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Have you ever heard of Geoffrey Bawa, the great Sri Lankan architect?
Bawa’s works are often described as “tropical modernism” or “tropical architecture”—designs that weave together Sri Lanka’s lush landscapes, climate, and cultural heritage.
For me, he is my favorite architect of all time. When I first stayed in one of his creations, I was deeply moved—it felt almost life-changing. I would even say that Sri Lanka is worth visiting just to experience Bawa’s architecture.
In this article, I will introduce every one of Bawa’s architectures where you can actually stay overnight.
Who Is Geoffrey Bawa?
Before diving into the hotels, let’s take a look at Geoffrey Bawa’s life and the defining features of his architecture. Even if you’ve never heard of him, I think you’ll find his story fascinating.
Biography
Geoffrey Bawa (1919–2003) was a Sri Lankan architect celebrated as the pioneer of Tropical Modernism.
He was born into an affluent family in Colombo, then Ceylon. His father was of mixed British and Sri Lankan descent, while his mother came from Dutch and Scottish heritage—placing the family among the colonial elite.
Bawa studied English literature at Cambridge University and later qualified as a lawyer at London’s Inner Temple. He briefly practiced law in England, but soon lost interest and returned home.
In 1948, he purchased a rubber estate outside Bentota—what would later become Lunuganga. There, he devoted himself to landscape and garden design. This project sparked his passion for architecture and led him back to England in 1950 to study at the Architectural Association School of Architecture (AA School) in London.
By 1957, he was a licensed architect and returned to Sri Lanka to begin his full-fledged career.
Key Features of His Architecture
Bawa’s architectural style is defined by several hallmarks:
Tropical Modernism
- Designs tailored to hot, humid climates, making use of natural light and ventilation
- Seamless integration of buildings with surrounding landscapes
Blurring Indoors and Outdoors
- Incorporating gardens, ponds, and vistas into architecture
- Open, fluid spaces that dissolve the boundaries between inside and outside
Respect for Sri Lankan Culture
- Reinterpreting traditional Sri Lankan forms with modern techniques
- Using local materials and craftsmanship wherever possible
His works embody these principles, inspiring architects and designers worldwide. Bawa’s sustainable, nature-integrated vision has profoundly shaped the direction of modern architecture.
Where Can You Stay in a Geoffrey Bawa Hotel?
All of Bawa’s hotels and architectural works are located in Sri Lanka. If you want to experience them, you have to come here.
Sri Lanka is about 80% the size of Hokkaido, Japan, but transportation isn’t always efficient—so traveling around the island can be quite a challenge.
All Geoffrey Bawa Hotels You Can Stay In
Here is a chronological list of every hotel designed by Geoffrey Bawa where you can actually stay—ranging from the famous landmarks to the lesser-known gems.
Number 11（1960）
Number 11 was originally part of Geoffrey Bawa’s own residence, later opened to the public as a boutique hotel. (The year 1960 refers to the completion of the house as his private home, not the opening as a hotel.)
Among all Bawa hotels, it is the most accessible—nestled in a quiet residential district of Colombo, surrounded by stately mansions. Its name simply comes from its street address: No. 11.
While guided tours (by reservation) are available for non-guests, staying overnight is highly recommended. Some areas are only accessible to overnight guests, making it a rare opportunity to experience Bawa’s lifestyle firsthand. The collection of furnishings and artifacts he personally gathered is also remarkable.
Recommended Booking Methods
For both price and convenience, I recommend booking through the following major travel sites.
Click the logos below to go directly to each hotel’s page.
Note: At present, Number 11 does not appear to be available on Expedia or Hotels.com.
Jetwing Lagoon（1966）
Jetwing Lagoon (formerly Blue Lagoon) is one of Geoffrey Bawa’s earliest and most iconic hotel designs—a place that can truly be called the starting point of his architectural philosophy.
Located on Sri Lanka’s west coast in Negombo, the hotel sits on a unique site between the ocean and a tranquil lagoon. It was here that Bawa first experimented with his guiding principle of “architecture in harmony with nature.”
One of the highlights is the 100-meter outdoor pool—still the longest in South Asia—which leaves a powerful impression.
Conveniently, the hotel is only about a 30-minute drive from Bandaranaike International Airport, making it an excellent choice either at the beginning or the end of a journey. Though historic, the property has undergone several renovations, the most recent of which was completed in September 2024.
