Jetwing Lighthouse

Jetwing Lighthouse sits atop a hillock overlooking the blue waters of the Indian Ocean, in the picturesque port of Galle, reflecting a strong Dutch colonial influence. The architectural marvel, created by the world-renowned Geoffrey Bawa, offers a rare sense of being steeped in history apart from pampering guests with personalized butler service, exquisite global cuisine, rejuvenating spa treatments and unmatched luxuries.

Accommodation

Designed by Geoffrey Bawa, each of the 85 rooms at Jetwing Lighthouse are symbols of Sri Lankan hospitality inspired by a world of contrasting influences. Spaciously elegant, every room features a signature ambience that is comforting, enchanting, welcoming, and found nowhere else and is complemented by the services of a butler, who will be on call throughout your stay.

Jetwing Lighthouse features three distinct types of rooms. While the 80 Luxury Rooms spread across our property have been crafted in true tropical modernist style, the three exclusive Themed Suites have been built upon this aesthetic with signature touches of their own. Inspired by ancient travellers who once set foot on Sri Lanka, these unique spaces include the Fa-Hsien Suite, which pays tribute to imperial China, the Ibn-Battuta Suite, which resembles vibrant Morocco, and finally, the Spilbergen Suite, which carries on the legacy of Dutch heritage in our southern capital. Every Themed Suite at Jetwing Lighthouse has been designed with distinct characteristics that resemble the world of each traveller they are named after, yet remain comfortably familiar with the modern luxuries of Bawa’s welcoming architecture.

The Superior Suites elevate our luxury to a class above with two distinct atmospheres found nowhere else. Firstly, in the form of the Maharaja Suite, which features a number of design influences that resemble a regal India – saffron, brass and bronze tones dress the living spaces of the room in an atmosphere fit for royalty. The alternative is the John Davy Suite, built to resemble the grandeur of an old English manor – with glossy whites and timber accents to dress the room in vintage luxury by the sea. As added pleasures, both suites feature the lavish choices of a bathtub, Jacuzzi or private plunge pool for a sumptuous soak at any time of the day.

Built with a combination of rich timber, exotic furnishings, and eco-friendly fabrics, every room at our home of Sri Lankan hospitality effortlessly blends traditional and modern indulgence. And as a luxury hotel, Sri Lanka has also given Jetwing Lighthouse the good fortune of wonderfully designed rooms that face both our coastal gardens and the Indian Ocean. In turn, this surrounding seascape not only emphasises our natural sense of tropical finery, but also complements the number of contemporary amenities available in each room. Such luxuries include an elegant bathroom with a bathtub and rain shower enclosure, free Wi-Fi, a 40” satellite television, tea/coffee making facilities with a French press, and many more.

Location

An iconic Galle hotel, Jetwing Lighthouse rests atop a magnificent hillock that looks over the vast blue expanse of the great Indian Ocean. Flanked by our popular seas on one side, and the coastal trunk road on the other, our home of Sri Lankan hospitality offers the best of our sunny south at the edge of its famed provincial capital – Galle, a world-famous heritage city filled with fascinating stories from the ancient spice trade, colonial invasions, and several other historic legacies that have been well preserved throughout the region.

Located just beyond the city limits, Jetwing Lighthouse is easily accessible from all parts of our tropical isle. From our capital city of Colombo, you may arrive via the scenic coastal drive of 3-4 hours along the road that runs right outside our premises, or via the rapid convenience of the Southern Expressway, through the provincial greenery to our shoreline in just over an hour. Should you wish to venture beyond our coastal home, Galle is also connected to various destinations in Sri Lanka by bus or train, which can be caught from their central terminals near the majestic 17th century Dutch fortress in the heart of the bustling city.

Dining

Featuring an exquisite selection of six dining spaces atop our resident coastal hillock, Jetwing Lighthouse is perhaps one of the finest dining destinations to exist on the sunny southern coastline of our tropical isle. In addition, you may indulge in the luxury of choosing between five more Signature Dining experiences as a pleasure of our legendary Sri Lankan hospitality.

