Boutique hotel · Teardrop Hotels · Galle

Tri

Aladuwa Watte, Pelassa, on a 6-acre hill on the shore of Koggala Lake, inland from Ahangama

About Tri

Rooms: 8 types
Dining: 4 places
Wellness: Spa
Swimming: Pools

A small hotel on a 6-acre hill on the shore of Koggala Lake, laid out along the land's contours as a Fibonacci spiral that turns out from a cinnamon-clad water tower at its centre.

Raefer Wallis of the practice A00 designed it for its British owner, Rob Drummond, using recycled wood and local materials, with living walls and roofs, solar power and harvested rainwater.

It is managed by Teardrop Hotels; every room and villa looks over the lake, and several have their own plunge pool.

Rooms and suites

Water Tower Rooms
25 sq mKing bedUp to 2Rain showerDeck
25 sq m for 2 inside the water tower, with a king-size bed, a rain shower, views east and west, and stairs up to the Water Tower Deck.
Lake Suite
60 sq mKing bedUp to 3BalconyWater view
A 60 sq m stand-alone villa just above the lake shore, with a king-size bed, a daybed, a walk-in shower and a balcony over the water; up to 3.
Lake Villas
72 sq mKing bedUp to 3BalconyTerraceWater view
72 sq m open-plan stand-alone villas with a king-size bed, a daybed and a balcony or terrace facing the lake; up to 3.
Lake Villa with pool
96 sq mUp to 3Plunge poolBalconyTerraceWater view
96 sq m with a private plunge pool, a balcony or terrace, and lake views from the bed and bathroom; up to 3.
Tri Villa with pool
140 sq mUp to 3Plunge poolBathtubBalconyTerrace
140 sq m, the largest, with a separate living area, 2 terraces and a balcony, an infinity plunge pool and a bathtub; up to 3.
Family Villa with Pool
72 sq mUp to 6Plunge poolTerraceWater view
2 stand-alone villas of 72 sq m side by side, sharing a plunge pool, terraces and a lawn down to the lake; 4 to 6 guests.
Sunset Villas
70 sq mUp to 2Water view
70 sq m for 2, facing west over a roof garden and cinnamon and coconut groves to the lake.
Sunset Villas with pool
80 sq mUp to 2Plunge poolTerrace
80 sq m for 2, facing west, with a private plunge pool and a granite sun terrace.

Dining

Tri Restaurantà la carte contemporary fusion, Sri Lankan and Western dishes from local, seasonal produce, with shaded or open-sided seating over the lake; breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks, without fixed meal times.
Sunset DeckBeanbags and loungers for brunch, afternoon snacks and drinks at sunset or under the stars.
Bar and living roomDrinks, fresh juices, light bites and Ceylon tea, looking over the pool and the lake.
Signature diningA floating breakfast in a private pool, lunch under the banyan, champagne on the water tower or dinner by the lake.

Wellness

The spa, set among bamboo, has a steam cavern and offers massages and other treatments.
The yoga shala is open-sided above a bamboo grove, facing the fields and lake, with group and private classes; guests may also use it on their own.

Amenities

Pools and spa

21-metre infinity pool facing the lakeSignature Spa with a steam cavernOpen-sided yoga shala

Activities

Hotel boat, a covered dhoni, with a local boatmanKayaking on Koggala LakeWater Tower Deck with views all roundGlass-walled libraryGardens with a banyan, cashew and jackfruit treesStilt fishingCooking curries under a treeVisits to the lake's cinnamon island and temple

For families

Family Villa with Pool for 4 to 6

Services

Room serviceBoat pick-up for guests flying into Koggala

Rooms

King-size bedsRain showersAir conditioning and fansCinnamon-infused toiletriesWi-FiBottled water

Good to know

On the lake, not the sea: the beaches at Koggala and Ahangama are a short tuk-tuk ride away, and Galle is about 20 km.
Water Tower Rooms are compact at 25 sq m; families of 4 to 6 use the Family Villa.