Galle Face Hotel Colombo travel guide

Location. Located in Colombo, Sri Lanka, the Galle Face Hotel overlooks a kilometer-long manicured lawn called the Galle Face Green. This seaside hotel is positioned near tea plantations, wildlife sanctuaries and elephant safari sites.

Hotel Features. The hotel's arched façade leads to a gracious lobby decorated in colonial-style with natural-wood furnishings. Dining options include the Sea Spray Restaurant, where gourmet seafood delicacies are served under the stars. The Verandah Restaurant prepares buffet-style breakfasts and continental, American and Sri Lankan specialties. Haunting ethnic music plays in the Wine Lounge that retains an ample stock of fine wines. The 1864 Restaurant affords fine-dining ambience and prepares artfully arranged gourmet cuisine. Three ballrooms and six function rooms accommodate events, and a business center offers fax, photocopy and print services. Located on site, the Piazza Arcade houses designer-label shops. The Galle Face Hotel Spa comprises 6,096 square meters of tropically sculpted interiors with timber floors, eco-friendly furnishings and calming music. The spa contains the largest saltwater pool in Colombo as of 2007, and a fully equipped gymnasium. A hotel museum houses classic antique cars.

Guestrooms. The Galle Face Hotel's air-conditioned guestrooms offer sea and Galle Face Green views. Rooms contain minibars, coffeemakers and refrigerators. Accommodations include private bathrooms. Room décor features polished wood floors, and Sri Lankan textiles and furniture. Cable television is included.

Expert Tip. Guests of the Galle Face Hotel have included Richard Nixon, Indira Gandhi, Javaharlal Neru, Emperor Hirohito, Roger Moore and Yuri Gagarin, the first man to travel in space.