The Dutch House
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Avg. C$447 /night, 10/4 - 10/5
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4.5
#30 of 59 hotels in GalleLocation
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If you’re looking for a luxury hotel in Galle, look no further than The Dutch House.
While staying at The Dutch House, visitors can check out Galle International Stadium (0.7 km) and Dutch Hospital Shopping Precinct (1.3 km), some of Galle's top attractions.
As your “home away from home,” the hotel rooms offer air conditioning, a refrigerator, and a kitchenette, and getting online is easy, with free wifi available.
Guests have access to room service, newspaper, and a gift shop while staying at The Dutch House Hotel. In addition, The Dutch House Hotel offers a pool and a lounge, which will help make your Galle trip additionally gratifying. And, as an added convenience, there is free parking available to guests.
While in Galle be sure to experience local burritos favourites at Crepe-ology.
Best of all, The Dutch House makes it easy to experience many great Galle attractions like Maritime Archeology Museum and Maritime Archeological Museum (Galle), which are some popular natural history museums.
The staff at The Dutch House looks forward to serving you during your upcoming visit.
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Property amenities
Free parking
Free High Speed Internet (WiFi)
Pool
Bar / lounge
Bicycle rental
Children Activities (Kid / Family Friendly)
Highchairs available
Airport transportation
Parking
Wifi
Infinity pool
Indoor pool
Outdoor pool
Coffee shop
Restaurant
Breakfast in the room
Special diet menus
Poolside bar
Car hire
Massage
BBQ facilities
Currency exchange
Gift shop
Mosquito net
Newspaper
Non-smoking hotel
Laundry service
Washing machine
Ironing service
Room features
Bathrobes
Air conditioning
Additional bathroom
Desk
Private balcony
Coffee / tea maker
iPod docking station
Whirlpool bathtub
Room service
Safe
Seating area
Sofa
Bottled water
Clothes rack
Iron
Wake-up service / alarm clock
Kitchenette
Microwave
Refrigerator
Kitchenware
Bath / shower
Complimentary toiletries
Hair dryer
Room types
Non-smoking rooms
Suites
Family rooms
Good to know
HOTEL CLASS
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Luxury
Quiet
Languages Spoken
English
Location
18 Upper Dickson Rd, Galle 80000 Sri Lanka
Getting there
Somewhat walkable
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travellers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
Grade: 71 out of 100
71
20 Restaurants
within 0.5 kilometers
64Reviews1Q+A22Room tips
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Detailed Reviews
One is spoiled for choice of hotel when touring Sri Lanka, not more so than along the south coast. Incredible old world properties have been modernised and many new ones built in recent years, but few hark back to bygone eras quite so effortlessly or elegantly as these two. Still privately owned, The Dutch House and Sun House are characterful but unique sister hotels (or homes?) a stone’s throw from each other and the hustle of Galle’s fort. Mercifully, the colonial masters of these gems are long gone, but waking up in either and being served by their delightful staff who pop up in both is a privilege. There is simply no other way of saying it. Just ask for the remarkably delicious curried scrambled eggs at breakfast. Your room girl might cook it, deliver it then wait patiently for your smile when you try it! The entire staff is as friendly, caring and accommodating as can be.
Both homes are stuffed with objet d'art, creaky chairs and dusty books, and both possess real old-world charm. It is everything above and then some which sets these properties apart from their pretenders. Wi-Fi and other nods to modernity are in evidence of course, but so are indispensable smells of the tropics - mothballs and frangipani petals! Whatever you do, don’t expect everything to work perfectly or predictably – my upside down door lock made me smile, eventually! Read a book, cross the road to the other house for supper, but otherwise just soak it all in and feel lucky you’ve had a chance to. The hidden swimming pool at the Dutch house is near perfect.
Book much less than a week and you’ll kick yourself.
Both homes are stuffed with objet d'art, creaky chairs and dusty books, and both possess real old-world charm. It is everything above and then some which sets these properties apart from their pretenders. Wi-Fi and other nods to modernity are in evidence of course, but so are indispensable smells of the tropics - mothballs and frangipani petals! Whatever you do, don’t expect everything to work perfectly or predictably – my upside down door lock made me smile, eventually! Read a book, cross the road to the other house for supper, but otherwise just soak it all in and feel lucky you’ve had a chance to. The hidden swimming pool at the Dutch house is near perfect.
Book much less than a week and you’ll kick yourself.
