Casa Colombo

Incoming tuk tuks and taxis pull into a narrow street with a gated entrance where a glorious mansion and adjacent glass lounge come into view. The pure grandeur of the space has the ability to charm in mere seconds, and the white building has open shuttered windows, balustrades, gingerbread trim, and a covered entryway with a cool red light fixture. The lobby showcases original high moulded ceilings, mosaic floors, and sleek furnishings. The building was once owned by a Moorish trading company, and the owners spent seven months refurbishing it before opening in 2006. The contrast of old and new is a theme throughout, and the hotel's partner and founder, Lalin Jinasena, sourced pieces from local artists and suppliers to help create the hotel's unique high design. Not surprisingly, the hotel has won several design awards, which are displayed in the entrance. 

The hotel mostly attracts couples and business travelers from Europe, the Americas, Asia, and even Australia. Locals view Casa as a destination, too, coming for the chic restaurant that serves all three meals (luckily, the Pink Pool is for guests only). As an example of the attention to detail found throughout, first-floor bathrooms have fountain sinks with water that arrives from the ceiling, so that even washing your hands is a memorable experience. It's clear no space was left untouched. When you add in standout service -- which one should expect from a luxury hotel of this size -- the result is an experience more akin to a private club than a hotel. If there is a Sri Lankan equivalent to Soho House, this might be it. 

Casa Colombo is a boutique hotel in the heart of Sri Lanka's capital, though one would know it once they enter the property from busy Galle Road. The hotel is tucked away in a small alleyway, past a gate, and is surrounded with peaceful outdoor lounges and bright tropical vegetation. Traffic noise can be heard in the distance, but at a much lower volume than at most hotels in the city.  

To get there, it takes a 45-minute drive from Colombo's Bandaranaike International Airport. Taxi service and tuk tuks can easily be arranged from reception. The hotel also offers pick-up/drop-off service in a vintage car with a glass of bubbly. Though the hotel feels tucked away from urban action, it is easy driving distance to a number of sights -- a two-minute drive (or 11-minute walk) to the Bambalapitiya Railway Station, an 11-minute drive to Viharamahadevi Park (by the National Museum), a 12-minute drive to Crescat Mall, and a 20-minute drive to the World Travel Center. Fort, Colombo's main business district, is a 20-minute drive away. In the immediate vicinity, there are some food shops and a temple that are within walking distance. 

There are only 12 suites in three categories, all designed by founder Lalin Jinasena. During the refurbishment phase, Jinasena sourced furnishings and materials locally whenever possible. Each suite is unique, as it would have been when this was a private residence. Beds with pillow-top mattresses seem like they are floating above the neon lights underneath, which are an attractive contrast to the plaid bedspreads and bold backdrop walls in block colors. Technology is a big factor (the hotel attracts its fair share of business travelers) and sleek glass work desks and funky chairs come equipped with laptops, free (and fast) Wi-Fi, pre-loaded iPods, and sound systems with six genres of music.  The lighting system might be tricky to learn at first but offers privacy and mood settings that create ambience. After these impressive tech features, the 29-inch flat-screen TVs may strike some guests as a bit small. Extra-high ceilings have attractive plaster moldings. 

Bathrooms are an event in themselves, as most are jaw-dropping with cement-style double sinks, walk-in showers with rain showerheads, and generous toiletries, including his and her vanity kits; most rooms also have copper tubs by the beds. Each room is equipped with free drinking water, minibars (wine, soda, beer, and a few liquors are available for a fee), and individual concierge service.

Differences between room categories lie mostly in size. The three Traveler Suites are 300 to 500 square feet and have queen-size beds, while the eight Corporate Suites are 500 to 800 square feet and have king-size beds (as well as faxes, printers, scanners, and copy machines). The one Royal Suite is 1,000 square feet and has a separate bedroom with attractive mosaic floor tiles, as well as a private balcony with a jetted tub and daybed for two. 

Guests should expect small quirky surprises in the rooms, like phones and notepads mounted by the toilets. 

This boutique hotel does not have a traditional reception for check-in but rather an antique desk near the entrance. Guests, upon arrival, are seated in the lounge and offered a drink while they fill out paperwork. Service is a focus, and each guest receives the personal attention of a Domos -- in essence, a friendly concierge who will be the point of contact during the entire stay for questions, transportation, and special requests.

The Pink Pool is available only to guests, and is accessed through the rear of the building. Guests will enter a beautiful garden area with glass sunbeds dressed in caramel leather cushions and hot pink towels. In between chairs are chrome statues of women's bodies (similar to mannequins), and cushioned banquettes and tables for smoking and drinking. Some may find the glass chairs uncomfortable, but there are three canopied daybeds for stretching out, as well. The pool is shaded by trees which makes it a nice respite on hot and humid days, common in Colombo. 

The lounge has a library for sharing books, and there are some areas where business travelers can have high-tech meetings on-site. 

The main restaurant, HVN, has gold ceilings, glass tables, and an awesome Hindu mural with meditating figures in the clouds. It serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner and focuses on gourmet cuisine (including tapas) with local flair. Menus change often, and the restaurant attracts locals and guests staying at other hotels. Breakfast can be served anywhere in the hotel, including the rooms, and lunch can be taken next to the pool. There is also 24-hour room service. 

The contemporary glass cube building near the entrance is one of the first things guests see upon arrival. It is called ZAZA, and it opens nightly for drinks, shisha pipes, and cigars. An outdoor path leads past a fountain to the outdoor lounge called T-Republic, where a top-quality selection of Sri Lankan tea is served. A rooftop deck used to be open to the public for cocktails, but is now used mostly for private events.