The Sun House, Galle

The Sun House is located on a hilltop in the heart of the southern coastal town of Galle. Dating back to the 1860’s, this splendid country house hotel was once the home of a Scottish spice merchant, and is still one of the best-preserved colonial-era properties in Sri Lanka. Although it has been operating as a boutique hotel for many years, The Sun House reopened under new management in November 2023. Great care was taken to modernise the inner workings of the property whilst retaining its nostalgic character, original features, and eclectic collection of furniture, artwork and profusion of books.

The hotel is home to seven very individually designed bedrooms, each with its own unique look and feel that captures the essence of Sri Lanka, and in particular Galle. From grandiose suites – such as light-filled Dumas and top-floor Gallean with its private library – to cosy bedrooms such as Dalloway, a stay here combines elegant colonial-era nostalgia with 21st century comforts. Some bedrooms have bathtubs and others have rain showers, and a few have sitting areas and private treetop-view balconies or garden-side verandas (new suite, Taprobane, even has a bathtub on its balcony!).

As part of the restoration of the house, more indoor dining space was created to allow space for both in-house guests and outside diners. The hotel has always been a destination for fine dining in Galle, and its in-house restaurant and bar, ‘The Gallean’, continues to delight guests with its eclectic Asian fusion dishes and artfully concocted cocktails. The vast sitting room and rear garden-view veranda are reserved for in-house guests only, as is the secluded swimming pool which sits in the lower garden.

The house has traditionally been popular with couples and friends who use it as an atmospheric base for exploring Galle (the town, historic fort precinct with its restaurants and shops, and cricket ground are a 10-minute walk away) and exotic local beaches.