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Date of stay: January 2020
Location
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Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
It is a wonderful experience to stay in this truly sensational property which has only four letting suites. Rather than staying in a hotel, it gives one the feeling of staying in a private house. Furnished throughout with regional antiques it exudes charm and luxury. The staff are helpful and courteous. Breakfasts on the terrace were superb. The disappointment was the fact that the poolside chairs need to be either replaced or repaired. The table in the garden, at which it would have been good to have a drink, was broken. However, by far the biggest disappointment was the constant presence of two young girls, one of whom apparently works at the sister hotel, The Sun House. If they were in any way responsible for customer relations they have a lot to learn. We were actively ignored by them throughout our stay. At the pool they took not only the best loungers but grabbed the sole sun umbrella. They were condescending to the staff and I even heard one of the girls have a hissy fit. Quite frankly they were rude.
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Date of stay: February 2020
Location
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Room Tip: The Ball Room is wonderful!
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Something completely different is the only way one can describe this magical place to stay! Cheap it’s not but but here you do get what you pay for and quite frankly it’s worth every penny. We stayed in the ballroom suite which was vast and had every amenity possible, minus a TV thank goodness.
The staff were wonderful and very attentive and looked after us beautifully throughout our stay.. I would’ve given it a five star review save for the presence of the owners Niece and friend, Who I understood was employed by the group, but clearly wasn’t brought up to work in the hospitality industry, my gripes I will be taking up in a private communication with the manager! But she definitely let the side down. Let’s hope she’s not there when you stay!
The staff were wonderful and very attentive and looked after us beautifully throughout our stay.. I would’ve given it a five star review save for the presence of the owners Niece and friend, Who I understood was employed by the group, but clearly wasn’t brought up to work in the hospitality industry, my gripes I will be taking up in a private communication with the manager! But she definitely let the side down. Let’s hope she’s not there when you stay!
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Date of stay: February 2020Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This is the most extraordinary hotel in which I have ever stayed. For a start it seems nothing like a hotel just a gracious and luxurious private residence. Doornberg is an authentic Dutch house dating from 1712 but was remodelled recently by the visionary Mary McIntyre (now running a spa in Perth.) It is sister with the Sun House, Taprobane Island etc and owned by entrepreneur Geoffrey Dobbs, one of the main NGO Tsunami relief workers in the area.
Doornberg avoids the clichés and suburban aspirations of the tropical hotel experience, but has all of the drama and mystique. It really is like stepping into a Vermeer painting, but set in the tropics. Daylight is filtered by 30ft high taffeta curtains in a weight of delft-blue silk rarely seen outside Versailles, creating a cool northern light of elegance and discretion. This attention to detail throughout the property is extraordinary; from the aromatic cinnamon shower gel to chic contemporary art. There is a hidden infinity pool but in a jungle setting, with orchid strewn branches dipping into the water. The staff & service are charming but practically invisible creating a feeling of total serenity and privacy. Delicious food is served principally at the Sun House over the road, where I have stayed many times, (see Tropical Houses by Tim-Street Porter). Possibly the perfect hotel?
Doornberg avoids the clichés and suburban aspirations of the tropical hotel experience, but has all of the drama and mystique. It really is like stepping into a Vermeer painting, but set in the tropics. Daylight is filtered by 30ft high taffeta curtains in a weight of delft-blue silk rarely seen outside Versailles, creating a cool northern light of elegance and discretion. This attention to detail throughout the property is extraordinary; from the aromatic cinnamon shower gel to chic contemporary art. There is a hidden infinity pool but in a jungle setting, with orchid strewn branches dipping into the water. The staff & service are charming but practically invisible creating a feeling of total serenity and privacy. Delicious food is served principally at the Sun House over the road, where I have stayed many times, (see Tropical Houses by Tim-Street Porter). Possibly the perfect hotel?
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Date of stay: July 2005
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Rooms
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Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We read the reviews online and saw the amazing pictures on their website before we booked the Ball Room at the Dutch House. It was a lovely house, and I could hang out in the courtyard all day long.
The ball room itself was a lovely room. Very high ceilings and nice decoration. All was great until we went to the bathroom. There were thousands of ants in the bathroom. I did try my best to live with it (as the manager Henri said, "hey, this is sri lanka. there's ants everywhere") until the next morning, I found a few ants' dead body in my water (and I did drink that water at night with the lights off) and a few ants in my towel. Then we asked them to spray the room twice a day but that didn't really solve the problem. And during my stay in this hotel, I was almost convinced that EVERY hotel in sri lanka has ants in their bathroom, until we got to the hotel in colombo, which was an old colonial house as well, but had ZERO ants. And there is always stuff falling off the ceiling of the bathroom, so the towel would get very dusty by the time when you get back to the hotel in the evening.
