Mount Lavinia Hotel

This charming old British mansion occupies a fantastic seaside location in Mt Lavinia with views out into the Laccadive Sea and of central Colombo a few kilometres up the coast. Whilst the hotel does not offer the same level of luxury that it once did, it has lost none of its colonial charm and remains the major landmark in the district and one of the most recognisable hotels in Sri Lanka. The mansion was once the home of British Governor, Sir Thomas Maitland, who had an infamous romance with a local dancer, named Lovina, from whom this area takes its name. (Make sure you take a peek the secret ‘lovers cave' where they used to meet which is located right next to the hotel reception). The 210 comfortable rooms at the Mt Lavinia Hotel are spread throughout 2 wings, a new wing and a colonial wing and the ocean view rooms offer some of the best views in Colombo. The hotel also benefits from having an outdoor swimming pool and a number of decent dining outlets. The restaurants and shops of downtown Colombo are just a 20 minutes Tuk Tuk ride away from outside the hotel.