Uga Residence, Colombo, Colombo

Tucked away on leafy Park Street close to the lakeside Buddhist shrine of Gangarama, the Residence is a gorgeous boutique hotel in Colombo. The original building was built by a wealthy barrister Sheikh Salehboy Moosajee in the 19^th Century and the grand Victorian townhouse is redolent of the colonial period: when the higher echelons of the raj mixed in Sri Lanka with the cream de la crème of Indian and Sri Lankan high society in Colombo.  

The feeling of being a calm tropical oasis in the heart of a busy city remains as does the elegant Colombo style: reminding one that this city was once famous as one of the most beautiful and attractive ‘garden’ cities in Asia. Whilst the surrounding hustle and bustle is way more frenetic nowadays, The Residence offers a great respite from that at the end of the day.

The hotel was previously run as ‘The Park Street’ hotel but it has had a comprehensive makeover placing it as the best luxury boutique hotel in Colombo. The 10 ‘Park Suites’ are spacious and well designed with a small courtyard and all the facilities you’d expect from a luxury city hotel. The palatial ‘Residence Suite’ has a suite of rooms as well as a decent sized private courtyard.

As well as the in room facilities, there is a lovely pool in the centre of the courtyard, surprisingly spacious and 100 seat restaurant which takes outside bookings, making for a pleasant and buzzy evening atmosphere.

Park Street is a great central location for Colombo – close to superb restaurants and shopping and in touching distance of the old fort area. The Uga Residence is the option for those who prefer small and characterful hotels  and who will appreciate the sympathetic references to the building’s prestigious past.