Galle Fort Hotel | Recipient of UNESCO Asia Pacific Heritage Awards

Galle Fort Hotel is a star-class boutique hotel situated within the ancient Galle Fort premises in Southern Province, Sri Lanka.

History

Designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1988, Galle Fort is considered the best example of a fortified city built by Europeans in South and Southeast Asia. The present Galle Fort Hotel was originally a Dutch mansion (Dutch Period: 1640-1796 A.D.) dating from the latter part of the 17th century. During the British Period (1796-1948 A.D.), several changes and additions were done to the mansion when it was refashioned for the use of Macan Marker, a renowned family of gem merchants.

The building which was later in a state of dilapidated was restored in 2003 and opened as a boutique hotel in 2005. In 2007, it received the Asia Pacific Heritage Award of Distinction by UNESCO. The ownership of the hotel was transferred to a Sri Lankan public company when its owners sold it to them in 2011.

The hotel

The hotel consists of several suits categorized as Loft, Porcelain, Admiral Chen Ho, Library and Grand Apartment. The Admiral Cheng Ho Suite, named after the Chinese admiral who visited Devinuwara in the 15th century (see: Galle Trilingual Slab Inscription), is decorated with Chinese heirloom furniture (Daswatte, 2012). The front verandah of the hotel building which is enclosed on either side with pivoted louvred panels opens to passersby in the street in front. A new wing of rooms has been added to the hotel later to provide additional accommodation, along with a pool in the central courtyard (Daswatte, 2012).