For fine dining, The Cinnamon Room at Jetwing Lighthouse is a magnificent dinner-only restaurant that specialises in a number of seafood delicacies, while the Cardamom Café is a standout among Galle restaurants – operating for 24 hours a day, with a constant flow of food and drink through generous buffets or delicious snacks and refreshments. Our world-renowned executive chef, Nihal Senanayake, also brings his culinary prowess directly to your table at Nihal’s, where each dish has been carefully studied to the extent of its molecular structure to serve you exquisite global cuisine with a signature local touch. Finally, for a taste of Italy on Sri Lankan shores, Jetwing Lighthouse also houses Lorenzo’s Pizza Bar with its wide selection of meat, seafood, vegan, vegetarian and even kids’ pizzas to cater to every palate.

To wash down your meals in style, Jetwing Lighthouse features a sophisticated watering hole with an extensive range of cocktails, mocktails and everything in between – the Coats of Arms Bar, which is a nostalgic, old-world space with rustic charms to keep you in high spirits till midnight every day.

Finally, as a speciality of our hospitality, Jetwing Lighthouse offers five distinct Signature Dining experiences if you wish to indulge in your meals with a more personalised touch at a setting of your choosing. Whether you choose to enjoy a BBQ on our rocky shores, treat your loved one to a romantic meal in our gazebo, wake up to a champagne breakfast overlooking the ocean, escape to the privacy of our romantic spa or even to the comforts of your own room, our home of Sri Lankan hospitality looks forward to crafting a truly unique dining experience for you.

Gallery

Fort Bazaar

This handsome merchant’s home-turned-boutique hotel is superbly positioned within a UNESCO-listed 17th century fort. Drawing upon the Fort’s Moorish history, interiors have a distinctly Middle Eastern vibe and feature eye-catching floor tiles, ethnic mosaic cushions and pendant lamps. The buzzy restaurant and bar, luxurious spa and 18 spacious bedrooms – that overlook a calm central courtyard – makes a very welcoming retreat from the bustling cobbled streets of Galle Fort.

Accommodation

Fifteen luxuriously appointed Bazaar and Banyan bedrooms radiate off a peaceful flagstone-tiled courtyard shaded by an age-old mango tree, quietly cosseting guests with king-sized four-poster Balinese beds, air conditioning, cable televisions, artisanal coffee machines and ensuite shower rooms.

The three Upper Suites are more decadent chambers which also have lounge areas, dressing rooms, freestanding bathtubs and fort-view terraces. Families could opt for interconnecting Banyan or Bazaar Bedrooms or the split level Upper Family Suite.

Location

The historic port city of Galle lies on Sri Lanka’s south western coast, and is the gateway to a string of intimate sandy bays carved out of the island’s exotic southern coastline. Most come here to visit Galle’s 17th century fort, home to a striking collection of colonial buildings dating back to the British, Dutch and Portuguese colonial eras.

Galle Fort’s quaint streets offer some of the island’s most rewarding urban strolls, not only for the historic buildings that flank the fort’s cobbled streets but the little boutiques, cafes and gelaterias that lie in wait. The coral and limestone ramparts are a hive of activity, particularly towards the day’s end when impromptu cricket games break out and people from all walks of life converge on the western ramparts to watch an Indian Ocean sunset.

Galle offers very easy access to stunning local beaches for swimming, diving and surfing, and for embarking on coastal cruises to observe whales and dolphins in the deep sea. Galle’s verdant palm-dominated interior home to lowland tea factories, centuries-old Buddhist temples, ageing rain forests and vast cinnamon-edged Koggala Lake also beg to be explored.

Dining

The Church Street Social is Galle Fort’s most vibrant wining and dining venue, attracting both in-house guests and walk-ins with a convivial, buzzy vibe. The contemporary design-led setting, infused with classic twists to reflect the history of the locale and its Arabic influencers, is reflected in our gourmet dishes, which feature elements of traditional Moroccan, Turkish and Middle Eastern cuisine.Our menus include tapas for savouring dishes sociably amongst friends, and rustic family-style sharing platters of quality imported cold meats, cheese, homemade pickles, pâtés and dips. Asian fusion flavours used for fresh fish and modern versions of Sri Lanka’s traditional cuisine also feature highly, including black pork curry and lagoon crab salad.

Gallery