imperial ‘Great Hall’, grand Dining Room, enormous chandeliers, physics-defying flower displays, highbrow library and elegant bedrooms - really is Asia’s last word in colonial splendour. Set on an elevated cobbled street, this 28-room hotel, formerly The New Oriental, overlooks majestic para trees, high rampart walls, Galle Harbour and the Indian Ocean. It's buoyed-up on the other 3 sides by church spires, minarets and a wave of terracotta tiled roofs, and feels a world away from its contemporary sister hotel the Amanwella further along the coast.

Erudite adventurers seeking a refined retreat will be in heaven. There is something remarkably reassuring about vast 300-year-old polished teak floors, starched white tablecloths, eggs Benedict and traditional afternoon tea, served upon gleaming antique silverware by discreet staff. The restaurant's constantly abuzz with local expats, and the front of the Amangalla has become a national institution - a buzzing rendezvous point for movers and shakers. Yet somehow all this energy complements rather than detracts from the exclusivity and quiet serenity of the spa, pool and garden to the rear. If David Niven or Noel Coward had visited Sri Lanka, this is where they would have stayed.

Highs

• We fell in love with the giant leather cigar and card table on the terrace: the best spot in the fort for lattes and people watching
• Spectacular, spacious rooms with antique furniture, teak flooring and deep soaking tubs
• The Baths - offering a comprehensive list of Balinese, Thai and Ayurvedic indulgences, plus hydrotherapy, this is the only serious spa in the Southern province
• The gorgeous jade-tiled pool, sunk into a verdant high-walled garden and surrounded by white-towelled teak loungers
• Wonderful service, and the British management’s attention to detail, from seamless choreography of guests, staff and hotel events down to beautifully presented packed lunches, and a bespoke booklet detailing the history of the hotel

Lows

• It's expensive - but you really do have every single wish taken care of
• Regular daytrippers
• The Great Hall cries out for a cocktail bar to liven the atmosphere
• The steep staircase up to the finest suites and upper sundowner terrace
• Being disappointed by the lower standards of service elsewhere after the Amangalla - save this hotel for last!