Checking in, checking out: Zylan Luxury Villa, Colombo

Every girl needs a treat, especially if she’s been working like a dog all through Christmas and New Year, and so Mr TravelEachDay found us a fabulous little hotel for our first night in Sri Lanka – Zylan Luxury Villa.

“The standard room should do,” he said in the email to me (his words, not the hotel’s – they call it an Executive Double Room). But he should have known better. There’s just something unappealing about the word ‘standard’, isn’t there? No one wants to believe they are little more than standard, and so, slipping out the joint account debt card from my wallet, I went and booked us in to the Deluxe Double Room and started dreaming about the moment I’d be able to sink into my jacuzzi bath.

Well, we arrived at the hotel at 5am, bleary-eyed after a long, indirect flight from London. I’d asked in advance if they could look after our bags until check-in time, and we’d assumed we’d need to sit in the lounge or find a local cafe for breakfast. But no, after a swift and friendly check-in, we found ourselves following the two staff and our bags upstairs. Exchanging a wide-eyed grin, we could hardly believe it when we stumbled into our (deluxe, baby) room and were left alone in peace. We gratefully clambered straight into bed and slept until mid-morning. No jet lag for us!

The hotel’s website and booking agents just don’t really do it justice. I’m so used to admiring glossy on-line image galleries and then being slightly disappointed when the real thing doesn’t match up, that I could hardly believe my eyes.

Here’s what I loved:

• The hidden dressing area (concealed behind a carved wooden panel)
• The ridiculously huge bathroom (all trendy concrete, rain shower and jacuzzi bath for two)
• The gorgeously big wooden doors with bolts and oversized key (love a bit of vintage detailing)
• The large, beautiful watercolour calligraphy artworks throughout (the owner is a Chinese artist)
• The small but perfectly formed rooftop pool (a bit chilly in the cold weather)
• The gorgeous galleried public sitting area and breakfast terrace (tuck into some yummy string hoppers)
• The fabulous Cinnamon Gardens location (the posh end of town, near the park)
• Nice fast WiFi (how else would I Instagram?)

We only stayed for one night, as we were heading off on the train to Kandy, but if I’m ever back in Colombo I will definitely be checking in here.

We flew to Sri Lanka with Etihad. Etihad Airways flights have never been cheaper, and by using OneTravel’s exclusive flights travel coupon, travelers save even more money. Book flights on Etihad Airways today.

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Tagged as: Asia, city, city break, hotels, luxury, mini break, Sri Lanka