The Fortress Resort & Spa

In recent memory Sri Lanka was a fairly obscure locale for a holiday. But now that seems a very long time ago. Today it’s an absolutely first-class luxury destination, especially the Dutch colonial town of Galle, on the island’s south coast. It’s home to a picturesque fortress, with battlements surrounding the old town, and now it’s home to a Fortress of another kind — this one a luxury resort, whose fortifications today serve only a symbolic purpose.

Many of its local competitors are mom-and-pop affairs, which are great for casual intimacy. The Fortress is bigger, just under fifty rooms, and feels a bit more like a resort, albeit a small one — there’s a full-service spa, for example, complete with yoga pavilion and fitness center, and amenities include round-the-clock room service and a pillow menu. Several dining venues serve everything from Sri Lankan cuisine to wood-fired pizza.

It’s still got plenty of personality, though, with the rooms outfitted in a striking and vaguely retro modernist style. Here raising the luxury stakes hasn’t compromised the experience at all — who could complain about Bose home theaters and in-room espresso machines, just a few steps away from the beach?

How to get there:
The Fortress is a four hour drive from Bandaranaike International Airport. Contact the hotel for airport transfer requests.