In collaboration with Le Grand Galle, Sri Lanka. Keep reading this post for my honest experience staying at Le Grand Galle in September 2019.
Quick Hotel Facts
Find below my top picks for why you should stay at Le Grand Galle:
- There are 57 rooms and suites spread out in 4 floors
- The hotel is a walking distance to the Galle Fort
- There are 2 restaurants, 1 pool bar, 1 Spa and 1 Gym
- Outdoor pool with adjoining hot tub
- Direct access to a private beach
- Suitable mostly for couples and families
SEE MORE ABOUT LE GRAND GALLE HERE
Staying 2 nights at Le Grand Galle was the cherry on top of the cake to end our Sri Lanka trip and we still can’t believe that we had a chance to stay at such a beautiful 5-Star property right in the heart of Galle.
By mere coincidence of destiny, not only was this the end of a fantastic trip around Sri Lanka, but it was also my anniversary with Cris (1 year, 8 months, and counting), so it was a special occasion in every way for us (and the hotel made sure to make every second of our stay perfect).
Unfortunately, during our entire stay in the city of Galle we had quite a lot of rain and this meant that we couldn’t enjoy the external areas of the property as much as we would have liked. However, it didn’t take us long to find out that the hotel served mouth-watering food to keep ourselves (and our mouths) busy even if the weather was not great outside.
I am not kidding, guys! Cris and I even joked that there was not a moment in the day where we felt remotely hungry before we were eating more (from their fantastic breakfast buffet to private Chef cooking demonstrations and an unforgettable in-room dining, it seems all we did was eat – and I am not complaining).
Keep on reading if you want to know all the details that made our stay at Le Grand Galle so special.
THE HOTEL
Arriving at Le Grand Galle was a two-fold experience, and it was hard to make up my mind if I felt happy or sad from being there. For one, I couldn’t wait to experience staying at this beautiful hotel and to celebrate my anniversary with Cris on a full-board basis. However, on the other hand, this meant my 20-days trip to Sri Lanka was coming to an end.
I remember entering the hotel with the sad thought that our holidays were over, and I was already feeling hesitant to leave Asia back to Europe. Being as I was so consumed in my sad thoughts, as soon as I saw the hotel with my own eyes, I had an immediate change of heart (and I couldn’t help but smile with happiness and the feelings of blessing from being there).
Le Grand Galle, by Asia Leisure Hotels, is a luxurious seafront boutique hotel that faces the Indian Ocean and as well the famous 17th century Grand Galle Fort, which is a popular tourist attraction in the city of Galle and part of the UNESCO World Heritage sites.
HOTEL FEATURES
The hotel ticks all the boxes when it comes to facilities: they have a modern gym, a stunning pool with an adjoining external hot tub, direct access to a private beach, and a beautifully designed Spa that focuses on Ayurveda treatments.
ROOMS
As soon as I walked into our room my jaw dropped. Their contemporary rooms offer an endless sea view and they are equipped with comfortable king-sized beds, minibars, and bathrooms that have those quirky electric toilets (if you have ever been to Japan, you know what I mean).
You can also view the Galle Fort from your terrace if you are staying at the Super Deluxe or Premium rooms (it was the only chance Cris and I had to see the Fort, considering it was raining as hell those two days we spent in Galle).
Cris and I were lucky to have stayed at their Super Deluxe room, where we also had a built-in tub (and the hotel also provides you with bath salts to make the experience memorable in every way).
Types of Rooms at Le Grand Galle
- Deluxe – Direct pool view, 1 King/Twin bed
- Super Deluxe – 49m2, Fort and Ocean view, 1 King bed
- Premium – 71m2, Fort and Ocean view, 1 King bed
- Jacuzzi Suite – 146 m2, Ocean view, 1 King bed, in-room Jacuzzi
- Plunge Pool Suite – 146m2, Ocean view, private garden, private plunge pool, indoor and outdoor showers
SEE ALL ROOMS AT LE GRAND GALLE HERE
Room Amenities
- Flat Screen Smart TVs
- Cable channels
- Safe
- Air Conditioning
- Bathtub or shower
- Hairdryer
- Toiletries (bath salts, shampoo, hair cream, disposable razors)
- TOTO Japanese washlet
- Minibar
- Balcony
DINING
The restaurant layouts are very well designed, with the dining areas sitting above the lawn, thus guaranteeing a swimming pool and beach views to the guests who choose to eat at either of their restaurants Taste or Blue.
