As one of Colombo’s most exclusive districts and a former cinnamon plantation, Cinnamon Gardens (otherwise known as Colombo 7) houses some of the city’s most exquisite buildings, including the perfectly manicured homes and gardens of various foreign embassies, the bright white National Museum, and the Prime Minister’s Office. It’s also in this up-scale neighbourhood, set back off Kynsey Road, where lovely Maniumpathy sits – a true haven of serenity amidst the city chaos. Built in 1906 and previously home to five generations of the Hallock family from Manipay, Jaffna, the building has been transformed into a seven-bedroom boutique hotel, complete with a peaceful, diminutive swimming pool. Enveloped by lush canopies and the whimsical yellow blooms of the Ehela tree, it’s hard to comprehend Maniumpathy’s city centre location since traffic noise is non-existent, replaced thankfully by birdsong.
Of the seven bedrooms, each named after a female family member of the Hallock family, all have expansive bathrooms with marble washstands, while some delight with stand-alone roll-top bathtubs. Antique parquet flooring is standard throughout, as are sumptuous, highly patterned fabrics draped over beds, botanical prints lining the walls, and teak writing bureaus. For couples, the ‘ultra suites’, of which there are four (including my favourite, Vasanthi), are the best option in terms of size and decor, plus each features a compact secret garden to the rear. Breakfast is included in room rates and stands out as one of the best in the city. Guests can choose from Sri Lankan string hoppers or the regular light-as-a-cloud hoppers, both served with fiery pol sambol, dal, and a choice of curry. Or enjoy buffalo curd with homemade granola and a thambili (king coconut) and gotukola juice on the veranda overlooking the serene swimming pool, guarded by a statue of the hotel’s mascot, Nandi, the Hindu god Shiva’s sacred bull.
Address: 129 Kynsey Road, Colombo 7
Price: From around £245 per night
