Paradise Road Tintagel Colombo

The references here are twofold: Tintagel is the name of this Thirties Colonial-era mansion — named for the castle in Cornwall where King Arthur was purportedly born — and Paradise Road is the design and lifestyle brand belonging to Shanth Fernando. Needless to say, he’s added a hospitality element to his style empire, and Tintagel is his vision of Colombo as a cosmopolitan capital.

With just ten suites it’s the sort of intimate little hotel that’s as much a local meeting place as it is a lodging. As such, and in spite of the house’s history, it’s the last place you can expect to find anything resembling colonial kitsch. The numerous common spaces are certainly stylish, from the inventive modern restaurant to the private dining room to the dark and moody little cocktail bar.

It may be the suites that are the real gems of this place. They’re all different, owing to their residential history; some have private balconies, others open onto the house’s main front balcony, and all are outfitted with plush contemporary furnishings and decorated in rich, dark colors. A proper cosmopolitan boutique hotel manages to provide a sense of place without relying on the easy local clichés, and thus appeals to locals and visitors alike; this is one of those hotels.

How to get there: Paradise Road Tintagel Colombo is situated in the heart of Colombo's Cinnamon Gardens neighborhood. The hotel is approximately one hour away from Bandaranaike International Airport and approximately 30 minutes from Ratmalana Airport.