Luxury Travel Advisor - November 2007 - (Page 31) CASA COLOMBO’s 12 suites are unique in design and décor and are among the city’s largest. into a hip fusion hotel with 12 oversized retro-chic suites—a haven for the savvy traveler who yearns for cutting-edge design and comfort in excess. Lalin’s provocative and whimsical touches include floating beds, a salmon-pink swimming pool, a dining room with an 18-foot ceiling fan and the Ice3 bar, which chills guests out even before they even step in. All suites have soaring stucco ceilings and traditional touches; we loved the Piachaud’s Lane Suite upstairs, with its tall cement plinth and high-tech amenities— a swivel flat-screen TV, iPod, CD player and Hi-Fi. Behind it, CASA’s sumptuous king-size floating bed hovers over a glowing red cushion of light at night. This and the other seven Corporate Suites have free-standing copper bathtubs, and all bathrooms have dual vanities, innovative waterfall showers and CASA’s fruity, locally made toiletries. All suites have Wi-Fi, but book the Corporate Suites for clients who want personal laptops and faxes. And for those who want only the best, book the Princes Street Royal Suite (1,000 square feet), which has a walk-in wardrobe, private patio and Jacuzzi plunge pool. There are no adjoining rooms, so families should book two or more suites. New York chef Alex Steinach (alex@firefly-thepalms.com) creates fusion Asian and Western food at HVN (that’s “heaven,” and so is the food), and tapas menus for the open-air ZaZa. The Champagne & Sky private dining room in the turret has a terrace with lounges for romantic nights under the stars. Contact General Manager Horst Schmidtke (gm@casacolombo .com; 94-77-334-6655) or Sales and Marketing Manager Nawaal Qasim (nawaalqasim@ casacolombo.com; 94-773-641773) for reservations (the GDS comes online shortly) and VIP arrangements. The CASA Domo butlers and Assistant Hospitality Manager Uthpala Gunatilake (uthpala. gunatilake@casacolombo.com; 94-773-470-640) arrange airport pick-ups in a vintage Austin, tours in private planes and helicopters and spa treatments in-house or in the nearby Angsana spa. Vidu, our personal CASA Domo butler, took us around Colombo in a white tuk-tuk and helped us pick up batiks and colorful table linens. Amangalla (www.amangalla. com) is unadulterated history come to life. Built by the Dutch in 1684, when Galle was the major harbor in Ceylon (Sri Lanka’s old name), it opened as the New Oriental, Galle’s foremost hotel, in 1863. The huge Great Hall has polished teak floors, chandeliers and Dutch colonial furniture and, like the adjoining dining room and streetfront veranda, is cooled by AMANGALLA’S Church Street bedrooms overlook Groote Kerk, or the Great Church (below). ADVISOR INSIGHT: Sasanka Nanayakkara, head of operations for Colombo-based tour operator dholidays, has been selling Sri Lanka since 1994 and specializes in nature, bird watching, wildlife and archaeological tours. Given the traveling distances involved, Nanayakkara suggests twoweek tours touching on culture, history and nature, and some rest in a boutique hotel before and after the tours. “Sri Lanka’s boutique hotels are on par with best in the world for comfort, and yet most retain the centuries-old true Sri Lankan character,” she claims. “One of my favorites is the Chaya Village in Habarana, close to the Dambulla caves and Sigiriya. I love the prominence given to untouched nature and the sprawling jungle cover surrounding the property. I also love the Tree of Life in Kandy; on the hills, away from the busy city, it has a homey feeling that comes with traditional Kandyan hospitality,” Nanayakkara says. For the best Sri Lankan food, go to the Gallery Café. “It is all Sri Lanka, a 2,500-year-old culture,” she says. November 2007 | LUXURY TRAVEL ADVISOR 31 http://www.amangalla.com http://www.amangalla.com
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