About this hotel
General information
Amanwella lies on Sri Lanka’s south coast at Godellawela, near Tangalle. A winding track through dense jungle gives way to a broad sweep of golden sand lined with coconut palms. The resort is contemporary in spirit: pavilions under terracotta roofs, timber colonnades, stone courtyards, still water and clipped lawns set among tropical greenery.
Every suite has its own courtyard plunge pool and a terrace facing the sea or the garden, while a 47-metre pool runs above the beach with views across the Indian Ocean. People come for seclusion and the outdoors, with temples, tea plantations and national parks for wild elephants and leopards all within reach. Many pair a stay here with Amangalla inside Galle Fort, a combination Aman offers as the Fort & Beach journey.
Location
The resort sits at Godellawela near Tangalle, on the shore of the Indian Ocean. Colombo’s international airport is about a 2.5-hour drive away and Mattala airport around an hour; from Colombo’s international airport guests can also take a 50-minute air taxi to Dikwella or a 70-minute helicopter flight to Tangalle, and the resort arranges car transfers from Colombo on request. Galle is about an hour’s drive, and the national parks lie within an hour and a half.
Spa
Treatments take place in the guest’s own suite, with the massage bed set up in the pool courtyard or indoors with air conditioning, or out on the beach. Therapists draw on Ayurvedic traditions and on Sri Lanka’s herbs, plants and flowers for a menu of massages, facials, body polishes and wraps, manicures and pedicures. The signature is the warm-oil Abhyanga massage, and on the beach there is a foot massage with a glass of champagne. The personalised Restorative Wellness Programme runs for three or five days, opening with a consultation and including a daily 90-minute treatment and a 45-minute sound bath.
Sports & leisure
Morning yoga is held on an open-air platform on the beach (subject to availability); private sessions with an instructor take place on the sand or in a secluded glade, and personal training in the coconut grove. Meditation with a monk can be arranged at the resort, at a local temple or at the Buddhist Centre. Nearby beaches have breaks for every level, and the resort sets up one-to-one lessons with experienced local surfers; the coast also suits snorkelling. From December to April boats head out to see blue whales, often with sperm whales and large pods of spinner dolphins.
Mountain bikes follow paths through paddy fields and villages, with a picnic and a stop at a Buddhist temple. At sunrise or sunset the resort’s floating lounge drifts out onto Mawella Lagoon, where pelicans, kingfishers and other water birds feed. Safaris with expert guides head for Udawalawe National Park and its wild elephants, Bundala and its migratory birds, and Yala National Park, home to leopards.
Restaurants & bars
The kitchen pairs authentic Sri Lankan dishes with Asian and Mediterranean classics; two of the three venues also welcome non-residents when space allows:
- The Restaurant — breakfast, lunch and dinner in a spacious room and on an open-air terrace above the palm-fringed bay, with Mediterranean, Asian and Sri Lankan cooking and an emphasis on fresh seafood
- Beach Club — an open-sided pavilion shaded by coconut palms at the western end of the beach, for resort guests only: casual lunches, private dinners and beach barbecues, with Asian salads, Mediterranean classics, grilled seafood with local relishes and homemade ice cream
- Lounge Bar — an easy-going bar around a central counter, open on two sides and sharing the Restaurant’s terrace and its views over the pool, beach and ocean; open 10am–11pm for lunch, afternoon tea, dinner, sundowners and cigars
Private dinners can be laid on the beach, in a local home for a Sri Lankan feast, in a rustic pavilion among the rice paddies or in the suite. The Village Dinner is held under the stars to local music, with spices simmering in clay pots over open fires, and the Private Seafood Barbecue is served by candle and oil-lamp light on the shore. In the Coconut Grove the head chef and team teach Sri Lankan cooking to all ages and abilities, either after an early market run or as a late-morning class that ends with lunch.
Swimming
The resort fronts a long stretch of golden sand backed by coconut palms, wide enough for real privacy, with the Beach Club at its western end. Above the beach a 47-metre infinity pool looks out over the Indian Ocean, lined with sun loungers, and every suite has its own 6 × 4 m plunge pool in a private courtyard.
Rooms
The contemporary suites have floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors on both sides, looking out to a curving beach, turquoise water and the coconut grove; each has a 6 × 4 m plunge pool in its courtyard and a generous terrace with a double sun lounger, a cushioned banquette and a dining table for two. Every stay includes daily breakfast and afternoon tea, in-room refreshments and non-alcoholic drinks, morning yoga (subject to availability), tuk-tuk rides around the resort, pressing of three garments a day and butler service.
Suites have a king-size bed, writing desk, daybed, an armchair with a kithul-wood table, Wi-Fi, a safe and a personal bar, and a bathroom with a freestanding tub, twin vanities, a dressing area and separate shower and toilet; spa treatments can be booked in the suite.
Premium Ocean Pool Suite
A king-bedded suite looking over the sea, the beach and the coconut grove, with a 6 × 4 m plunge pool in a private courtyard. Its broad terrace holds a double sun lounger, a cushioned banquette and a dining table for two.
Ocean Pool Suite
A king-bedded suite with views of the sea, the treetops and the coconut grove, and its own 6 × 4 m courtyard plunge pool. The terrace has a double sun lounger, a cushioned banquette and a table for two.
Ocean Hill Pool Suite
A king-bedded suite with partial sea and treetop views and a 6 × 4 m plunge pool in a private courtyard. A spacious terrace is set up for lounging and dining outdoors.
Garden Pool Suite
A king-bedded suite overlooking the Zen garden and the treetops, with its own 6 × 4 m courtyard plunge pool. The terrace has a double sun lounger, a cushioned banquette and a table for two.
Photos are for illustrative purposes only. Actual room layout, furnishings, décor, views and amenities may differ from those shown and may vary between rooms of the same category. Hotel and room descriptions are based on information provided by the property and are believed to be accurate at the time of publication, but are not guaranteed. The hotel may renovate or change its rooms, facilities, restaurants and services at any time without notice. The final details of your stay are confirmed at the time of booking. See our Terms of Use.