Recommended Booking Methods
For both price and convenience, I recommend booking through the following major travel sites.
Click the logos below to go directly to each hotel’s page.
Thaala Bentota（1970）
Thaala Bentota is one of Geoffrey Bawa’s early masterpieces, where architecture meets the rhythm of the sea. The design—marked by striking contrasts of white and red against lush coconut palms—was inspired by an 18th-century Dutch village. Against the backdrop of the deep blue Sri Lankan sky, the composition feels both nostalgic and boldly modern.
Set directly on the beachfront, the hotel offers a relaxed escape where you can enjoy the ocean just steps away. Beyond leisure, it also reveals Bawa’s early exploration of how traditional references could be transformed into a new tropical modernist language.
Right next door is Bentota Railway Station, also designed by Bawa. Small yet distinctive, it’s worth a visit during your stay—a reminder of how his architectural vision extended into everyday life as well.
Recommended Booking Methods
For both price and convenience, I recommend booking through the following major travel sites.
Heritance Ahungalla（1981）
Today, no luxury resort feels complete without an infinity pool—but few know that its origin traces back to Geoffrey Bawa.
While infinity pools later appeared in many of his projects, the very first was created here at Heritance Ahungalla. From this property, the idea spread across the world, forever changing resort design.
The seamless visual connection between the pool and the Indian Ocean is breathtaking. Between them sits the famous “love sofa,” where guests can recline in bliss as if floating between water and sky.
Beyond its pool, the hotel itself is a masterclass in tropical modernism—open corridors, framed ocean views, and a rhythm of courtyards that blur indoors and outdoors, embodying Bawa’s vision of architecture as an extension of nature.
Recommended Booking Methods
For both price and convenience, I recommend booking through the following major travel sites.
Note: At present, Heritance Ahungalla does not appear to be available on Booking.com.
Club Villa（1981）
Originally designed by Geoffrey Bawa as a private residence for a friend, Club Villa was later converted into a boutique hotel.
Set close to the coastline, the property beautifully unites architecture and garden, creating a sense of seamless flow between built space and nature.
As a small-scale boutique hotel, it offers an intimate atmosphere where one can truly experience Bawa’s architectural philosophy—tranquility, openness, and harmony with the tropical landscape.
Located near Lunuganga, it also serves as a convenient base for exploring Bawa’s other masterpieces in the Bentota area.
Recommended Booking Methods
For both price and convenience, I recommend booking through the following major travel sites.
Jetwing Beach（1984）
Like Jetwing Lagoon, this hotel offers excellent accessibility from the airport.
Originally opened as the Royal Oceanic Hotel in Negombo—the gateway to Sri Lanka’s famous “Golden Beach”—it was designed by Geoffrey Bawa himself. In 2005, it was renovated by his protégé, Vinod Jayasinghe, yet many of Bawa’s original design elements remain, preserving the spirit of his vision.
The resort is especially praised for its fluid transitions: from guest rooms to the pool, and from the pool onward to the beach—each step unfolding in a natural, graceful sequence. This layered approach to space is a hallmark of Bawa’s architecture, making the property both practical for travelers and deeply atmospheric.
Recommended Booking Methods
For both price and convenience, I recommend booking through the following major travel sites.
Heritance Kandalama（1994）
Among Bawa’s many seaside resorts, Heritance Kandalama stands apart as a rare forest retreat—and perhaps his most celebrated masterpiece.
The architecture appears almost consumed by the jungle, evoking the atmosphere of a mythical ruin, as if straight out of Laputa: Castle in the Sky. Its appearance shifts with every change of light and weather, captivating guests with a mysterious beauty that makes you want to stay forever.
True to Bawa’s philosophy, the boundaries between inside and outside dissolve seamlessly. Wildlife roams freely through the grounds—monkeys and birds often wander into courtyards, while part of the property even overlaps with an elephant corridor, offering the chance for an unforgettable encounter.
Internationally, Kandalama is hailed as one of Bawa’s greatest works, a living example of tropical modernism in harmony with wilderness.
Recommended Booking Methods
For both price and convenience, I recommend booking through the following major travel sites.
Jetwing Lighthouse（1997）
Inspired by the UNESCO World Heritage city of Galle, Jetwing Lighthouse is often hailed as the crowning jewel of Bawa’s beachfront resorts.