The room rate was 405 per night (including tax and service charge) and with that kind of price, one would expect Le Bristol Paris sort of service. But considering what they charge, they service was appalling, which I don't blame on the staff as you can tell they haven't received much training , and that they are not particularly motivated (Henri told us not to tip anyone as she thinks it's easier that way). Don't get me wrong, we think the manager is a very friendly lady, and she has been helpful to us, but it doesn't feel like the hotel is managed properly. On our last day there, the air conditioning started to leak water, and we had to walk through a fountain before we could enter the bathroom and this lasted for about 1hr before they sent someone over to fix it.
We had dinner in the restaurant at the Sun House. Overpriced and very average food. We were expecting some amazing Sri Lanka + western fusion food (as described by lots of reviews), and we got some chinese eggplant (which tastes like takeaway food in London). We told them many times my husband was vegetarian, and the manager said that shouldnt be a problem. But they still served squid to him as starter. After we complained, he got some green leaves with some balsamic vinegar on top (and a few ants on the leaves). The ambiance was great though...Also the sri lank breakfast from the hotel is worth trying.
I would not recommend this hotel.
The ball room itself was a lovely room. Very high ceilings and nice decoration. All was great until we went to the bathroom. There were thousands of ants in the bathroom. I did try my best to live with it (as the manager Henri said, "hey, this is sri lanka. there's ants everywhere") until the next morning, I found a few ants' dead body in my water (and I did drink that water at night with the lights off) and a few ants in my towel. Then we asked them to spray the room twice a day but that didn't really solve the problem. And during my stay in this hotel, I was almost convinced that EVERY hotel in sri lanka has ants in their bathroom, until we got to the hotel in colombo, which was an old colonial house as well, but had ZERO ants. And there is always stuff falling off the ceiling of the bathroom, so the towel would get very dusty by the time when you get back to the hotel in the evening.
The room rate was 405 per night (including tax and service charge) and with that kind of price, one would expect Le Bristol Paris sort of service. But considering what they charge, they service was appalling, which I don't blame on the staff as you can tell they haven't received much training , and that they are not particularly motivated (Henri told us not to tip anyone as she thinks it's easier that way). Don't get me wrong, we think the manager is a very friendly lady, and she has been helpful to us, but it doesn't feel like the hotel is managed properly. On our last day there, the air conditioning started to leak water, and we had to walk through a fountain before we could enter the bathroom and this lasted for about 1hr before they sent someone over to fix it.
We had dinner in the restaurant at the Sun House. Overpriced and very average food. We were expecting some amazing Sri Lanka + western fusion food (as described by lots of reviews), and we got some chinese eggplant (which tastes like takeaway food in London). We told them many times my husband was vegetarian, and the manager said that shouldnt be a problem. But they still served squid to him as starter. After we complained, he got some green leaves with some balsamic vinegar on top (and a few ants on the leaves). The ambiance was great though...Also the sri lank breakfast from the hotel is worth trying.
I would not recommend this hotel.
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Date of stay: February 2012Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We can not fault the beautiful old house and grounds but the service or lack of from the manager, Henri, was irritating. The staff were friendly and tried to be as helpful as possible but they did not seem to have had much training. We agree totally with one of the previous reviews that the two properties, the Sun House and Dutch House, were the private entertainment area of the manager. On one of the nights, there was a 'charity party' with loud music which Henri said would end at 11pm. The music did not stop until well past 1am as well as all the noise that all of the non-staying guests were making as they were drinking and smoking on the lawn. Although this was not my idea was a boutique hotel experience, it was not a big problem. However, we did expect at least some attempt at an apology from Henri the next morning but of course, there was none. We've seen other old properties inside the Galle Fort that may not be as fancy but perhaps would have more heart and soul.
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Date of stay: December 2011Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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Rooms
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Service
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I stayed for two nights at The Dutch House while attending a wedding in Galle. It was 12 years since I had stayed here last - just after the 2004 Tsunami. Nothing has change with The Dutch House - happily. Geoffrey Dobbs and his friendly helpful but unobtrusive staff make you very welcome - and the rooms themselves are spacious, thoughtfully furnished with heritage in mind - a joy to relax in. I was lucky enough to stay in the 'Ballroom' which as it's name suggests is especially roomy - my ideal bedroom ! All rooms have a bath and shower - what better than to linger in a Dutch heritage bath! The food is beautifully prepared - and breakfast can be served outside your room whenever you awake - a great help the morning after a wedding party! A well situated swimming pool which you can swim lengths in or just relax - quite sufficient to meet the needs of guests staring in the three guest rooms in The Dutch House . Croquet is also available and there is plenty of reading material available in each room. The serenic Sun House - also owned by Geoffrey - is across the road - and Dinner is served there rather than The Dutch House . Galle Fort is 5 minutes away by tuk tuk for Rupees 350. If you want to stay somewhere exceptional come to The Dutch House - you will not want to leave!
