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Amangalla

Galle, Sri Lanka
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Amangalla is arguably Sri Lanka's finest historic hotel.

Part of the Aman Resorts, one of the world's leading hotel groups known for understated luxury and diserning tastes, Amangalla is no exception. This fabulous and incredibly elegant hotel dates back to the 17th century; it was once the The New Oriental Hotel, attracting visitors from all over the world. Located in Galle Fort's historic ramparts, today it's designed for those wanting the highest possible comforts in intimate, historic surroundings.

Interestingly this graceful hotel nowadays consists of of a variety of restored historic buildings dating back over 400 years, once used as an HQ for the Dutch commander and his officers in the 17C and later as a base for British soldiers. In 1865, the New Oriental Hotel was born. Aman Resorts later undertook a sensitive and complete refurbishment, and what now stands is a superbly designed hotel in a perfect location inside the fort. We love the rooms, the large verandas, antique fixtures, large pool, beautiful spa. The list goes on.

Luxury hotel gallery image
Luxury hotel gallery image
Luxury hotel gallery image
Luxury hotel gallery image
Luxury hotel gallery image

What we love

    • Beautifully restored and incredibly elegant, this is a restoration done very tastefully
    • A prime location inside the fort
    • Spacious rooms and suites that feel historic without being dated
    • The best pool inside Galle Fort
    • All rooms are fantastic but we particularly like the Veranda Chambers and Suites

For those that have stayed in other Aman hotels, the service may not feel as flawless

There are no lifts to higher floors, so let us know if you would prefer a ground floor room

It's pricey - expect to pay considerably more than all other hotels in the region

Because of it's central location, there may be some noise so don't expect complete tranquility

Families are very welcome at Amangalla and there are plenty of room configurations and suites to suit different families.

Amangalla is brilliantly located in the heart of Galle Fort.

What our travellers say

We went to Sri Lanka as a three-generation family of three. The superb trip was organised by Samanthie and the team and it's difficult to see how it could have been bettered.
Roy Wood (February 2026) Read the whole review here Google
Red Dot organised the most wonderful 3-week holiday for us. Samanthie built a trip around the amazing sights we had requested visiting, together with her own suggestions and a wide mix of hotels, which gave us the flavours of both traditional Sri Lanka and the sleek, stylish contemporary version of the country. Our Driver made the whole experience incredibly special for us.
Alie C (February 2026) Read the whole review here Trip Advisor
I can’t thank Cherylle and the Red Dot team enough for their meticulous planning of our family holiday to India travelling through Rajasthan over Christmas. As a family of all adults, every suggestion from daily activities to hotel choices was simply perfect. We travelled through Delhi, Ranthambore (an unforgettable tiger safari!), Jaipur and Agra and I truly feel we experienced the very best of each destination while moving at a relaxed, well thought out pace
Daisy Stanton (February 2026) Read the whole review here Google
My partner arranged a holiday trip at fairly short notice to Sri Lanka with Red Dot on a recommendation, Samanthie was so patient & helpful with her suggested itinerary which we followed with some minor amendments. On arrival at Colombo we met Manjula our chauffeur/guide who was absolutely brilliant!
Andrew S (February 2026) Read the whole review here Trip Advisor
Dulmini and the Red Dot Team arranged a fantastic trip for us around Assam and North East India. Faultless service. I cannot recommend them more highly.
Martin Thomas (February 2026) Read the whole review here Google
Wonderful company. Our holiday in Sri Lanka was perfect. Local knowledge made all the difference
Sandra Nicholson  (February 2026) Read the whole review here Google
We looked up, and communicated with umpteen tour operators. Though Red Dot seemed to have offices in Sri Lanka and the UK, they seemed to have the best reviews. We were fortunate enough to correspond with Cherylle, who not only assured us of the safety of our friend, but created a personalised, and flexible, itinerary which we could not have done ourselves.
Jayant Banerji (February 2026) Read the whole review here Google
A 14-day tour with Red Dot Tours was the perfect antidote to the bleak UK winter. After a glowing recommendation from a friend, we contacted Red Dot Tours and were not disappointed. Our consultant, Lahiru, curated a seamless itinerary. Throughout the planning phase, Lahiru was incredibly responsive; the final itinerary—delivered via a user-friendly 'Guest Portal'—was impressively detailed, covering every hotel stay and excursion.
Phil Blair ( February 2026) Read the whole review here Google
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