Guests ascend a dramatic spiral staircase adorned with sculptures by Sri Lankan artist Laki Senanayake—an unforgettable procession of art and architecture—before being greeted by breathtaking ocean views.
Everywhere you turn, the property radiates Bawa’s signature style: open courtyards, seamless connections between indoors and outdoors, and an ever-present dialogue with the sea. It is not only a luxury resort but also a living gallery where nature, art, and architecture converge.
Recommended Booking Methods
For both price and convenience, I recommend booking through the following major travel sites.
The Blue Water（1998）
The Blue Water stands as Geoffrey Bawa’s final hotel project—a culmination of his career and often regarded as one of his most refined and beloved works.
The design plays with striking contrasts: the clean, linear geometry of the architecture set against the soft, organic curves of tropical vegetation. This dialogue between structure and nature feels like Bawa’s ultimate statement on tropical modernism.
For admirers of his work, it is a destination not to be missed—a serene yet powerful testament to the architectural journey of Sri Lanka’s greatest master.
Recommended Booking Methods
For both price and convenience, I recommend booking through the following major travel sites.
Red Cliffs（1998）
Perched dramatically on a cliff in Mirissa, a small town along Sri Lanka’s southern coastline, Red Cliffs is one of Geoffrey Bawa’s final works, designed as a private holiday retreat for the Jayewardene family. Its name comes from the striking red earth of the cliff on which it stands.
With only three suites—each an expansive 250 square meters—the property embodies both intimacy and grandeur. The entire site was conceived as a single landscape composition, where architecture and terrain merge into sweeping views of the Indian Ocean.
As one of Bawa’s late masterpieces, Red Cliffs captures the essence of his philosophy: a seamless dialogue between built form, natural setting, and the experience of dwelling within both.
Recommended Booking Methods
For both price and convenience, I recommend booking through the following major travel sites.
Lunuganga Estate（1998）
Lunuganga was Geoffrey Bawa’s country estate, where he spent weekends and holidays. Over the course of decades, he continuously reshaped and refined it, turning the property into what is often described as his unfinished utopia.
Much of the vast grounds are devoted to gardens, every corner of which feels like a living painting. Among its highlights is Cinnamon Hill, a small rise where Bawa himself is buried. The view from this spot is so breathtaking, it feels almost otherworldly.
Like Number 11, guided tours are available, but staying overnight allows you to be fully immersed in its gentle, unhurried flow of time—an experience that feels closer to Bawa’s own life and spirit than anywhere else.
Recommended Booking Methods
For both price and convenience, I recommend booking through the following major travel sites.
No.05 Lunuganga（2016）
This property is sometimes grouped together with Lunuganga, but it is in fact distinct, as the building was relocated here after Bawa’s death.
Commonly known as the Ena House, it was originally the Colombo residence of Ena de Silva—an artist central to Bawa’s circle—and her husband. Built in 1962, the house was painstakingly dismantled and reassembled within the Lunuganga estate in 2016.
For most travelers, staying at Lunuganga itself is the essential experience. But for dedicated Bawa enthusiasts, No. 05 Lunuganga offers a fascinating chance to explore another layer of his architectural world and its preservation.
Recommended Booking Methods
Since No. 05 Lunuganga is located within the grounds of Lunuganga, bookings on all major travel sites are made through Lunuganga itself. When selecting a room, keep in mind that options labeled as Ena House or No. 05 refer to buildings that were later relocated to the estate.
De Saram House（2019）
Originally owned by the De Saram family—friends of Geoffrey Bawa—this residence was first remodeled by Bawa in 1986. In 2019, it underwent careful restoration and was reopened as an accommodation.
The restoration was carried out by one of Bawa’s protégés, ensuring that his vision and design philosophy continue to live on through the property. As such, De Saram House stands as both a historic home and a continuation of Bawa’s architectural legacy.
Recommended Booking Methods
For both price and convenience, I recommend booking through the following major travel sites.
Closing
So there you have it—an overview of all the hotels designed by Geoffrey Bawa.
For me, Bawa’s architecture carries a unique sense of place that can only truly be experienced by staying there. It’s something that no photograph can ever fully capture.
I hope this guide inspires you to spend a night—or several—within his creations, and that it helps shape your own journey.
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