The Beautiful Mount Lavinia: Your Guide to Sri Lankas Famous Beach Hotel
The Mount Lavinia Hotel is a beautiful place. It is on a rock overlooking the Indian Ocean. This hotel is a reminder of the colonial times and it is also a very romantic place. People in Sri Lanka know it as the Galkissa Maha Hotel. It has a lot of history. It is also a great place to relax on the beach. If you like history, food or just want to get from the city this hotel is a great place to visit. You will learn a lot about Sri Lankas past when you stay here.
A Love Story That Happened a Time Ago
The story of the hotel is about a love affair that happened over two hundred years ago. The hotel was built in 1806 as a house for Sir Thomas Maitland, who was the second British Governor of Ceylon. He fell in love with a dancer named Lovina Aponsuwa. Because they had to keep their love a secret the Governor made a tunnel from his wine cellar to Lovinas house. Even though Maitland left Sri Lanka people still remember their love story. The town of Mount Lavinia was named after their love. The hotel still feels very romantic.
The Hotels Beautiful Architecture
When you walk into the hotel you feel like you are going back in time. The hotel has kept its architecture with high ceilings, shiny wooden floors and beautiful old furniture. The rooms are either in the part of the hotel or in a newer part so you can choose if you want to feel like you are in the past or if you want something more modern. All the rooms have balconies with views of the ocean and the city of Colombo.
Days at the Beach
The hotel is above Mount Lavinia Beach, which is a great place to relax. You can walk on the beach sunbathe or watch the fishermen. The beach is not quiet and isolated like some beaches in Sri Lanka. Instead it is a place where locals and tourists hang out especially on weekends. The hotel has a path to the beach so you can easily go for a swim and then come back to the hotel to relax by the pool.
Eating at the Hotel
Eating at the hotel is an experience. The main restaurant serves food from around the world and also traditional Sri Lankan dishes. You can also eat on the terrace, which has a view of the ocean. If you like seafood you can eat at the restaurant on the beach, where they serve fish under the stars.
Planning Your Trip
The hotel is not far from Colombo so it is a place to start or end your trip to Sri Lanka. The best time to visit is from November to April, when the weather’s nice and the ocean is calm. Even though the hotel feels away from the city it is actually very close so you can easily visit Colombos markets and temples during the day and sleep by the ocean, at night..
