Cape Weligama – Relais & Chateaux

Perched on a stunning oceanfront cliff just 30 minutes outside of Galle, this gorgeous, boutique-style retreat is an all-in-one destination resort, with excellent facilities and superb spots for relaxing.

Sri Lanka, a country with a recent history of internal strife and suffering, is blossoming into a hotspot for luxury travel — as evidenced in resorts such as Cape Weligama.

Cape Weligama as a destination

It is not hard to fall in love with this place. Cape Weligama has the kind of facilities and offers the level of service that makes it hard to leave.

The fabulous crescent-shaped swimming pool, positioned on top of the cliff and just above the gym and bar, is the hotel’s most visible attraction, but there are also excellent restaurants with gorgeous views from their clifftop position. There are as many as five dining venues here, not counting in-villa dining.

Beautiful villas

The balance between unfussy and luxurious was also evident in our villa. Designed by the celebrated architect Lek Bunnag, the villas and suites are a perfect mix of sophisticated chic and relaxed elegance, with only hints of the reserved Dutch colonial style.

Set in tones of mahogany with ocean-inspired splashes of color, the spacious rooms flow naturally to the private veranda. Only steps away from the private swimming pool, this was our favorite spot, ideal for curling up with a good book in the afternoon.

Sri Lanka experience

The resort is well-positioned to explore the area. The beautiful old Dutch fort in Galle is only a short drive away, and at least a day trip to the city is a must. And being halfway between Yala National Park and the capital makes the resort a great stopover if you tour the island.

That’s what we did. On our journey across the island, we visited two sister properties of Cape Weligama: the Ceylon Tea Trails located inland, deep in the highlands, and the Wild Coast Tented Lodge on the island’s southern coast.

in our opinion

Our latest trip to Sri Lanka had us venture into the depths of the Tea Country and then come back to Colombo with a few stops along the coast — and Cape Weligama was the perfect place in which to spend a few days exactly halfway through.

Through Our Lens: See the photos from our stay at Cape Weligama.

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What we love

• Cape Weligama's layout is inspired by a traditional village, with twelve manicured acres atop a cliff. Thanks to its elevated position, the resort offers beautiful panoramas of the ocean and the coast.
• Our private villa was beautifully designed, spacious, and relaxing. The fab bathroom had a steam room shower, and the bed was great — we had some of the best night sleeps here. There was a flat-screen TV with a well-set-up (and easy to operate) sound system and a superb selection of films, for no additional fee (perfect for the rainy days or jetlag-induced sleepless nights!)
• The crescent-shaped infinity pool. Fringed by a few lone palms, the pool's edge appears to fuse seamlessly with the shimmering sea.
• Breakfasts on our veranda were super tasty and served hot in the privacy of the villa. Both international and Sri Lankan food were on offer, but we always made sure to order Hoppers, the bowl-shaped paper-thin crepes made with coconut milk.
• The resort offers a good selection of water sports, including surfing, snorkeling, sailing, and stand-up paddleboarding, as well as PADI dive lessons, deep-sea fishing, and even seasonal whale excursions.

What you should know

• The property is managed by Resplendent Ceylon, which is also the brand behind the popular Dilmah tea. Tea leaves are used as a spa treatment ingredient, and Dilmah tea is served at the High Tea time as well.
• The villas are set in clusters of two or three, around shared swimming pools. This is great for larger parties or families, but otherwise, prepare to share the pool space with others. The cheaper accommodation (suites) are set up within multi-room villas and is less private. Also, only a few villas enjoy uninterrupted ocean views.
• The fabulous crescent pool is adults-only, but the resort also has a kid-friendly pool.
• There isn't much of a beach here — you can get down to a stretch of beach under the cliff, but it's inconvenient to access.
• Cape Weligama is just a stone's throw from Galle. The coastal motorway linking Galle with the capital is excellent, and it takes less than three hours to get to the airport. Good roads are a rarity on this mountainous island.