Sarah Kingdom reviews Fort Bazaar Hotel in Galle, Sri Lanka’s walled city.
Fort Bazaar Hotel is a beautiful boutique hotel, that emerged after a nine-year restoration of a merchant’s home and is in a prime position within the walls of Galle Fort in Galle Sri Lanka. Fort Bazaar may be housed in a historic heritage building, like numerous others in the 17th-century Galle Fort, but here the resemblance stops. Light, modern and chic inside, the hotel has an ambience that’s entirely its own – this is definitely Galle Fort’s hippest retreat.
Drawing upon the Fort’s Moorish history, the hotel has a contemporary feel, featuring understated interiors with a Middle Eastern twist. Interiors feature eye-catching, handmade floor tiles, screen-printed cushions, glass lanterns, pendant lamps and a sleek simplicity with its custom-designed furnishings. The front of the hotel, home to the restaurant and bar, dates back over a century and is characterised by deeply recessed arches and a long verandah.
Fort Bazaar’s 18 spacious, high-ceilinged rooms, each with four poster beds, are arranged around a central courtyard, and this restored 18th-century merchant’s townhouse, is a cool retreat from the hot streets of Galle. At night, glass tea lights, dotted amongst the cushioned banquettes, bring the courtyard magically to life and there’s a luxurious spa hidden around a corner near an ancient banyan tree. With its fresh individuality and stylish interiors, there’s nothing else like it in all of Galle Fort
Located on historic Church Street, a central thoroughfare in Galle Fort, this romantic yet family-friendly hotel is in the ideal location for easy exploration, with the fort’s many attractions all within walking distance. Rates include breakfast, afternoon tea and happy hour drinks, as well as early morning guided walking tours of Galle Fort.
Tell Me More About Fort Bazaar Hotel in Galle
Fort Bazaar Hotel 26 Church St, Galle, Sri Lanka,
T: +94 773 638 381 E: enquiries@teardrop-hotels.com
The fifteen ‘Bazaar’ and ‘Banyan’ rooms have king-sized four-poster beds, air conditioning, cable TV, tea and coffee facilities and ensuite shower rooms. These rooms start from around £200.
The three ‘Upper Suites’ are larger and have lounge areas, dressing rooms, freestanding bathtubs and fort-view terraces. These rooms start from around £285
The split level ‘Upper Family Suite’ sleeps four and is a spacious room for those travelling with children. This room starts from around £380. (Families could opt for interconnecting Banyan or Bazaar Bedrooms or the split-level Upper Family Suite).
Getting to Galle and Sri Lanka
Please visit the official Sri Lanka Tourism Bureau for more information on Galle and the rest of the country.
Bandaranaike International Airport is Sri Lanka’s only international airport. It services all the main international airlines. Once you have landed in the country though, you will need to travel by road (or train) when getting around the rest of the country, as there are no domestic scheduled flights within Sri Lanka (self-driving is not recommended).
Galle Fort is 113km from Colombo and is approximately three hours by road. If you plan your Sri Lanka travels through a reputable company like Jacada they will put together an itinerary for you, like this one, that will have you accompanied by an English-speaking chauffeur guide, taking all the guesswork and stress out of any driving.
