Amangalla: the Butler's Guide to Galle by Simon Crerar
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Amangalla
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Stay at Galle Fort's Amangalla, and as well as enjoying the best room of your life, you will be looked after by your own personal butler.
Amangalla’s five dedicated butlers have been with the hotel since it reopened as part of the Aman group following a two year refurbishment in December 2004, only days before the Indian Ocean tsunami. Manager Olivia Richli’s butler concept, unique to this Aman, was inspired by Joseph, the legendary chief butler at the Strand Hotel in Rangoon, who provided a manual to train her staff. Their maxim? No demand is too great, no problem too small. Simply dial number one.
Our butler Krishantha supplied this guide to getting the most out of Sri Lanka's stunning 400-year-old colonial gem, and Galle’s star hotel: its grand old lady.
01 Start your Day with a Swim
Like all the best things in life, your day at Amangalla – from aman, or ‘peace’ in Sanskrit, and galla, the Singhalese name for the town of Galle – starts gently, at your own pace. If you can somehow drag yourself away from the most comfortable bed you will almost certainly have ever slept in (divinely fluffy pillows!), the pool is serviced from 08:00. A calming sink of perfectly smooth water in soft green brick, surrounded by lush green tropical foliage, you'll most likely have it to yourself. After you've finished your lengths, the pool attendant brings towels and a refreshing glass of ice cold water. If you are somehow not yet completely relaxed, a complimentary yoga class begins at 09:00.
02 Breakfast on the Balcony
Now you've worked up an appetite, settle on the third floor balcony overlooking the beautifully tiled red roofs of the Fort and enjoy a superbly presented plate of fresh fruit that features supremely sweet baby banana, cubes of papaya, chunks of pineapple, halves of mango, slices of apple, black grapes and wedges of lime. If you're still hungry, eggs are offered multiple ways (the Benedict is particularly brilliant). Finished off with slices of different toasts, the freshest strawberry jam and delicious Ceylon tea. Served with stainless steel Sheffield cutlery and antique crockery from Amangalla’s previous incarnation as the Hotel New Oriental. Yum!
03 Relax in your Room
After your early morning exertions, perhaps you’ll enjoy a snooze? Amangalla’s rooms are works of art. The hotel began life as the Dutch military headquarters, becoming a hotel in 1863. Rooms have vast windows overlooking the Fort or the hotel’s gardens, and impossibly high ceilings. Bedrooms are furnished with antique tables and chairs, set on 300-year-old polished teak floorboards. There is incredible attention to detail: rooms come with handheld fans, mosquito repellent, aftersun lotion and gel, endless towels and personalised newsletters.
04 Tour the Hidden Corners of the Fort
Once refreshed, your butler will meet you downstairs in reception for a personal tour of the Fort: first port of call for 19th-century steamer passengers hoping to explore fabled Serendip. Amangalla’s butlers have scoured every corner of the 400-year-old Unesco World Heritage Site. They can relate fascinating tales of the Fort’s rich history, bringing to life its rich past, when crowds thronged the narrow streets inside the ramparts to browse bazaars selling sapphires, spices and ebony. Framed by two huge Banyan trees, the Old Gate tells a typical tale of conquest: bearing Portuguese, Dutch and English crests and symbols, you can smell the history. Or is that cinnamon still lingering in the old spice warehouses?
05 Browse the Library
If your tour has wetted your appetite for discovery, Amangalla’s library will fuel, and begin to sate, your desire to know more about Sri Lanka. Here are beautiful books on Ceylon’s natural history, colonial history, stunning decorative arts and magnificent modern architecture: Galle has acted as a magnet to creative cultural magpies for centuries, leaving behind a rich legacy for the curious. You could spend weeks browsing Amangalla’s library and still only scratch the first layer.
06 Enjoy a Massage, Sauna and Steam
The clock is ticking, and your butler calls to remind you your massage is waiting. Amangalla’s spa is known as the Baths. Half a dozen therapy rooms are reached via a stunning arched hallway. Enjoy Ayurvedic, head, neck or full body massages – there are numerous options. Afterwards, complete your relaxation in your own private hydrotherapy chamber, taking the waters and enjoying the bubbling spa pool, steam room and sauna: before a refreshing dip in the cold plunge pool.
07 Take Afternoon Tea
There’s probably been more relaxation than exertion today, but you’re on holiday right? Your butler needs very little persuasion to serve you tea wherever you fancy, by the pool, in your room or in the Great Hall. One Amangalla silver tea service is ample for two, comprising perfectly prepared finger sandwiches (with crusts off naturally), delicious cakes and scones: and yes, more strawberry jam. The Ginger tea is as simple as it is brilliant: hot water with huge chunks of mulled ginger, served with lime and honey as required.
08 Arak Sours on the Sunset Balcony
After a wee rest, watch the sun set into the Indian Ocean and ponder the majesty of Galle’s location and the Fort’s dramatic history. Galle is rumoured to be named after the Portuguese look-out who, perched in his crow’s nest, was the first European to spy this perfect natural harbour (the fable says he saw a cock crowing on a rock). Gallus is Latin for rooster, Gala Singhalese for rock. Galle’s coat of arms is a rooster standing on a rock. Fiery yet smooth Arak Sours, made from the local coconut spirit, are Amangalla’s signature cocktail, and the perfect kick start: the Mango Bellinis are worth writing home about too.
09 Dinner in the Zall
Amangalla's beautifully spacious, airy Zall, or Great Hall, is packed with period features and antique furnishings: all centred on a stunning tropical flower display. Dinner can be taken here on the adjacent covered veranda. Go for the Traditional Rice & Curry, comprising steamed Basmati and red rice, chicken badum, seafood curry, beetroot badum, green beans curry, brinjol moju, potato tempered, gotukola sambol plus pickle, mango chutney and pappadams, all served in individual silver dishes by a team of waiters. Unforgettable.
10 Candlelit Bath...
If you ask very nicely, your butler will fill your deep freestanding bath while you eat, mixing in sea salts and lighting large candles on the floor of your bathroom. Once you’ve finished your main course, you can retire upstairs and enjoy your Watalappan and coconut ice cream dessert in the bath. Could there be a more soothing, relaxing, slightly decadent end to the perfect day?
Want to discover more? For booking and additional info, go to the TI Amangalla page. Or see all luxury hotels in Sri Lanka.