Galle Fort Hotel

The food at the Galle Fort Hotel was so delicious.

So much love and passion went in to the preparation of the food.

I've never stayed at a hotel like it. Every meal was a feast.

In fact, we stayed at the hotel for a week and although we were out and about during the day, we always ate at the hotel. There was no need to go anywhere else. We knew we were being fed the best food in Galle and Southern Sri Lanka for that matter!

Staying in the Galle Fort Hotel is truely a unique experience.Once I entered the doors of the hotel I felt a sense of calm and tranquility.The suites are exceptional and luxurious with great attention to detail.Having travelled the world and stayed in many boutique and five star establishments.This Hotel is the only one I make a point of visiting again and again.The deserts are beyond!

We had checked into a more expensive resort hotel in Galle but when we wandered down the street and had an amazing asian fusion dinner at this beautiful, restored colonial hotel we decided to check in and stayed longer in Galle Fort than we had planned.

This is not only one of the most beautiful hotels in the world but it has enormous charm, great design, an inspiring collection of sri lankan and colonial artwork and furniture... the most comfortable beds and linen and the most extraordinary building... real wow factor with its twenty foot high columns and amazing rooms.

And there's no pretension... its excellence is unassuming and effortless while its welcome and friendliness were unsurpassed.

You can see we really fell in love with the place as well as its two owners who give a personal attention and connection with the Fort that larger hotels can never match. They even took us shopping and on a short tour of the major historical sites.

The food is full flavour and without doubt the best in Sri Lanka. The staff are genuinely friendly and helpful. Nice pool. Great Thai masseur. Very stylish and great design sense. A grand, private, colonial hotel but with a modern minimalist treatment which works.



And the best thing ... it was great value ... USD 150 for a very beautiful, spacious room. At this price it certainly overdelivers.

More than comparable and much more charming that the Amangalla and about a third of the price.

We loved the place

We stayed here the first week in July 2005 and can honestly say that it is one of the best hotels we have stayed in anywhere in the world. Exceptional food, superb hospitality, and you should just try the beds and pillows! Heaven.

Galle Fort has gone through many incarnations - occupied by the Portuguese in the 15th Century, the Dutch in the 17th Century and then the British, it is a fascinating amalgum of all these influences, with a unique Sri Lankan overlay. This history is reflected in the meticulously restoration that has transformed a derelict Dutch merchant's mansion into the magnificent Galle Fort Hotel. The first international-class hotel to open in the Fort, the owners have sensitively captured the spirit of the building, filling it with period antiques while allowing guests the luxury of modern plumbing, airconditioning and swimming pool.

The accommodation in its 4 bedrooms & 9 suites is superb and the restaurant serves an inspired menu of Asian dishes, dreamed up by Kitchen God and co-owner, Chris Ong.

This is the sort of place where you come for a day and stay for a month. The atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming; the Verandah Bar is always humming, with locals and visitors dropping in for a drink or a meal; the Sri Lankan staff are charming and helpful and the owners are dedicated to making one's stay with them as special as possible.

There are so-so hotels.......and then there are boutique hotels in Sri Lanka. This is certainly the best of about 5 of the latter on offer.

Boutique hotels have the edge over the main chain hotels, not only for value for money but for style, intimate charm and service. Quite often in Sri Lanka the hotel can be OK but the food and or service diabolical. Not so here at the Galle Fort Hotel.

To walk in out of the heat and dust into this cool calm oasis is a walk into another world. Sip a capuccino on the terrace and watch the daily life of The Fort pass by through the plantation shutters, which let through a gentle breeze.

With only 14 very stylish suites which are immaculate, right down to the quality of the bed linen and the most comfortable pillows, its no wonder that you need to book ahead to get in here. The food merits a star - very well presented, freshest ingredients, unadulterated and generally more suited to European tastes. You can actually taste the fish.

The Fort is a walk back in time sort of place and the Galle Fort Hotel, with its colonial plantation shutters site nicely amongst the historic architecture of this 90 acre UNESCO walled town. The hotel hasn't been open that long but is obviously very successful and its very being is breathing life into this intriguing area of Sri Lanka.

Most tourists in the south have The Fort on their list of things to see - even if you don't stay there, its worth having lunch - or probably the best capuccino you will get in Sri Lanka!

Ok, I'll be honest, I didn't actually stay at the Galle Fort because it was still being refurbished when I visited (I stayed in a rather grim alternative that I'd rather not mention). I did however have pre-dinner drinks and dinner at the Galle fort, and what a fabulous experience that was. Chris made dinner, a fabulous adaptation of Sri Lankan Cuisine with those little twists that show the genius of a truly gifted chef. I was shown the rooms of the soon to be opened hotel and wished I could have stayed. The difference between a good hotel and a great hotel is in the details, and its the details that Karl and Chris have been so careful to perfect. They are marvelous hosts, and their commitment to Galle, its people and its visitors has really been demonstrated by their response to the Tsunami. I can't wait to go back, And wish them every success in the future

Chris Ong and Karl Steinberg, co-owners of the Galle Fort Hotel run their hotel the way you would want it run, and I guess given that everyone wants things a little different thats no small feat.

The GFH is one of our favourite ' home from home ' locations anywhere - whether you are dipping in for some shade and a iced tea or staying there as a guest you won't be dissappointed.

Its worth the drive from Colombo - but one word of warning, once you are there tell your driver not to wait as you won't be leaving anytime soon - Chris's food will see to that - its Thai/ Malay/ Chinese with a twist - sensational!

My advice is - Go there, stay there - its superb!

I was in Galle before the hotel part of the Galle Fort Hotel was completed, but I ate numerous meals there during my week-long stay in the town. The creative cuisine, presentation and service were top rate. The hotel's hosts--Chris Wong and Carl Steinberg--were present, involved, and charming. I long to return there so I can luxuriate in the hotel as well as the food.

The Gallefort Hotel provides the perfect oportunity to experience SriLankan life in a luxurious environment.

The owners have obviously been meticulous in retaining the ambience of colonial charm whilst modernising it for todays needs.

The friendly bar which overlooks the bustling street was abuzz with locals and tourists exchanging travel tales.