Lying within the walls of the 17th century Dutch Fort is Amangalla, a fabulous boutique hotel offering a wonderful escape for those wanting the highest possible luxury in intimate, interesting and historic surroundings.  The property provides an amalgamation of buildings dating back over 400 years. Collectively the buildings have been used as headquarters for the Dutch commander and his officers in the 17th century and later as a billet for British soldiers. In 1865 the buildings were combined to create the New Oriental Hotel.  In the 1980s and 1990s the hotel suffered from a lack of investment and slowly fell into a state of disrepair until the arrival of Aman Resorts, the leading luxury hotel development company in Asia. A long, sensitive and complete refurbishment followed and in 2005 Amangalla opened for business.  Amangalla now offers excellent old-world luxury, superb food, arguably the best spa in the island and exceptional service. Luxurious Sri Lanka recommends it highly.

Accommodation
There are four categories of accommodation at Amangalla: Bedrooms, Chambers, Suites and the Garden House.

• Bedrooms: Bedrooms are located adjacent to Amangallas reception, on the ground level or either overlooking the garden or the nearby historic Groote Kerk (Great Church). The bedroom and separate bathroom are similar in size with furnishings including a four-poster king-size bed, writing desk, dining table and chest, all set within the original polished jackwood floors. The spacious bathroom offers twin vanities, freestanding tub, separate shower and toilet.
  
• Chambers: Chambers are located within the Church Street Wing, facing the Fort ramparts. The entrance leads into the open plan room, featuring first the bathroom, followed by the bedroom and a separate sitting area. The bathroom has a large shower, freestanding bathtub and toilet. A gracious and authentic turn-of-the-century ambience is recreated with use of a four-poster king-size or twin bed arrangement, a planters chair, writing desk, dining table and a chest perched atop gleaming teakwood floorboards.
  
• Suites: Suites look onto the ramparts of the Fort and the harbour, or the mature well-tended tropical gardens. All feature the original polished teak floorboards dating back over 300 years. The entry hall leads to separate bedroom and lounge area. Adjacent to the entry hall is the bathroom with a freestanding tub, twin vanities, separate toilet and shower. The bedroom has a king-size four-poster bed and arched, shuttered windows. The lounge is furnished with a chaise lounge, writing desk, dining table, planters chair and chest.
  
• The Garden House: The Garden House is a two-storey house featuring a private terrace and balcony offering leafy, treetop views. The original, antique furniture of the house has been restored. At the entrance is a sitting room fitted with a chaise lounge, armchairs and coffee table. Double doors lead to the bedroom, furnished with a king-size four-poster bed, writing table and dressing cabinet. Adjoining this is a spacious bathroom, bathed in light from the pool garden outside. It offers twin vanities, a freestanding tub, toilet and separate shower. An internal stairway rises from the sitting room to the upper level, featuring a daybed and banquette. Other facilities include a pantry serviced by a private butler.

Facilities
Dining:  There are several dining options including The Zaal - the Great Hall - as it was known in Dutch times, is the entry point to the resort and has a wonderful colonial feel with high ceilings, overhead fans and chandeliers. There is relaxed seating within as well as on the verandah facing the tree-lined street front. The menu provides light meals and snacks in the morning and afternoon tea is served daily. The verandah is the ideal place to escape the heat of the day, enjoy a tall drink and watch the world pass by. Adjacent is The Dining Room that provides an intimate setting for dining with a colonial accent, furnished with period chairs and tables, crisp white linen and antique silverware, with many of the original pieces being returned to their rightful place in this room. The Dining Room serves breakfast, lunch and dinner and provides a choice of traditional Sri Lankan curry and rice and home cooked dishes.

Spa and swimming pool: The spa is located within the lower level of the Middle Street building. Entry is to a reception hall that is flanked on one side by a long ascending arched corridor leading to five treatment rooms. There is a small relaxation area at the entrance to each of the rooms. On the other side of the reception hall are the female and male locker rooms and bath areas. Each contains a small number of lockers and a dressing area leading to a hydrotherapy and water massage pool, sauna, steam and cold plunge pool. The male area is bathed in natural light during the day and the female area looks onto a private garden. There is also a beauty treatment area and a traditional barbers shop. Adjacent to the Baths and positioned in a quiet part of the hotel gardens is a combined yoga and meditation pavilion. The Pool is centred within the resorts gardens and measures 21m by 10.5m. Bordering the swimming pool is a terrace containing five shaded cabanas and a series of sun lounges.

Excursions
Amangalla sits within the ramparts of the 17th century Galle Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The resort reveals the Forts daily activity and its rich legacy, the narrow streets lined with Dutch and British colonial era buildings still in use. Aside from exploring the historic Galle Fort, its sturdy ramparts looking out to sea and a growing collection of art galleries, antique shops and restaurants, you can explore some of the fine beaches in the area, including Wijeya, Unawatuna, Mirissa and Hikkaduwa.