Maniumpathy hotel review, Colombo: Magnificent 19th century mansion is now boutique hotel

THE PLACE

Tour operators and travel agents have until recently tended to omit Colombo from their itineraries. But not including the burgeoning Sri Lankan capital in your plans, aside from all else, would mean missing some outstanding colonial-era architecture, some of which, including the Dutch Hospital, now a tasteful restaurant and retail complex, has been restored by the army following the end of the three-decade-long civil war. Maniumpathy, by contrast, is a 19th-century mansion-cum-boutique hotel that has belonged to no fewer than five generations of the Hallock family from Jaffna in Sri Lanka's Tamil-majority far north.

THE SPACE

Guests are in the best hands at this delightful establishment, named after a town called Manipay, since it is managed by the British-owned Manor House Concepts, a collection of restored accommodation-based villas, most of which date to the 19th-century British colonial period, across the teardrop-shaped island. After such a long history, Maniumpathy only recently was transformed into a boutique hotel in a well-to-do area of Colombo. The hotel is built around a tranquil courtyard garden and pool.

THE ROOM

Each of the eight rooms, of which there are four types, are named after a woman from various generations of the family. I've scored the 52-square-metre Annapuranie Suite, an elegant, antique-festooned ground-level room that runs directly off the garden and pool. It features a four-poster bed and a large separate bathroom. Though the room is a little dark, there is an inviting small private garden terrace running off the bedroom. Meals are served under the nearby verandah of the majestic main house but you can also opt for room service.

THE FOOD

One of the pleasures of a visit to Sri Lanka is its traditional breakfasts, replete with local egg and string hoppers and curries. One of the best is served here at The Nandi, the hotel's low-key terrace restaurant overlooking the courtyard. Elsewhere, for larger groups, there is the opportunity to dine in the Grand Ebony Room, named after Maniumpathy's 16-seat ebony table. If you fancy heading out for lunch, don't miss the courtyard cafe at charming Barefoot Gallery on Galle Road. It doubles as the headquarters of the renowned textiles design house with branches throughout Sri Lanka.