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4.5
#4 of 59 hotels in Galle
Location
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Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Winner of the 2007 Unesco Award of Distinction for heritage conservation. A charming, friendly, award-winning and affordable heritage boutique hotel in the heart of the Galle Fort world heritage site and a perfect base for the best beaches, tea plantations, temples, rain forests and cultural attractions in southern Sri Lanka. Famous for its Asian fusion food made from fresh local seafood and market produce.
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
Classic
Historic Hotel
Languages Spoken
English, Sinhala
Location
28 Church Street, Galle 80000 Sri Lanka
Galle Fort Hotel
1,058 reviews
Getting there
Great for walkers
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.
This summary was created by AI, based on recent reviews.
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Nestled within the historic Galle Fort, the Galle Fort Hotel emerges as a tranquil retreat praised for its prime location that allows for easy exploration on foot. Reviewers consistently commend the hotel's spotless cleanliness, especially the well-maintained pool that adds to the serene oasis. Its blend of colonial charm and modern comforts in the rooms, along with a commendable range of amenities, are popular among guests.
While the service receives high marks for attentiveness and friendliness, opinions on the hotel's value vary. Despite the general appreciation for its historic ambiance, some guests suggest the live music can be intrusive.
Location
Central
Atmosphere
Charming
Rooms
Comfortable
Value
Expensive
Cleanliness
Spotless
Service
Attentive
Amenities
Outstanding
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My girlfriend and I stayed 3 nights at the Galle Fort Hotel. The first night was on the 31st December and after a very good NYE meal and celebrations, we quickly went to our bedroom as we were tired from the trip. It became apparent that this bedroom (Portuguese Barack) was exposed to outside noise, so when we mentioned it the day after, the manager proposed us to move to another room, which we accepted, although were not expecting. The second bedroom (Loft suite) was over 2 floors and was a clear upgrade. The third night, we moved again to another bedroom as the Loft suite was booked. This final room was called Grand Apartment and was simply outstanding. These 2 upgrades were done FOC which was a great gesture from the hotel. Nothing was too much for the hotel manager and all the staff, who were always dedicated to make sure we were happy. The food was generally good, as well as the cocktails. If you want to use the pool in a minimum of privacy, this hotel is maybe not the best, as the swimming pool is surrounded by the rooms and dining area. The only thing to point out in the rooms was the air con, always a bit noisy. Overall a very peaceful and relaxing experience. It's not a cheap hotel but the clientele we came across was really lovely and respectful.
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Date of stay: January 2020
Value
Rooms
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.
This is a beautiful, colonial hotel set right in the heart of Galle Fort just minutes from all the shops, cafes and sights that Galle has to offer. We had a garden room on the ground floor of the newer part of the hotel, from where we had direct access to the pool area. The room itself was simply but tastefully-appointed with a four-poster bed (complete with mosquito net) and separate shower and toilet, although these facilities were quite dated and would benefit from a facelift. Breakfast is ordered from a menu and served overlooking the pool area, which made a nice change from hotel buffets. There is a gorgeous bar and terrace to the front of the hotel that serves wonderful G&Ts in a setting true to the colonial history of the hotel.
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Date of stay: December 2019Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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.
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We are a family of 4, who came to this historic fort area. From the time, we stepped out of the van, we were greeted with smiles and welcomed warmly. We were shown to the Admiral Cheng Ho Suite. This had a beautiful four poster bed downstairs and a double bed upstairs. They were covered in mosquito nets turning them into “Princess” beds for the children. There was a small area to sit and a large bathroom with an open ceiling. The pool was just outside the door, with recliners and towels ready. We were greeted with a fruit platter and snacks and nothing was a problem. The room was small for 4 bit because you had the pool outside, it felt larger. The breakfast was ordered from a menu and had delicious and plentiful options. Our children loved it. The hotel was situated in the Fort, it was walking distance to everything. This hotel is not only beautiful, it has attentive staff who help with anything. They chat to children, show you around the hidden spots, recommend meal options and organise transport. On our last night, they treated us to dinner as we had a long stay. This was a lovely treat
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Date of stay: January 2020Trip type: Travelled with family
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.
