Hotel
Galle Face Hotel
Colombo's grand seafront hotel, founded in 1864 at the southern end of Galle Face Green, with 156 rooms, a museum and a string of restaurants and…
Mount Lavinia Hotel
A beachfront hotel built around Governor Thomas Maitland's 1806 residence at Mount Lavinia, with a private beach, an ocean-view pool and 275 rooms.
At a glance
- Type
- Historic beach hotel
- Area
- Mount Lavinia, Colombo, Sri Lanka
- Price
- $$$ · Upscale
- Official site
- mountlaviniahotel.com
Good to know
- Private beach
- Pool
- Beachside seafood restaurant
Why we recommend it
The Mount Lavinia Hotel is the best choice if you want a beach as well as the city. It grew from the residence that Governor Sir Thomas Maitland built at Galkissa, now Mount Lavinia, in 1806. Legend says he fell in love with Lovina Aponsuwa, a local dancer, and had a secret tunnel built from her house to his wine cellar, and the mansion he named Mount Lavinia House gave the whole area its name. The building works were completed in 1830 under Governor Edward Barnes, the property was sold at auction in 1842, and it became a hotel in 1877 after the coastal railway was built.
Its history continued through the 20th century. Between 1939 and 1946 the British Army commandeered the building, and from 1942 to 1946 it housed No. 35 British General Hospital. Scenes from The Bridge on the River Kwai were filmed here in 1957, and past guests include Yuri Gagarin, Somerset Maugham, Vivien Leigh, Kirk Douglas and Gregory Peck. A statue of Lady Lavinia stands in a fountain at the entrance, and four blue plaques installed in 2011 honour former governors who lived here.
The hotel has 275 rooms and 11 suites over two floors and three restaurants. Its own description highlights Paradise Beach, which it calls the most private beach on the Colombo coast, and guests praise the pool with its view of the ocean. Seafood Cove on the beach lets diners choose fresh seafood and how it is cooked, with tables on the sand, while The Governor's restaurant offers a more formal setting and the main bar has music, a piano and live bands. The hotel is run by the Mount Lavinia Hotel Group and describes more than 210 years of history.
The sea at Mount Lavinia is only safe for swimming at certain times of year, with rough water and undertow at others, so check conditions and use the pool when the waves are up. Sunset over the beach is one of the highlights of a stay.
Mount Lavinia station on the Coastal Line is about 14 kilometres from Colombo Fort, so the train is a scenic way into the city, although few express trains stop. Loon Tao, the beachside Chinese seafood restaurant, is nearby for a change of scene at dinner, and the zoo at neighbouring Dehiwala makes a good family outing.
Mount Lavinia Hotel FAQs
How old is the Mount Lavinia Hotel?
It grew from Governor Thomas Maitland's residence of 1806 and became a hotel in 1877.
Where is it?
At 100 Hotel Road, Mount Lavinia, on Colombo's southern coast.
How many rooms does it have?
275 rooms and 11 suites.
Does it have a beach?
Yes. The hotel describes Paradise Beach as the most private beach on the Colombo coast.
Is there a pool?
Yes, with a view of the ocean.
Where can I eat?
At Seafood Cove on the beach, The Governor's restaurant and the main bar.
Was a film shot there?
Yes, scenes from The Bridge on the River Kwai in 1957.
How far is it from Colombo Fort?
Mount Lavinia station is about 14 kilometres from Colombo Fort.