Tri Lanka

Tri Lanka has a truly stunning lakeside location and is inspired by the lushness and greenery of the landscapes that serve as its beautiful backdrop. Despite seeming to be in a world of its own, the city of Galle is just 20 minutes’ drive away and you're a short 15-minute drive to the beach or a half-hour drive to whale-watching hotspot Mirissa.

The villas blend into their surroundings with greenery-covered roofs, and floor-to-ceiling windows which look out over the lake. Exteriors are hewn from wood and wood-coloured stone, with cinnamon shutters.

Some rooms are situated in the visually stunning Water Tower - the Tri Villa is the biggest, with two balconies and a plunge pool. Lake Villas also have balconies, and one has its own plunge pool. Decor in all the rooms is bright, airy and tasteful, with lots of wooden furnishings and stone floors.

In keeping with the hotel’s eco-friendly ethos, food at Tri Lanka displays a commitment to the use of fresh, high-quality ingredients. The menu is largely based around an ever-changing selection of reinterpretation of classic Sri Lankan dishes, with a modern, gourmet twist.

Health and wellbeing are a major focus of the hotel, and this is reflected in the food on offer, with a range of Ayurvedic and detox options available. Many ingredients come from Tri’s own gardens, and extensive use is made of the cinnamon which comes from the surrounding plantations.

Each guest is provided with a personalised wellness programme, made up of yoga classes and spa treatments. There’s a beautiful wood-hewn shala where yoga classes are held led by the yogi Lara Baumann, one of the hotel’s owners. Ayurvedic massage treatments are also on offer, with an extensive menu of therapies and products to choose from.

There are also exercise bikes if you’ve a yen to work up a sweat, and there’s even a parkour circuit around the lake.

Kogalla Lake is Sri Lanka’s largest and finest, and teems with birdlife flitting between its islands, including hawks, herons and egrets: the glass-walled library is equipped with handbooks to help with identification but you'll need to bring binoculars. Borrowing a kayak from the hotel is a great way to explore the lake; one of the islands has a Buddhist temple, and another a cinnamon plantation. For a more relaxing experience of the lake, take a motor boat tour which stops off at a small island village.

There’s also a tea estate nearby, renowned for its 'Virgin White Tea', which is worth exploring, and the popular surfers’ spot Kabalana Beach allows for swimming and water sports in the Indian Ocean.

The historic Dutch colonial town of Galle is just 20 minutes’ drive away and it's only a little further to Mirissa beach, from where whale watching trips set off in search of blue whales and dolphins.