Amangalla

This is a wonderful hotel. Our room (26) was delightful, bed comfortable and the housekeeping was truly first class. Why can’t other hotels carry out their duties during the periods when we are at breakfast and dinner?! The pool and spa are outstanding - again supplemented by attentive pool attendants and excellent therapists. The Amangalla has a wonderful history and has been thoughtfully restored to reflect its own standard. However their major asset is clearly the staff - it’s not often that the word ‘impeccable’ can be used in its true sense but we enjoyed impeccable service and friendliness from everyone at Amangalla. From Galle we took the 3.5hr drive to the tea country; Nine Skies at Ella (very different but also very special). It would be very hard to surpass those 5days! Thank you.

Amangalla markets itself as a luxury heritage hotel, but in reality, it’s a bastion of racism and classism disguised as hospitality. My experience here was nothing short of humiliating. Despite paying premium rates, we were treated as if we didn’t belong. Staff members moved us around, dismissively telling us that everything was "reserved"—even when the entire property was visibly empty. It was clear that certain guests were given preferential treatment while others were made to feel unwelcome. The attitude of the staff was condescending, as if they were doing us a favor by letting us be there. Luxury isn’t just about expensive interiors and colonial nostalgia—it’s about how people are treated. And at Amangalla, if you don’t fit their unspoken standards, expect to be ignored, dismissed, or outright humiliated. For a hotel that prides itself on exclusivity, it seems they take that word a little too seriously—excluding anyone who doesn’t meet their silent, discriminatory criteria. This place thrives on outdated elitism, and no amount of polished service can hide that. If you value your dignity, take your money elsewhere. Amangalla isn’t worth it.

This is the first part of our Fort and Beach journey, and we spent 4 nights in a Chamber room on the top floor. The colonial building is rich in history and well worth the long ride to experience it. During our stay, our butler provided a tour of the hotel, sharing fascinating stories about the place. Aside from the special roti dinner held off site, we had all our meals at the hotel. The elegant dining room was atmospheric in the evening with live music playing softly in the background. The food was delicious, especially the local curries. One of our favorite moments was watching children go to school from the Veranda during breakfast. However, our enjoyment was somewhat diminished by the need to battle flies over our food. We had several excursions arranged, including visits to a Cinnamon Estate, the Handunugoda Tea Plantation, as well as a walking tour of Galle Fort with our butler, all of which were interesting. Unfortunately, the private roti dinner did not meet our expectations. The venue was 20 minutes away, and we were sent there in an outside tuk tuk without an escort from the hotel. The driver drove quickly and kept asking us questions, which we found off putting, so we chose to ignore him. He also repeatedly mentioned a party happening somewhere that evening and it was annoying. He was the same driver who took us back after dinner and brought up the party again. Overall, the transportation arrangement felt poor, and we did not feel safe. We expressed our concerns to the hotel afterward, had something gone wrong on the way, we had no idea how we would get back, especially it was already dark. This certainly did not reflect the Aman experience. The dinner itself was average, plagued by flies and mosquitos amidst the rice paddles. However, the cultural show was spectacular. It is the attention to details that sets Aman apart from the other luxury brands, but sadly, this property fell short. Transportation was often not on time. For our roti dinner, the tuk tuk driver arrived early, and the front desk called our room 10 minutes before our leaving time. If the driver arrives early, he should wait instead of rushing the guests. Other times, transportation was late, forcing us to wait in the lobby. We arranged our departure details with our butler the day before, and when we checked out at 11:00am, we were told our car was scheduled for 1:00pm. The front office attributed this to a miscommunication. Such issue should not occur at a hotel of this caliber, especially at Aman. Since our butler was not working that day, we were unable to find out what happened. Our package included half board, but when we inquired with a waitress at the restaurant, she curtly informed us, “No. Breakfast and bed only”, exactly as she said it. It was frustrating to encounter staff like her in a hotel that prides itself on exceptional service. Clearly she was unaware of the hotel’s offerings and corrected us in a borderline rude manner. Despite these issues, we still recommend this Aman property because the hotel itself is a destination. Galle Fort is a lovely place to explore, and they offer interesting excursions. Most of the staff are friendly and warm, and I must also highlight the beautiful spa, the treatments we received were professionally performed.

Outstanding!! Yes, it’s pricey, but they really take care of you. Galle is a quaint town and there wasn’t a decent alternative, so we picked Aman. It definitely was worth the visit. Across the board, the service and care for us came through. If you are in Galle, this is where you should stay!

The service is beyond exceptional in this hotel, we were personally greeted by the hotel manager, Kaya and introduced to Shashi who was our butler for our stay. Sashi was excellent. The rooms are luxurious and the location is about as good as you could get. The pool is delightful and the service around the pool was great. Food served on the beautiful terrace was delicious.