A place to unwind and explore surrounded by Galle’s rich heritage
Maithree Wickramasinghe (centre) and other guests at the opening of the hotel. Pic by Sameera Weerasekera
Opening their latest venture in Galle this year, Thailand’s Amari Hotel has come to Sri Lanka! The hotel, we were pleasantly surprised to find, offers a scenic view of the Galle coastline. The interior design and architecture of the building pay homage to the rich heritage and culture of Galle.
A collaboration by Sino Lanka and the Thai-based ONYX Hospitality Group, this marks the first Amari hotel in Sri Lanka. This will be the third hotel Sino Lanka unveiled in Sri Lanka whereas the ONYX Hospitality Group are parent to many brands of properties for business and leisure travellers, namely – Amari, Shama and OZO.
According to team ONYX, Amari ‘reflects the warmth and energy of modern Asia’. Over the years Amari has networked into many properties in Thailand, Hua Hin, Pattaya, Phuket, Krabi, Koh Samui, Bangkok, Buriram, Doha, Dhaka, Maldives, Johor Bahru and Yangsho in China.
The grand inauguration ceremony of Amari Galle in September was attended by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, together with the Chairman of Sino Lanka Hotels Private Limited, Bob Kundanmal; President of ONYX Hospitality Group, Douglas Martell, Joint Partner of Sino Lanka Hotels Private Limited, Manu Bhojwani; Director, Sino Lanka Hotels Rajan Bharvani, President and CEO of the ITALTHAI Group, Yuthachai Charanachitta and Minister of Tourism Development John Amaratunga.
Amari Galle’s 172 guestrooms and suites are designed to face the beachfront all inclusive of their own private balconies to create a “beach house feel” with their spacious, brightly lit interiors.
For those in need of more private quarters Amari Galle also offers a 360 square metre Presidential suite. Inspired by the concept ‘day meets night’ the suite merges colours that depict the hues of dusk. Situated atop the breathtaking view at the topmost floor, the two bedroom suite includes a dining area, living area and a balcony terrace with a private plunge pool.
Open for all three meals Ahara Gourmet Galleryis a signature market style restaurant inspired by the rich street food culture of the region. Live workstations and warm service allows diners the opportunity to mingle whilst savouring the vibrant flavours of Asian and International cuisines.
For that ultimate seaside experience guests are welcome to bask either by the pool or ocean at the Shoreline Beach Club. The highlight of this innovative structure is the bar, rather ironically placed under three intersecting canopies resembling a Bodhi tree.
Serenaded by a starry sky and house DJ, guests can also enjoy the serene ambiance of the Bommu Rooftop.
The Breeze Spa is where therapies for guests are mood based – depending on whether visitors wish to be rejuvenated or pampered. Exclusive to Amari Galle the “Galle Ceylon Retreat Package” is a 2 1/2 hour treatment that combines Thai and Ayurvedic techniques. For guests who wish to trim the holiday weight Amari Galle also offers a fully equipped FIT Centre.
The hotel is also equipped to handle corporate events. A ballroom that can accommodate up to 350 people offers high speed internet access, video conferencing and the latest audio-visual equipment. The hotel further offers three IDEA rooms giving corporates spaces for creative meetings.
Surrounded by Galle’s rich heritage, and just a 10 to 15 min drive from the Highway exit (roughly 8.5 km distance), Amari offers a great base to explore and unwind.