Spent 3 nights at Galle Fort Hotel. Lovely old colonial building set in the middle of the bustling fort. Perfect to chill out at night whilst hearing jazz music and watch the world go by. We had a ground floor room by the pool which was nice to sit by and read a book and relax. The room was perfectly ok and we really enjoyed the treats they left in the jars for us which tasted like "Rocky Road" and a nut crunch, lovely with a cup of tea when you are feeling peckish. Staff were great and happy to help you with any of your requests.
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Date of stay: January 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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 stayed here for two nights in October. It's right in the middle of the historic Galle Fort and ideal for walking around the fort. Easy to walk outside into the other part of the town where you can walk along the seafront and around the shops etc.
This is a lovely, restored hotel. Our room was no.3 on the ground floor and the pool was right outside our door. The pool is reminiscent of a Roman bath and we really enjoyed our swims. The room was really comfortable with lovely snacks included with the coffee and tea courtesy of the chef.
Dinner and breakfast is served on the terrace overlooking the pool and we had the most amazing curry meal for dinner. It came with several other dishes included and was absolutely fantastic. Breakfast was chosen from a good menu.
The staff are all really friendly and Sri Lanka is very safe to visit now so I hope lots of people come to stay here as the Fort area was quite quiet when we stayed.
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Date of stay: October 2019
Location
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.
Beautifully restored, old Colonial property - very conveniently located. We were put in a beautiful room adjacent to the pool. Unfortunately other guests in the room above were breaking the rules & smoking in their room, the odour leaking through to ours. So for our second night, the sympathetic & apologetic Management upgraded us to “Porcelanosa”, an even grander room. Very comfortable bed & super shower. Nice free snacks (nut crunch & biscuits) provided FOC on coffee tray. In the morning, it was a treat to be served one’s breakfast at the table rather than having to go to a buffet to collect oneself. The only slight disappointment was our restaurant meal in the evening. A very small red snapper, with few vegetables on the side. At a good restaurant one would have expected the waiter at the table to have the skills to take the meat off the bones for one, but our chap declined to undertake this. Don’t blame him - there was more bone than meat! Also there was little choice of wine & it was of poor quality, although not cheap. Nice barman let me taste several! So our recommendation is to stay here, enjoy the bed & breakfast and wonderful attention from the staff, but to eat elsewhere (? At the Bungalow - 10 mins walk)
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Date of stay: February 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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.
Response from chamaradedduwage, Assistant Manager at Galle Fort Hotel
Responded Feb 28, 2020
Dear johncD7128GH, Thank you so much for writing to us and sharing your comments and thoughts about the hotel.So glad you enjoyed your Porcilane suit. It is popular because it is full of character and overlooks our colonnaded pool courtyard. At the same time, We are happy to learn that you enjoyed the room snacks, and those are homemade sweets for our valuable guests. It is most generous of you to comment about our food and especially about the red snapper and the wine menu and We will take your points very seriously and we will be looking for new options to make changes of what you mentioned. We are pleased you had such a relaxing time with us. Kind Regards, Chamara Dedduwage
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We had booked the Terrace Suite at Galle Fort Hotel as part of our trip around Sri Lanka in June and unfortunately it was one of the most disappointing parts of our trip.
On a positive note, the hotel is in a great location in the centre of Galle Fort meaning that pretty much everything in Galle Fort is a few minutes walk away.
Upon arrival, we were ushered into the entrance lounge area of the hotel when we arrived to check-in and were then shown to our room which was on the ground floor near the main restaurant area. The room is split over 2 levels with downstairs being the lounge area and bathroom a mezzanine floor to the upstairs bedroom.
While I understand the charm of this being an old hotel, it is on desperate need of some modernisation to make it liveable. Every movement that ANY GUEST in our side of the hotel made resulted in floor boards squeaking (and every floorboard squeaks) which resulted in very little sleep over our 3 night stay. The furniture in the rooms is perfectly in-keeping with the look and style but is not functional with no real wardrobe space, barely a sofa etc. and possibly the flattest pillows I have ever seen. There are no curtains in the room (and neither the doors nor windows shut properly) resulting in being woken up at sunrise and the added 'delight' of an extra dining table being positioned right outside our room door meant we were awoken each morning with the chaos of the team cleaning the dining and pool area and setting up for breakfast.
