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2015
Very good 7.8
Based on 1357 reviews

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About this property

Description

One of the oldest hotels east of the Suez, the Galle Face Hotel was established in 1864 along the seafront facing the famous Galle Face Green. Over the years, this iconic historic hotel has housed royalty and celebrities. It has survived many trials and stands testimony to the vibrant heritage and history of colonial Ceylon.

Today it is where old world charm meets modern, luxurious hospitality. The hotel has two wings known as the South Wing and the North Wing. The South Wing offers 84 rooms, some of which provide a spectacular view of the Indian Ocean. There are two restaurants, namely the 1864 fine dining restaurant and the Pool Bar, a gym, a spa, a library, and a unique saltwater swimming pool overlooking the seafront. The hotel is a about a 45 minute journey from the airport.

No visit to Sri Lanka is complete without staying at this elegant historic award winning hotel built in 1864. The hotel reflects the grandeur of a bygone era while offering modern comfort for today’s traveler.
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Features

Internet access

  • Free Wi-Fi in all rooms
  • Wi-Fi in public areas

Getting around

  • Airport transfer
  • Car park
  • Rental car
  • Taxi service
  • Valet parking

Things to do, ways to relax

  • Fitness center
  • Garden
  • Hot tub
  • Massage(s)
  • Private beach
  • Sauna
  • Spa
  • Steamroom
  • Swimming pool [outdoor]
  • Tours

Dining, drinking, and snacking

  • Bar
  • Poolside bar
  • Restaurant(s)
  • Room service
  • Room service [24-hour]

Services and conveniences

  • Concierge
  • Currency exchange
  • Daily housekeeping
  • Doorman
  • Dry cleaning
  • Laundry service
  • Library
  • Lockers
  • Luggage storage
  • Newspapers
  • Safety deposit boxes
  • Smoking area

For the kids

  • Babysitting service
  • Family room

Access

  • Check-in/check-out [express]
  • Check-in/check-out [private]
  • Check-in [24-hour]
  • Elevator
  • Front desk [24-hour]
  • Pets allowed
  • Security [24-hour]

Languages spoken

  • English
  • Arabic
  • French
  • Hindi
  • Japanese
  • Sinhala
  • Tamil
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Policies

Child and extra bed policy
Infant 0-1 year(s) Stay for free if using existing bedding. Note, if you need a cot there may be an extra charge.
Children 2-6 year(s) Must use an extra bed
  • Guests over 6 years old are considered as adults.
  • Extra beds are dependent on the room you choose, please check the individual room capacity for more details.
When booking more than 5 rooms, different policies and additional supplements may apply.
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Useful info

Airport Transfer Fee: 50 USD
Breakfast Charge (when not included in room rate): 15 USD
Check-Out Until: 12:00 PM
Distance from City Center: 1 Km
Distance to Airport: 33. Km
Non-Smoking Rooms / Floors: No
Number of Bars: 3
Number of Floors: 4
Number of Restaurants: 3
Number of Rooms : 156
Room Voltage: 240
Time to Airport (Minutes): 30
Year Hotel Built: 1864
Year Hotel Last Renovated: 2015
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Verified traveler reviews

Filter by traveler type
Very good



based on 1357 reviews
  • Cleanliness 7.5
  • Facilities 8.6
  • Location 9.1
  • Room comfort and quality 7.8
  • Service 7.3
  • Value for money 7.1
  • Food and dining 7.8
Sort by
kirubarani from Malaysia
Couple
Superior Room
Stayed 2 nights in September 2016
No comments
All has been written in the feed back form
Reviewed September 12, 2016
SOMASKANDAR from Malaysia
Family with young children
Premier Ocean View Room
Stayed 4 nights in September 2016
An enjoyable stay at a beautiful colonial style hotel
We stayed at the GFH from the 7th to the 11th of September this year. The hotel has a beautiful old world ambience that transports you to another time where Mark Twain or Earnest Hemingway may have set having tea on the Verandah. We absolutely loved the look and our room which faced the Indian Ocean. It was a treat to be able to look at and listen to the waves crashing at any time of the day by just looking out of our room window! The food is really good and the poolside bar as well as the Travellers Bar had excellent Margheritas! the staff are warm, friendly and helpful
Reviewed September 12, 2016
Michael from Australia
Couple
Stayed 4 nights in August 2016
Fantastic!
Pros: old world charm, staff attentiveness, ocean view, breakfast buffet. Cons: none. 10/10.
Reviewed August 28, 2016
RATHA from Malaysia
Couple
Executive Standard
Stayed 2 nights in August 2016
Classy hotel
Very impressive hotel but very pricey too. Great location close to good restaurants and pubs and shopping. Check in was quick but thr initial room with a balcony was facing a wall and roof. But the the staff managed to change our room to one eith a window overlooking the sea. Room service was very slow and the breakfast buffet was disappointing. The sea view is great but you cant walk along the beach. All in all for a once in a lifetime stay its great
Reviewed August 26, 2016
Sebastian from Finland
Business traveler
Superior Room
Stayed 2 nights in August 2016
amazing history
This palce is amazing! So much history and so good food. Love the old orginal decor in rooms. Must stay here!!
Reviewed August 25, 2016
Sebastian from Finland
Business traveler
Superior Room
Stayed one night in August 2016
Amazing hotel full of history
This is one of the coolest hotels I ve been to in my life. Spent hundreads of nights in hotel but nothing quite like this. Love that Mark Twain and lot of other famous people been here. The BBQ seafood is THE stuff here. Breakfast with ocean view is nice too. I was lucky enought to get upgraded to the Ceylon Suite and it was fantastic. Gym isnt very big and the staff took forever in checking me out. They also changed me wrong first. Apart from that this is fantastic!!
Reviewed August 23, 2016
Jijo from United States
Family with young children
Premier Ocean View Room
Stayed one night in August 2016
Beautiful location
Amazing ambiance...historic hotel
Reviewed August 23, 2016
Harkiran from Singapore
Couple
Stayed 2 nights in January 2016
Beautiful place
Loved the colonial feel of this place. Will definitely return!
Reviewed August 12, 2016
Camilla from Australia
Couple
Premier Ocean View Room
Stayed 2 nights in August 2016
Great Colonial hotel - beautiful views and good value
Galle Face Hotel was our first stop in Sri Lanka and such a beautiful way to start our trip. We were upgraded to a suite on the top floor over looking the ocean and couldn't have been happier. The staff were helpful, the room was clean and afternoon cocktails on the terrace were perfect and of good value. Only criticism is that the gym and pool area are a bit tired and let down the grandeur of the hotel. That being said, we visited some other hotels around town and this is definitely the best.
Reviewed August 10, 2016
Mahinde from Germany
Family with older children
Executive Standard
Stayed 3 nights in August 2016
Impressive Location with some room for improvement
Impressive building at prime location in Colombo Good food Rooms after refurbishment OK Service could be improved Shape of gym equipment below expectations
Reviewed August 10, 2016

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