Taste
As I liked to call it: the one with air-conditioner. Taste offers international dishes, such as steaks, pasta, and burgers. For lunch, you have a set menu, while for dinner you can have a-la-carte options (however bear in mind that those who choose to stay at the hotel on a full-board package get to choose from a set menu).
Cris and I were actually there on a full-board basis and we had dinner both nights choosing different plates from their set menu. One thing that stood out to me was their coconut tarte desert. I am not the biggest fan of sweets, but I must say that after our first dinner at Taste on our first night, I was looking forward the next day to return to this restaurant just so that I could have that desert again.
Blue
This restaurant has no AC, but it is open to the ocean and you get to enjoy a pleasant sea breeze while enjoying seafood dishes, which makes it the perfect duo.
Breakfast
My, oh my, the breakfast!!
For our first day we decided to have some breakfast in bed in order to celebrate our anniversary and it was AMAZING.
Not only did everything arrive warm and smelling like heaven, but the presentation of the meals was also visually pleasing. We had asked for some banana pancakes and were pleasantly surprised to get a tower of pancakes, complete with chocolate syrup.
(my mouth seriously just watered writing this post).
The following day we went down to enjoy the buffet and that was another highlight of the trip. I love it when hotel breakfasts offer everything your heart desires, and at Le Grand Galle nothing was missing (I even had a chance to eat my last Kurd Yogurt with fresh honey – Kurd is a Sri Lankan yoghurt made from buffalo milk. It goes very well with honey and I highly recommend you trying it when you visit Sri Lanka).
And in case you are wondering, they offer both Western and Sri Lankan breakfasts (such as curries, hoppers, milk rice, etc).
In-Room Dining
When we arrived at Le Grand Galle we decided to get in-room dining for our first meal. I ordered vegetable curry (my favorite Sri Lankan dish), while Cris ordered the Spicy Crab.
Even though they were both delicious, please bear in mind that when a dish in Sri Lanka says it is spicy, you should believe it.
Cris had fire coming out of his ears and nostrils after eating the Spicy Crab. It was hilarious to see his suffering combined with pleasure from eating such a tasty dish.
‘’This is so good!’’ he would say while eating and with tears coming down his eyes, gulping an entire liter of water when he was done ‘’honestly, so good!’’.
It must have been good, because not only he ate it all, but he was scraping the remaining bits of sauce with pieces of bread when everything was over.
SEE MORE ABOUT LE GRAND GALLE DINING HERE
SERVICES AND FACILITIES
As a hospitality graduate myself, I shamelessly observe every single detail whenever I stay at a hotel. From if a staff member remembers to call a guest by the first name, or if they serve wine to the woman before servicing the man, there are thousands of nuances that altogether make up a great hotel stay (and I pay attention to all of them).
I must say that I didn’t notice anything out of place or faulty service. Quite the contrary, I’ve never seen such an efficient staff (i.e. there was a day that I misplaced my key and asked for a new one in the lobby.
They told me that someone would meet me at my room door to open it for me. I made my way up the room and as soon as I arrived, there was already a smiling staff member waiting for me. Now that is what I call fast service!!).
EXTRA
Live the Experiences at Le Grand Galle
As you may know by now, I am a bigger fan of experiences you can have at a certain hotel, rather than any hotel feature. This means that a big factor that helps me weigh my decision when booking a hotel is what else they offer to make our stay more special.
Le Grand Galle offers a variety of different experiences for a person to choose from, depending on your mood and the weather:
- Customized Bike Rides
- Whale Watching
- Rumassala Hike
- Galle Fort
- Water Sports
- Onsite fishing
- River Safari
- Cooking demonstration – Read all about our private cooking demonstration with Chef Sagara at Le Grand Galle
Find my Le Grand Galle Trip Advisor review here (don’t forget to click that follow button so you are up-to-date with the best – and worst – places to eat around the world)
Are you a hoteliere or a brand and would like to work with me? Don’t forget to check out my WHY WORK WITH ME page, or feel free to email me directly at labellesociety@gmail.com (customer service is my utmost priority at La Belle Society and I usually personally answer to my emails in a 24h frame).
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