Sri Lanka's grandest heritage hotels have an enticing atmosphere all of their own. Experience one and you retreat into a restful lifestyle suggestive of a distant age. Dating back to the colonial period, these confident properties are characterised by four-poster beds, huge dining tables, and antique furniture; wrap-around verandahs where you can relax in a planter's chair to the sound of a gently whirring fan; and large, beautifully-tended gardens. Life rarely drips by in such luscious fashion. Take a look, but be warned - you may be hooked for life.