Palm Hotel

Sri Lanka

Perched amid paddy fields on an old coconut plantation, Palm is a boutique hotel in the most modern way. A quick jaunt from Sri Lanka’s southern coast at Ahangama, it’s pitched as a ‘tropical lifestyle retreat’ and evokes all the breezy boho spirit beloved by the surfers and hippies who discovered the area in the Sixties.

Comprising six black A-frame cabanas and two stilted deluxe suites, to say this one’s for design lovers is an understatement. Sustainable local materials combine with a Shoreditch warehouse-like style evidenced by cool concrete interiors and an open-plan steel- and glass-clad pavilion made from old shipping containers. Tropical minimalism is at play here: think floor- to-ceiling windows and neutral tones accented by brass and gold fixtures juxtaposed with cane furniture and low-slung beds. Sprawling the estate, so as to ensure P&Q for guests, each haven features outdoor showers, patios and hammocks made for sun-soaked days. Framed by a pastel pink sculptural wall, a generous pool set amid the greenery is tacked on to the industrial all-day kitchen, which serves up authentic Sri Lankan flavours. A dreamy spot to toast your choice of abode over a sundowner made from the arrack collected daily by local toddy tappers.

Doubles from £130 (2-night min). 00 94 77 289 1663, palmhotelsrilanka.com

Words by Blossom Green

This review is from the April 2022 issue of Food and Travel. To subscribe today, click here.

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