Fort Bazaar

Rooms

All rooms and suites have Balinese four-poster beds, cable TV, coffee machines and contemporary Scandi-style furnishings. The Bazaar bedrooms flank either side of an alfresco courtyard and come with ensuite shower rooms. Those on the upper floor are a little more private. To the rear of the courtyard are the Banyan bedrooms, set at the back of the property around an age-old banyan tree. Their smaller interiors are compensated by tiled balconies or terraces. Some Bazaar and Banyan bedrooms can be interconnected with another bedroom to form the Family Suites.

We stayed in an Upper Suite, on the first floor of the hotel, opposite the library lounge. It was incredibly spacious and private, with a kingsize bed, a lounge beneath soaring lime-washed ceilings, a dressing area, and a beautiful ensuite bathroom with a rain shower and tub. Folding doors led onto a rooftop street-view balcony.

Features include:

• Bathrobes
• Fan
• Hairdryer
• In-room treatments available
• Minibar
• Safe box
• WiFi

Eating

The Church Street Social's menu draws upon international dishes using sustainably sourced produce, plus there's a separate menu of Sri Lankan classics. You might choose Grilled Yellowfin Tuna, Hainanese Chicken Rice, Steak Frites, or big sharing platters. For lunch, there's a selection of soups, salads, sandwiches and pizzas. In-house guests can dine in the air-conditioned dining room, which is also open to the general public, or more privately in the courtyard. There is also a fully licensed bar and room service, which you call via a "Press for Champagne" button beside your bed - how glam!

A la carte breakfasts (fruit platters, toast, eggs, pancakes and hoppers) are included in the rate, as are afternoon teas and early-evening cocktails. Fort Bazaar is renowned for its G&Ts - and we can vouch for them! The waiters were very generous in ensuring that our glasses remained full throughout happy hour.

If you can tear yourself away, there are numerous restaurants in Galle Fort. We tried The Bungalow, where gorgeous curries are served in a romantic, candlelit courtyard. For other recommendations, just ask the staff at Fort Bazaar.

Features include:

• Bar
• Coffee maker
• Kids' meals
• Restaurant
• Restaurants nearby
• Room service

Activities

• Wind up and down the Fort's café- and boutique-flanked lanes then end up on the ramparts for sunset. All guests get a complimentary guided walking tour of historic Galle Fort by local heritage interpreter Tharanga, which will give you a fascinating insight (book by 9pm the previous evening)
  
• Take a cookery lesson from The Church Street Social's amazing chefs
  
• Unwind in the Fort's Z Spa – a range of treatments are available – or poolside
  
• Treat yourself to gems from one of the Fort’s renowned jewellers, or try your hand at Sri Lankan mask making with a local artist
  
• Explore the inland scenery on a guided bicycle tour, winding through the quietest back lanes. Or travel upriver by kayak
  
• Enjoy a tea-tasting session in the Fort with Withered Leaves, or make for Tittigala where you can wander through a lowland tea plantation, take a tour of the factory and sample a cuppa
  
• Take the train to Bentota to visit 2 magical gardens: Geoffrey Bawa’s expansive Lunuganga and his brother Bevis’ more low-key Brief

  Activities on site or nearby include:

  • Art classes
  • Boat trips
  • Cooking classes
  • Cycling
  • Fishing
  • Hiking
  • Historical sites
  • Museums / galleries
  • Nightlife
  • Private guided tours
  • Scuba diving
  • Shopping / markets
  • Snorkelling
  • Traditional cultures
  • Whale watching

Kids

Families are warmly welcomed and there's various accommodation to suit, plus the lovely swimming pool. Travel cots are complimentary; there's a small surcharge for extra beds (2-12 year-olds).

Best for:

Babies (0-1 years), Toddlers (1-4 years), Children (4-12 years)

Family friendly accommodation:

The 2-bedroom Family Suites have interconnecting kingsize and twin bedrooms (shared shower bathroom). The Upper Family Suite has a kingsize bedroom and a mezzanine floor with twin beds in its living room so is ideal for older children (shared bathroom with separate tub and shower). A baby monitor will stretch from the restaurant to the Upper Suites.

Cots Available, Extra Beds Available, Family Rooms

Distances:

• Airport: 3 hours' drive (or a 25-minute air taxi from Colombo)
• Shops: on the doorstep
• Hospital: 2km (Hemas, a private hospital)

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

Fort Bazaar is set in Galle Fort in Galle, on the southwest coast of Sri Lanka.

By Air
Colombo Bandaranaike (147km away) is the closest international airport.

From the Airport
It takes about 3 hours by car to reach Galle from Colombo - the hotel can arrange transfers but many people catch the Sri Lankan Airlines air taxi service to nearby Koggala Lake instead; from here you can pick up a taxi to Galle.

Getting Around
Staff can arrange a tuk-tuk or a car with a driver for day trips.

Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.