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Date of stay: September 2017Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
My husband and I stayed at the Dutch House for 4 days. We had a very pleasant stay and we really enjoyed the atmosphere of the house. There is a large garden where you can relax, beautiful swimming pool and very nice suites (the blue suite is ok, but if you can choose I would ask for the other suites which are better- especially the one situated in the opposite side of the blue room). The staff is extremely kind (there are two very nice ladies working in the house) and very helpful. There is a delicious selection of food for breakfast, but it is quite limited for lunch and dinner. However, the house is close to Galle Fort (15 minutes by walking and 5 minutes by tuk-tuk approx) where you can find very good restaurants. From the house, you can reach all beach locations by tuk-tuk (Unawatuna is about 10/15 minutes, Merissa is about 40 minutes), so it is pretty convenient.
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Date of stay: July 2014Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Great spot. Only four rooms (I think) and it really feels as if you are staying in a private home. Beautiful setting and remarkably well decorated. Spectacular, really. Our room was massive and made me feel like an English Earl from the colonial era. I'm a pretty spoiled traveler and this place is special.
Sun House is across the street and has a nice bar and good food. It is the sister property and a bit larger. I think we made the correct call by staying at Dutch House and using Sun House when it suited us.
Truly a special place.
Sun House is across the street and has a nice bar and good food. It is the sister property and a bit larger. I think we made the correct call by staying at Dutch House and using Sun House when it suited us.
Truly a special place.
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Date of stay: April 2013Trip type: Travelled with friends
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Service
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We are writing this to give all those who read reviews the benefit of our experience and to put into perspective a negative, rather uneloquent review. We stay at the Dutch House twice a year and have done so for the last 10 years and can quite categorically say that every negative comment made in the last review is wholly inaccurate. We realise that it is a personal opinion and people look for different things but as a Sri Lankan with a Scottish wife it really doesn't get much better than the Dutch House. We travel all over the world preferring to stay in similar establishments and what really stands out about the Dutch House is just how exceptionally well it is managed. When you walk through the gates of the Dutch House you don't leave Sri Lanka behind as you would walking into a 5 star hotel, no, you slip into a different time zone a zone that takes care of your worries and allows you to truly relax......
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Date of stay: February 2010Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Yes, there air conditioning and also ceiling fan. The mosquito net around the bed is functional. They do spray the room before bedtime and also have those repellent burners right outside the door.
"Just four, individual, spacious, en suite rooms, with antique furnishings. Check the brochure."Read full review
"All rooms are different, The Blue Room was stunning but as per my review, we'd opt for the slightly more updated VOC Suite."Read full review
PRICE RANGE
C$495 - C$497 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
the dutch house hotel galle, dutch hotel galle
LOCATION
Sri LankaSouthern ProvinceGalle DistrictGalle
NUMBER OF ROOMS
4
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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Frequently Asked Questions about The Dutch House
Which popular attractions are close to The Dutch House?
Nearby attractions include Shazz Henna Arts (0.4 km), Crazy-x (0.5 km), and Duch Spice Shack (0.4 km).
What are some of the property amenities at The Dutch House?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include an indoor pool, free wifi, and an on-site restaurant.
Which room amenities are available at The Dutch House?
Top room amenities include a kitchenette, air conditioning, and a refrigerator.
What food & drink options are available at The Dutch House?
Guests can enjoy an on-site restaurant, a lounge, and a poolside bar during their stay.
What are some restaurants close to The Dutch House?
Conveniently located restaurants include Comida Restaurant, Ladyhill Hotel Restaurant, and The Gallean Restaurant & Bar.
Are there opportunities to exercise at The Dutch House?
Yes, guests have access to an indoor pool during their stay.
Does The Dutch House have airport transportation?
Yes, The Dutch House offers airport transportation for guests. We recommend calling ahead to confirm details.
Is The Dutch House located near the city centre?
Yes, it is 0.6 km away from the centre of Galle.
Are any cleaning services offered at The Dutch House?
Yes, laundry service and a washing machine are offered to guests.
Are there any historical sites close to The Dutch House?
Many travellers enjoy visiting Galle Dutch Fort (1.0 km), Old Town of Galle and its Fortifications (1.5 km), and Galle Fort Clock Tower (1.5 km).