We went for breakfast on our first morning however were really disappointed with the temperature of the food we were served so didn't have breakfast in the hotel again. The bar in the hotel is very impressive however service was slow (we gave up on our 2nd night even trying to find a staff member for a drink!)
I'm not sure I would return to Galle as there really isn't a lot to see or do, but if I did I would probably stay next door at Fort Bazaar instead!
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Date of stay: June 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Stay next door
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.
Response from Dasun Gunawardhana, General Manager at Galle Fort Hotel
Responded Jul 13, 2023
Warmest greetings from Galle Fort Hotel.Thank You very much for your stay with us and we are especially grateful to you for having taken the time to send us your feedback. I am sorry that your stay was not as you expected it to be, but I must assure you that we take all feedback positively and have taken steps to remedy all the areas of complaint in the Suite you stayed in. The creaking floorboards especially will be given priority. I can also assure you that we have taken measures to ensure that there will be no lapses in service and we do hope you will consider staying with us again on your next visit to Galle. Yours Sincerely, Dasun Gunawardhana, Resident Manager.
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The hotel is a Dutch colonial building in the centre of the Fort with thirteen rooms and a pool in the courtyard. Breakfast is very good. The staff are friendly but the Resident Manager was abrupt and unfriendly. On our second night she asked to see our room key as we walked to our room and then, knowing we were guests, she made no attempt to introduce herself or make polite conversation. A big disappointment as with every other hotel we stayed in, the manager either greeted us on arrival or came and found us with a few hours. This is not a large hotel, with only 7 rooms occupied so not a big task for the Resident Manager! We expected better.
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Date of stay: January 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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.
Business travel led me to Galle in Sri Lanka! Lucky me, so decided to put-up at the Galle Fort Hotel after skim reading reviews. It’s quickly apparent if staff and management are happy in their roles from the moment they greet you, at the Galle Fort Hotel I was made to feel genuinely welcome in the first minute. This is rare in hotel culture and I’ve got 30 years experience to draw from! The ambience and exclusivity attention to detail to ensure hotel guests are cared for is apparent. The honesty in restaurant menu Q&A was refreshing, “chef thinks this maybe more to your liking as the ingredients are fresh from the market today”. Loved everything about this charming place. Thankyou to all the staff and management that made my stay here memorable. Cheers Adrian.
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Date of stay: October 2019Trip type: Travelled on business
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.
What a wonderful stay at this hotel. Such a warm welcome from the staff on arrival and this warmth continued throughout our stay. The hotel itself is spotlessly clean, well equipped and with the addition of a decent sized pool (rare for this area) is an extremely comfortable hotel. It is an absolute gem of a building, the decor and furnishings make you feel like you have been transported back in time!! The food is absolutely delicious, from the egg hoppers at breakfast (an absolute must) to the seafood platter for dinner, everything was absolutely perfect and gave a real insight to traditional Sri Lankan cuisine! But the true essense of this place is the staff that look after you. They made our stay so special with such a great sense of humour and their genuine want to make us happy and cater for whatever we needed. A true reflection of the wonderful nature of the Sri Lankan people. Special thanks to Jagath, Costa, Chamara and Asela :D
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Date of stay: April 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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.
Response from Chamara Dedduwage , Other at Galle Fort Hotel
Responded Apr 17, 2022
Dear ToonLK, Thank you so much for your generous and candid review and it was an absolute pleasure to meet you all. I am very pleased that you have enjoyed your 4 Night's stay with us and had time to soak up the colonial elegance in this 17th-century mansion. we always try to make our valuable guests feel relaxed and have a memorable stay with us. Thank you for your feedback and recommendation about the service, staff, and food. Your comments are most encouraging to our team. We will look forward to welcoming you again. Regards, Chamara Dedduwage Resident Manager
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Dear Lonnieb81,
Yes the restaurant and bar is open for outside guests. Unfortunately the use of the pool is exclusively for in-house guests only.
Thank you
There are more places to choose from in the Galle area.
PRICE RANGE
C$241 - C$365 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
LOCATION
Sri LankaSouthern ProvinceGalle DistrictGalle
NUMBER OF ROOMS
11
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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