Taru Villas – Lake Lodge

When it opened in 1964, Taru Villas - Lake Lodge held the honor of being the first registered guesthouse in Colombo. However, this property doesn't look its age and the style throughout the colonial building is fresh and contemporary. A wide driveway at the end of a quiet road welcomes guests to the hotel, which looks a lot like a large residence at first. The lobby lies to the right of the U-shaped building, with a round table and chairs set up on a small covered patio where most guests receive a refreshing welcome drink during their check-in. The front desk, along with a sleek built-in concrete couch and another wooden desk used for by the concierge, are set behind the patio area. When not tending to the guests or grounds, most of the staff hang out in this area with smiling faces. 

A few steps past the lobby and reception, guests will find a well-landscaped courtyard area with trees, plumeria, bougainvillea, gravel stone plots, and two rectangular concrete lotus ponds (with tadpoles) leading to the main building. While the outside of the hotel has a contemporary colonial look, with high white walls and slatted wooden accents, inside you'll find an up-to-date look complete with polished concrete floors, mid-century modern furniture, Rothko-esque artwork, and Sri Lankan sculptures. The vibe is relaxed and refined -- tranquil and quite -- and couples make up the vast majority of guests.

Taru Villas is located in Colombo 3's Colpetty neighborhood, a quiet and upscale neighborhood with a high population of Sinhalese. The property itself can be found at the end of the short, dead end residential road, Alvis Terrace (you may need to tell your driver the nearby roads of Alvis Place and Perahera Mawatha for reference). The road is flanked by houses on one side and by a school field that is often full of children on the other. Around the corner, off the main road, you'll find Gangaramaya Park's large lake, a popular spot for strolls or swan-boating, and there are tons of shopping and dining options within a 10-minute walk. Gangaramaya Temple is less than 10 minutes away by foot, while the large and popular Viharamahadevi Park is about a 15 minute's walk or five-minute tuk-tuk ride from the hotel. Across from the park is the National Museum and Natural History Museum. Colombo airport is 45 minutes away by taxi or car. 

Taru Villas breaks its 13 rooms down into Ground Floor, First Floor (second floor), and Garden Suite categories. The Ground Floor rooms are cheaper, ever-so-slightly smaller than First Floor rooms, and guests may overhear a bit of outside noise (especially in the room sharing a wall with the service kitchen). The style is urban chic, with polished concrete floors and built-ins like side tables, seating, and desks. Handsome hardwood furniture with Neo-colonial lines softens the spaces, and Abstract Expressionistic prints add a welcome dash of color, though admittedly the concrete aesthetic won't be to everyone's liking. Comfy beds are made with white linens, though rooms with an extra bed, beware: This is not an actual bed but rather a thick cushion laid out across a concrete built-in and not suitable for sleeping. All rooms include a free bottle of water per day, air-conditioning, large flat-screen TVs with a few English channels, and local guide magazines like Time Out. Concrete bathrooms have big rainfall showers, tile floors, and toiletries. Most of the drains have a collection of insect-repelling stones that smell strongly of mothballs.

The Garden Suite is located just off the courtyard and features its own private interior courtyard, a covered patio area, and a larger open-room layout with a dedicated seating area. These rooms also include a long, spacious bathroom. It's also the only room with coffee and tea facilities and a mini-fridge. While the space, privacy, and extra features of this room are nice, the lighting is much more dim, making it feel a bit more cave-like than the others.

For frequent travelers to Sri Lanka, the standout feature of Taru Villas would be its service and vibe. With decades of experience, this hotel goes out of its way to cater to its guests, and does so seamlessly. Taru Villas has several dining areas -- two on the ground floor, a scattering of tables upstairs, and two large sundecks -- where guests start their mornings with the hotel's generous and delicious free breakfast with Western options. Like many Colombo hotels, guests wanting a traditional Sri Lankan breakfast must order it the night before. For lunch and dinner, light music ranging from contemporary pop hits to Edith Piaf floats through the air, and the menu includes a good selection of salads, fish, Asian, and Western dishes. The bar is small, with a few stools and couches in the lounge area. It serves anything from fresh fruit smoothies to cocktails (with local and imported liquor) and coffee. The hotel also provides a laundry service, free high-speed Wi-Fi, and a refreshing cool towel and welcome drink upon check-in. The only thing missing is a pool.