Galle , formerly Point de Galle, the capital of Southern Province. Situated in south west of Sri Lanka, 115Km from Colombo and 138Km from the Bandaranaike International airport,
A seaport bordering a tea-growing region, Galle exports rubber, tea, rope, coconut oil, and coir (coconut fiber). Galle was an important commercial port beginning in the 16th century, when much of Sri Lanka was occupied by Portugal, and later under the Dutch. Following the improvement of the port of Colombo by the British during the 19th century, the prosperity of Galle declined. In 1990 the estimated population wa about 84,000. this city was very badly hit by the Tsunami in 2004.
Galle has a great history too. The history goes in to King Solomon's time. It is believed that Galle is the ancient seaport "Tarshish", from which king Solomon drew the ivory and other valuables. It's been the most prominent seaport before the western rule of the country. Persians, Arabs, Greeks, Romans, Malays and Indians were doing business through Galle port. The 'modern' history of Galle starts in 1505, when the first Portuguese ship was drawn by a storm and the captain Lourenzo de Almeida came near Galle. But he did not land. Later they occupied many Sri Lankan Coastal towns, and by 1597, built a small fortification in Galle.
Later, Portuguese had to surrender to the Dutch armies. In 1640, the Dutch took over Galle. It was them who built the Fort in the year 1663, in the way it's seen now. They built a fortified wall, using solid granite, and built three bastions, sun, moon and star. There was a developed town center, and a whole lot of buildings.
After the British took over the country from the Dutch, in year 1796, they kept the Fort in the same way, and had it as the administration center of Galle.
Galle is also famous for handicrafts and, jewelry.
"Galle fort was Declared a World Heritage Site in 1988, the Fort contains a tiny community of 400 houses, a church, two mosques, a buddhist shrine
Distances in Sri Lanka are not that long but the time taken by road to reach a destination… an experience. The 146 km drive from the International airport takes you through the city centre of Colombo, the coastal city of Mount Lavinia and the resort towns of Wadduwa, Kalutara, Beruwela, Bentota, Kosgoda, Ambalangoda, Hikkadduwa and finally Galle. The sights and sounds on this drive down with the sea on one side almost all the way and the domestic and commercial everyday life on the other. The bullock carts and the buses, the lorries and the tuk tuks (trishaws), the smiles of the school children in their shining whites – all a merry sight and a sort of a warm welcome to the easy going ways of the Sri Lankan people and their ways.
How to get there
Nearest train station: Galle, 1.2 miles south.
Next nearest train station: Hikkaduwa, 9 miles north.
Nearest bus station: Galle Town 1.2 miles south.
Nearest motorway: Colombo Road adjacent to Hotel.
Useful Information:
Always carry enough change money for taxi fares and other purchases. Also beware of touts in town who will attempt to sell inferior quality products at maximum prices. Use only recommended hotel travel services. Drink only bottled water when outside of hotel.
Lighthouse house sits atop a hillock overlooking the blue waters of the Indian Ocean. Inspired by the Dutch influence in Sri Lanka, the hotel exudes a touch of history and class and offers guests exquisite cuisine, first-class service, a rich ambience and stunning locations boasting splendid unmatched views of the sea making it the ultimate retreat for a tranquil experience.
Designed by the world renowned architect and Sri Lanka’s best, Geoffrey Bawa,
Lighthouse hotel, features wide open spaces combined with magnificent views of the garden and sea.
The furniture is elegant yet minimalist. Brilliant green grass, pastel skies, azure blue of the swimming pool contrasting with the earthy red of the roof tiles – the Lighthouse hotel, is an artist’s palate of primary colours.
Accommodation
Lighthouse hotel offers guests a choice of 60 luxury rooms or a private suite, of which there are three all superbly appointed with every modern luxury, blending sophisticated elegance with unique design offering unmatched views of the sea.
Deluxe Room -
Ocean view,
- teak floors,
- TV, mini bar,
- safety locker,
- hairdryer,
- ceiling fan
- air-conditioning,
- IDD phone.
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king sized or two twin beds on request, Old World charm, teak writing desk,complimentary coffee/tea making facility, private balcony or terrace,
large en-suite wood/granite bathroom with dressing area, separate shower room, tub and built-in closets, comfortable sofa, |
Theme Suite
Theme Suites - One Bedroom Suites with 3 unique styles. Ocean view, Four-poster king sized bed, teak floors, individually decorated, separate sitting room with teak writing desk and comfortable sofa bed. pantry, TV, mini bar, safety locker, coffee/ tea making facility, private balcony, large en-suite wood/granite bathroom with dressing area, separate shower room, Jacuzzi bath tub, built-in closets, hairdryer, guest toilet, butler service, air-conditioning, ceiling fan and IDD phone.
Guest Services
Facilities
Lighthouse hotel offers their guests the hotel shop, a spa, internet & email facilities, the services of a resident naturalist, a visiting hairdresser, a doctor on call. The hotel also features a selection of teas from Sri Lanka’s finest tea growing regions. Experience a ‘Tea Tasting’ and try the High Tea at any one of the stunning locations on offer.
Sports & Recreation
Two swimming pools and a children’s pool, flood lit tennis, squash, table tennis, pool table,
fully equipped gymnasium and Yoga.
Meeting & Conference Facilities
The Galle Room and the larger Eddystone Hall.
Experiences outside the hotel
Visit the Galle Fort, three rain forests in close proximity – Kanneliya, Kottawa and Hiyare, a boat ride down the Mahamodera, the Galle Markets & shopping streets, visit a village home, visit the village temple and get an insight into Buddhism from the head monk of the temple, lace making and batik painting.
