Uga Residence 

A luxurious urban oasis

This all-suite boutique hotel in the heart of Colombo combines historic architecture and contemporary styling to glamorous effect.

What was once the home of a wealthy local family is now the graceful hub of an inviting boutique hotel in one of Colombo’s coolest districts. The original 19th-century mansion, polished to gleaming perfection, has been sensitively extended to create space for 10 suites and a destination restaurant, while the 16-metre lap pool is a welcome addition to the spacious gardens. The buzzing bars and cafés of one of the city’s most fashionable ‘eat streets’ are metres from the front gate, but within the walled grounds, you’d barely know it. Instead, there’s a feeling of calm that’s timeless, like an echo of a more gracious era when the cream of 19th-century society was welcomed here.

Why we love Uga Residence

  • The fine-dining restaurant is as much of a hit with in-the-know locals as with the guests thanks to its modern spin on Sri Lankan cuisine

  • As a location, it’s perfect, with lakeside temples and gourmet nightlife on the doorstep, but a feeling of privacy and leafy seclusion within

  • The 180-year-old mansion at its core is bursting with history and architectural elegance, which gives the hotel a unique charm

4 stars
Dec - Mar
Colombo
Colombo 10½ hours
On tree-lined Park Street in the Colombo 2 district, close to the bars and restaurants of Park Street Mews and a short walk from the much-visited lakeside Gangaramaya Buddhist temple.
Approx. 30 minutes’ transfer from the airport.
Honeymoon, Boutique

This resort has earned internationally recognised certification that conform to standards set by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council.

Rooms

Facilities

  • Restaurants & bars
  • Board
  • Spas & wellness
  • Activities
  • Sustainability

Rub shoulders with savvy well-heeled locals at the highly regarded fine-dining restaurant, sip cocktails or whisky in the clubby bar or check out the 24-hour in-suite menu.

Rare Bar & Kitchen
Overlooking the swimming pool, the restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner, with seasonal menus featuring Sri Lankan and international flavours.

If you’ve yet to try a Sri Lankan breakfast, the set options at Rare are cooked to perfection and look incredible.

What's included

Breakfast at Rare Bar & Kitchen

Upgrade options

Half Board • Breakfast and lunch or dinner at Rare Bar & Kitchen
Full Board • Breakfast, lunch and dinner at Rare Bar & Kitchen

There is a tiny modern fitness room and a 16-metre outdoor swimming pool, flanked by a colonnaded loggia, which is perfect for scenic lengths.

If you want to see Colombo from a different perspective, take a street-food tour through less-visited parts of the city or visit one of the oldest tea producers in the country to learn all about the making of Ceylon tea. A guided tuk-tuk trip through the city will take you on a sightseeing journey through its melting pot of cultures, or you could sharpen up your architectural knowledge with a private tour of Sri Lankan golden boy Geoffrey Bawa’s finest creations.

With a 19th-century building forming its striking core, UGA Residence is a sublime piece of upcycling in its own right. Day-to-day practices follow those of the UGA Escapes group as a whole, from water-use reduction measures in the rooms to sourcing many of the seasonal ingredients for the restaurant from its own organic farm.

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