THE FACTS ABOUT AMANGALLA

Sri_Lanka Galle

This 30-room urban retreat inhabits the shell of the former New Oriental Hotel, a colonial-era grande dame in the heart of the fort city of Galle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Australian architect Kerry Hill sensibly did little with the façade, but inside he halved the number of bedrooms to double their size. Huge four-poster beds and planter's chairs are dwarfed by the towering ceilings in rooms where bathrooms, bedrooms and salons flow seamlessly to form contemporary-colonial lofts. Amangalla is intended as a base for exploring Galle, but the hotel provides plenty of excuses to stay put. The pool is oversized and angular; the library is hung with original prints and filled with books on Sri Lankan history and culture; and the spa emerges unexpectedly, inhabiting what was once a shopping arcade, today home to five candlelit treatment rooms. There's an army of butlers providing 'anything is possible' Aman service and a pair of Ambassador cars to ferry guests around. And breakfast, with traditional Sri Lankan curd (yogurt) is an indulgent must. WHEN TO GO August and September, southern Sri Lanka's little-known fair-weather 'off season'. ROOM TO BOOK Fort-facing suites on the top two floors (but only for the fit: there is no lift). CONTACT 10 Church Street, Galle, Sri Lanka (00 94 91 223 3388; www.amanresorts.com). COST Doubles from US$574