Cloud Red

Cloud Red sits on the 26th floor of the Cinnamon Red hotel in Kollupitiya and is one of the highest rooftop bars in Colombo. When it opened it was billed as the highest in the city, and the view takes in the city, the harbour and the ocean in a full panorama. The hotel describes it simply as a rooftop bar serving artisanal drinks with panoramic vistas.

The appeal is the combination of height and an easy-going atmosphere. A 2025 guide to Colombo's rooftop bars lists both indoor and outdoor seating, accepts reservations and walk-ins, and notes a smart casual dress code. An earlier review described a sheltered enclosure that keeps the bar usable when it rains, a red colour theme in keeping with the hotel's name and a soundtrack of contemporary jazz. Food is designed to go with drinks, with tapas and fusion dishes on the menu.

Timing is everything here. The bar opens at 5pm every day and stays open until midnight, so arriving soon after opening gives you the best chance of watching the sun set over the sea before the city lights come on. The rooftop guide also mentions that hotel guests have access to an infinity pool, which is a reason to consider staying at Cinnamon Red if you like the view.

The bar suits couples, groups of friends and solo travellers who want a relaxed drink rather than a club night. Reservations can be made through the bar's dedicated phone line, which is listed on the Cinnamon Hotels website.

Cinnamon Red is at 59 Ananda Coomaraswamy Mawatha in Colombo 3. Isso's flagship prawn restaurant is a few doors along the same road at number 53 and opens until 11pm, which makes for an easy dinner and drinks pairing. Cinnamon Grand, with Nuga Gama, is a short ride away on Galle Road, and Galle Face Green is a few minutes north by tuk-tuk. Cinnamon Grand opened in 1975 as the Hotel Lanka Oberoi, and Nuga Gama, its village-style restaurant where local cooks known as ammes prepare island dishes, makes a good dinner before heading up to Cloud Red for a nightcap.