Wallawwa
Lavish colonial pile
Nestled in Negombo
The short jaunt to the airport may be handy, but Wallawwa boutique hotel near Colombo is so much more than a pre- or post-flight crash pad. Basking in its pindrop-peaceful rural setting and lovingly tended tropical gardens, the Wallawwa is a super-sensitive restoration of a 200-year-old manor house, where graceful original features have been spiced up with luxuriant interiors and a lush-as-you-like spa.
Facilities
Rooms
17, including 15 suites.
Checkout
Noon, but flexible subject to availability. Late check-outs up to 6pm are charged at 50 per cent of the nightly rate. Check-in, 2pm.
More Details
Rates include à la carte breakfast.
Also
Bibliophiles will find plenty of joy in the cabinets of prized old books in the library, carefully chosen by the property’s owner. The hotel shop sells one-of-a-kind souvenirs, which you can feel good about buying as all profits go to local charities.
Free Internet Access
On-Site Restaurant
Room Service
Spa
At the Hotel
Z Spa, two-acre garden, library, shop, free WiFi in public areas. In rooms: flatscreen satellite TV, DVD player (on request), games and local-brand toiletries.
Our Favourite Rooms
Garden Suites have bigger bathrooms, sumptuously upholstered sitting areas and private outside perches. If you're after seclusion, opt for Garden Suite 6 as it’s the furthest from the action. If you’re swooping in late and leaving early, a Wallawwa Bedroom will suffice.
Poolside
The stone-lined 16m pool is encircled by tropical trees and shrubs, and hidden out of sight of the hotel. There’s a shallow chill-out ledge and a grass and gravel terrace lined with cushioned loungers.
Spa
Book yourself in to the hotel’s Z Spa for a jetlag reviver. The coconut or sandalwood scrubs and sigh-inducing wraps work wonders for travel-weary bodies.
Packing Tips
Glam garb for after-dark Colombo soirées; casual cotton threads for lounging poolside.
Children
Baby cots are free for kids aged under two. The window seat in the Garden Suite can sleep one under-12 for US$30 each night, including breakfast.
Gallery
Food & Drink
Top Table
Lawnside tables on the sienna-stoned terrace are open to the skies, but for a real rush of romance, have your table prepped in the garden.
Dress Code
Laid-back loungewear – anything from Mela Purdie should do the trick.
Hotel Restaurant
Make a beeline for the Veranda for breakfast, all-day dishes and à la carte supper menus. This striped-walled space is filled with smart rattan furniture that spills onto a frangipani-shaded terrace. Cuisine is international with an Asian twist, and vegetarians won’t have any quibbles with the range on offer. Sri Lankan curries are a must – try the coconut and mustard seer fish or the cashew and green pea curry.
Hotel Bar
A roving bar serves tipples on the veranda, in the rooms or in the gardens until 10.30pm or when the last guest shuffles off to sleep. Complimentary tea and coffee is served between 3.30pm and 4.30pm; if you fancy something stronger, the hotel hosts a 'Social Hour' from 5pm to 6pm, serving complimentary wine and local beer.
Last Orders
Around 10.30pm for food, but fairly flexible (with advance notice) to accommodate late flight arrivals. Guests snooze early here, and the bar shuts at around 10.30pm.
Room Service
The all-day menu is available 24/7, but for overnight orders when the kitchen’s closed, requests must be made the evening before.
Planes
The nearest airport to Wallawwa is Colombo’s Bandaranaike International Airport, which is just 15 minutes' drive away. Sri Lankan Airlines flies direct from Sydney and selected European destinations. One-stop operators include Emirates, Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific. For domestic journeys, Sri Lankan Air Taxi Otter planes land in Peliyagoda, a 35-minute drive south of the hotel. Call our Smith24 Team on 03300 376 891 to arrange flights and transfers.
Trains
The nearest train station is Colombo Fort, which connects with the west-coast town of Bentota, the southern city of Galle and a number of hill-country destinations.
Automobiles
There’s no point hiring a car when the hotel’s so close to the airport – and Sri Lanka’s traffic-clogged roads are so terrible.
Worth Getting Out of Bed For
The beaches of Negombo are a 30-minute drive away – head for the main hotel strip for golden sands and a slew of watersports. Negombo’s break-of-day fish market is worth the early start just to experience the unique atmosphere, the boisterous banter and the staggering (and slightly stinky) array of fish. If you’re keener on seeing your wildlife still flapping, then the Muthurajawela Wetlands, just north of the hotel, should be your port of call. This serene saltwater haven is adored by water-loving birds, crocodiles, monitor lizards and macaques. Hire a boat from the visitor centre or ask the hotel to arrange a two-hour guided cruise, taking in the mangrove-lined wetlands, the old Dutch canal and the southern end of the Negombo Lagoon. Nearby Henarathgoda, the island’s lesser-known botanical garden is famed for its century-old rubber trees and is a picturesque spot for shaded strolls.
Earn or Redeem Points with World of Hyatt
This Mr & Mrs Smith hotel participates in the World of Hyatt loyalty program. As a member, you can earn and redeem points and enjoy exclusive benefits for qualifying nights. .
