Heritance Ahungalla

Heritance Ahungalla was opened in 1981, and the most recent major renovation took place between 2004 to 2006, helping repair damage from the 2004 tsunami. In its previous life, the hotel was named Triton, though the only lingering evidence of this is the large Triton statue at the hotel's gated entrance. Upon arrival, you may feel as though you are entering a large, upperclass estate. The building is massive; three floors of open-air white walls, high ceilings, and a terra-cotta tile roof, plus interior landscaping, give the property a slightly overwhelming presence. Where many hotels in Sri Lanka simply try to look the part of an upscale and luxe colonial-style hotel, through a few additions of cheap furniture and decor accents, Heritance Ahungalla is outfitted with authentic looking antiques, handmade art, and solid materials; the attention to detail puts this a step above some competitors. The lobby is a large, open area with wooden reception desks to the right and a few lounge couches to the left. Guests are greeted with a cool towel, choice of fresh juice, and the unique addition of welcoming spices. While the upscale antique decor appears to be legit, there are some wear and datedness issues. The abundance of open space and white walls may also give the impression that the hotel lacks any specific atmosphere.The guests here are split between European and Muslim guests, with nearly all keeping to themselves despite the planned daily activities and frequent sharing of space. 

Heritance Ahungalla is located in the small town of Ahungalla, a suburb of Galle Province. It's a completely residential and local neighborhood, and aside from a church, temple, hospital, and pharmacy all within a 15-minute walk, there is not much that can be reached on foot. Popular tourist towns like Galle, Colombo, and Bentota are an hour, two hours, and 20 minutes away by car, respectively. The hotel also runs excursions and day trips to other popular spots such as the Moonstone mines, Mirissa (for whale watching), and Amblalangoda (for mask carving). Bandaranaike International Airport is about two hours and 15 minutes north.  

All 152 of Heritance Ahungalla's rooms have contemporary colonial decor with hardwood floors in the bedrooms, stone floors in the bathrooms, king-size beds, and sitting areas. While warmth is found through the polished hardwood floors and furniture, the hand-woven fabrics and decor accents are all monochrome. Rooms are slowly being renovated, and many guests report feeling underwhelmed by non-renovated rooms. High-end amenities include 24-hour room service, custom-made hotel toiletries, and stocked minibars. All rooms have private balconies and face the pool, courtyard, and ocean. They're also wheelchair accessible. Bathrooms have large glass windows looking into the bedrooms, though if you don't mind losing the natural light, you can pull down the wooden blinds for a bit of privacy. The Superior Rooms (the lowest category) are located on the ground floor and come with garden views and a glimpse of the sea, while upgrading to the Deluxe Rooms bumps you up a floor and gets you partial sea views. Premium Rooms are located on the third floor and have direct or partial sea views, but if you want a larger balcony and a tub, you'll have to spring for a Luxury Room. Families with smaller children should consider booking a Suite since it's over twice as big as the Deluxe Room and can easily fit an extra single bed in the sitting area. It's also got a large balcony and a separate tub and rainfall shower. The top of the line, where the owners stay, would be one of the four Luxury Suites. Basically small apartments, these rooms have separate living room and bedroom areas, whirlpool tubs with separate shower area, and a home theater system. This hotel has free rooms for drivers. 

Heritance Ahungalla's culinary team has won a few awards, including "Best Hotel Team" and "Best Culinary Team" from the Chefs Guild of Sri Lanka. For a taste of a little bit of everything, Jute Restaurant is the hotel's breakfast, lunch, and dinner buffet and is the largest restaurant. Inside is a long buffet of hot and cold dishes (there's even a kids' area), and outside is a long stretch of live cooking stations, as well as a few outdoor dining tables. Breakfasts here include everything from local specialties like egg and string hoppers, to Western favorites like pancakes and waffles. Lunch and dinner have international dishes, although the hotel has a few themed nights. Dress for dinner service is smart casual. If you are looking for something a little fancier than a buffet, the Upper Room Fine Dining Restaurant, an open-air affair off the pool bar area, has an international mix of gourmet dishes from around the globe (and fairly hefty price tags). The Mustard Coffee Shop is a 24-hour spot to grab items from the a la carte menu (also fairly pricey), with items ranging from appetizers and snacks to full-blown steak entrees. Guests can book room-only rates, as well as breakfast-only, half-board, and full-board options. 

The Wall Bar spills directly out on to the Green Pool and serves cocktails, happy hour, beer, and soft drinks. There are a limited number of tables for those who are not poolside. The main pool is serviced by the Pool Bar. Shaped like the boat that rests within the pool, this wooden bar has a casual beach vibe, big terrace, and a separate snack and ice cream menu with inventive sundaes and the like. Overlooking the infinity pool is the Apollo Bar. This large space is completely indoors, has a large sunken bar, and is home to a few games like pool and foosball. You can also grab a cigar or coffee here. For a more upscale lounge vibe, there's the Bacchus Bar just off the lobby. This dark, indoor bar has lava-stone tables, black leather couches, cigarettes for sale, lots of dual-level seating, and a big TV for games. The nightclub, Orpheus Bar, is outfitted with concrete and metal decor, and is only open on Friday and Saturday nights in high season. 

Heritance Ahungalla has a prime beachside location giving guests direct access to a wide stretch of beautiful beach. There are no loungers on the beach itself (common in Sri Lanka), but you will find a beach volleyball net stretching across the sand as well as a few sturdy wooden loungers just off of the main pool. It's hard to miss the main infinity-edge pool located just beyond the main lobby lounge. This pool tends to have a more relaxed vibe, with people occasionally taking dips, but mostly lounging around the edges or at nearby tables and chairs. At certain times of day a pan flute player performs on board the "shipwrecked" boat hovering over the pool, which can either be relaxing or irritating, depending on your music taste. The hotel's second pool, the Green Pool (also known as the Residence Pool), is located in the other, more private wing of the hotel. Painted to resemble natural lagoon, this shady, tree-lined spot tends to be more active than the main pool. Both pools have grassy courtyard areas with wooden loungers, some with black cushions and/or umbrellas, and are within easy access to a bar. On-site activities include beach volleyball, table games, tennis courts, badminton court, a small putting green, and board games. There is also a large library with seating areas and business center, and a large, air-conditioned gym that overlooks the Green Pool and Indian Ocean. Excursions and transport to Bentota for water sports activities are also available. Kid-friendly features include kids' menus at the restaurants, babysitting service for a fee, a kids' club (not always available), and free baby cots. Vivanta by Taj lacks a kids' club but does offer some kid-friendly activities. Business-friendly features include free Wi-Fi, several conference halls, and event space.