Many travellers see the Sri Lankan capital as a passing place to fly in and out of, rather than a landmark destination in its own right – but there’s plenty of reasons to spend good time in Colombo, with its growing, buzzy bar scene, mass of museums and temples and various food outposts offering fresh takes on local and international cuisine. Whatever your itinerary here, though, Colombo 7 is a comfortable, fashionable stay, offering a sense of perspective on the sprawling city and all it has to offer via its fantastic rooftop bar, restaurant and dizzying skyline-adjacent infinity pool.
Tucked into a corner of the city next to Cinnamon Gardens, you can easily catch a tuktuk into the centre of town or head a little further out to hit the beach. The large, open lobby is bustling with activity and all sorts of guests, from young families to trendy cosmopolitan types and sunkissed holidaymakers with surfboard bags abound. Walk through, and you’ll reach the downstairs restaurant and breakfast area, which serves up a delicious and extensive buffet brekkie with a waffle, pancake and egg bar.
This place is big: there are conference rooms, a spa, a gym and almost 100 bedrooms, most with large glass windows looking out onto the mass of city below. The design is simple and inoffensive, but the bed is big, the sheets are soft and the view – if you’re lucky enough to have one of the higher-floor rooms – is truly inspiring. You really don’t need anything more.
For a proper ‘wow’ moment, be sure to take a swim in the rooftop pool at sunset before drying off and enjoying a freshly shaken signature cocktail (don’t miss the suitably named ‘Infinity’ with vodka, strawberry, basil and pepper). There’s another restaurant up here, too, serving up local dishes like devilled chicken as well as takes on modern European classics. You can opt to sit outside if you don’t mind a bit of a breeze to make the most of the pinch-me-moment view.
Neighbourhood
Colombo is large and bitty, and can hence be intimidating to know where to start, but the staff are well versed in the fabric of the city and can breezily recommend all of the best things to do before setting you up with a tuktuk or car driver to do it. The local area is leafy and upscale, home to the neoclassical town hall, embassy buildings and the national museum, which is a great starting point if you’re looking for a quick-fire history lesson in Sri Lankan history.
Nearby
Gangaramaya Temple is a large city-centre complex and the oldest temple in Colombo, still actively used as a religious site. Tourists are welcome to visit for a small ticket price and admire the beautiful artwork and many stone-carved Buddhas.
Lotus Tower If Colombo Seven isn’t high enough for you, you can head to Lotus, a light-up structure shaped exactly so, with a seventh floor observation deck.
Time Out tip
If you want to tick-off lots of things in the city but don’t have a load of time, ask the hotel to book you a personal tuktuk tour. You’ll save a lot of time navigating on foot and gain valuable local knowledge while you’re at it.