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Galle Fort Hotel
The restoration has been carried out with sensitivity to the historic fabric and the surrounding urban context, retaining the buildings modest scale and street façade
The removal of unsympathetic elements has revealed the original Dutch Villa and its later English architectural Dutch influences, while the elegant interior design and modern additions have added new layers of meaning.
The restoration was undertaken using local expertise and craftsmanship. The temporary adaptation of the hotel into an emergency shelter in the aftermath of the 2005 tsunami and the subsequent contribution of the hotel to the recovery of Galle through cultural tourism have demonstrated the potential of such commercial ventures to contribute to community development in an historic urban heritage context.”
Susan Kurosawa
"Guests have a choice of 11 large and shuttered rooms and suites, including a blue-and-white suite decorated with Chinese porcelain, another with traditional Peranakan decor, and two-level loft suites with mosquito net-swathed four-posters, opening off open-sided galleries overlooking a beautiful courtyard.
The white sheets are talcum-soft, the pillows of the sort you want to take home, the floorboards are teak and the paintwork lime-washed; although the feel is minimalist, the comfort factor is high and the detailing perfectly apposite."
The Loft Suites: ( 4 ):
More like a small villa these large, double storey, fully air-conditioned suites have a romantic loft bedroom overlooking the garden and pool from your antique four poster bed. Very Romantic
A fully air-conditioned suite with twenty foot ceilings and its own separate dressing/bathroom. The monumental, Dutch windows and shutters open onto a spectacular, columned walkway which frames the courtyard, swimming pool and garden.
 The towering, bedroom walls feature C18th, blue & white porcelain imported by the Chinese to the Galle area. The antique Sri Lankan cabinets and four poster bed make this one of our most spectacular and romantic suites. A day bed can be used as an extra bed for one teenage child. ( USD 25 extra) Very elegant!
The Jury Panel of the 2007 UNESCO Asia Pacific Heritage Awards
"One of our top 5 places in the world to chill and relax"
Australian Financial Review December 2007
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The Sun house
The Sun house
is located on Sri Lanka’s exotic south coast which is quietly becoming the Riviera of choice for the world’s most discerning and inquisitive travellers.
Conveniently located to the UN World Heritage site of Galle Fort, Buddhist temples, rainforests, lowland tea plantations, wildlife reserves and some of the most fabulous beaches in the Indian ocean.
Set high on a hill overlooking Galle Harbour, The Sun House is the perfect place to base yourself and set off exploring the local & chaotic markets and villages of the Southern Province.
The Sun House is a 4 hour drive south from Colombo’s international airport or for guests coming from the centre of the city of Colombo, it is a 3 hour drive.
Rather than travelling by road why not transfer directly from your international flight onto Sri Lankan Airlines Air Taxi and arrive in Galle (Koggala airport) in just 30 mins. Koggala airport is only a 15 minute drive from The Sun House.
It is the ideal way to travel in style, comfort and luxury at an affordable price
Once the home of a Scottish spice merchant, this colonial house built in the 1860’s has been converted into a small hotel which exudes a country house atmosphere. With 7 highly individual bedrooms, it is well known for its fine dining, its privacy, its eclectic collection of artwork, books and furniture.
Perched high on a hill yet only a 5 minute stroll away from the centre of the seaside town of Galle, The Sun House offers panoramic views of the Galle and the world heritage site of Fort Galle.
There are two beautiful tropical gardens; The fragrant frangipani (“temple tree”) garden, leading to the swimming pool, and the mango garden which faces a stunning view of Galle harbour.
The gardens are an idyllic and serene place for guests to relax, read, write or sunbathe.
The Sun House is a peaceful retreat offering a friendly and relaxed environment with service that is discreet yet efficient.
- 2 suites
- 5 rooms
- Massage / Yoga
- Fine Alfesco Dining
- Eclectic Library
- Swimming Pool
- Frangipani Garden
The Sun House has seven highly individual bedrooms. There are 3 standard rooms, 2 deluxe rooms and 2 premium suites.
All rooms are filled with colonial antique furniture, dreamy four poster beds and each has an elegant bathroom.
At The Sun House we pride ourselves on attention to detail. We have a firm belief that the “difference is in the detail”. All rooms have the finest quality bed linen and bath towels, stunning tropical flower arrangements and plenty of interesting reading material.
The soft furnishings have been chosen to suit each individual room and its surroundings
Delicious fusion cuisine is served and meals can be taken in either the dining room, on one of the house’s airy verandahs or in the garden under the mango tree.
Renowned for some of the best food in Sri Lanka, The Sun House offers contemporary gourmet cuisine with a focus on the highest quality ingredients fresh from the local markets each day.
The dinner menu changes daily with a starter, main course and a choice of three delicious desserts. The cuisine is predominantly seafood with influences from Thailand, Sri Lanka, Australia and the Mediterranean. Our chefs are equally at home making some of the most delicious & innovative Sri Lankan curries, string hoppers and sambals.
For those wanting a hearty start to the day, there is choice of an English or Sri Lankan breakfast. Delicious light lunches & snacks are also served throughout the day.
Meals are served in either the dining room, on one of the house’s airy verandahs or in the garden under the mango tree.
Each year The Sun House has a resident international guest chef come and conduct cooking classes for all those food enthusiasts and to train our own chefs on the finest fusion cuisine.
“The best dinner in Sri Lanka.” Guest Comment
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