Fodor's Expert Review Casa Colombo

The Casa Colombo's motto is "nothing exceeds luxury like excess," and once you arrive here you'll understand. The 200-year-old white mansion, built in Moorish style and decked in Italian and Indian mosaic floors, carved arches, and molded ceilings, was once home of a wealthy family of Indian traders. Located in the Colombo business district, the building is down a quiet cul-de-sac with its own grounds. It's been lovingly restored, but—rather than as a colonial relic—it exists as a stylish boutique hotel with a retro-chic, ultra-hip designer decor. The outdoor pool, for example, is lined with pink tiles rather than the conventional blue. No two suites are alike: each has its own colors, layout, and character, and ranges in size from 500 to 1,000 square feet. Every piece of furniture, fabric, and lighting was custom designed by the hotel's founder, Lalin Jinasena, and made to order in Sri Lanka—except perhaps for the flat-screen TVs and Apple laptops. Needless to say, the service is flawless—each suite is individually staffed by a personal butler, ready to cater to your every whim.