Luxury Hotels Atlas / Places / Sri Lanka / Tangalle / Amanwella
Amanwella
Tangalle, Sri Lanka · Aman · Grand Luxury
Kerry Hill designed these 30 terracotta-roofed suites on Sri Lanka's south coast in 2005, each with a private 6-metre plunge pool, drawing deliberately on Geoffrey Bawa's tropical modernism, long colonnaded passages echoing ancient temple architecture, araliya trees dropping white flowers on the lawn, and a 47-metre infinity pool cantilevered above an 800-metre private beach on the Indian Ocean.
- 30 rooms
- Opened 2005
- Neighborhood: Godellawela 82200
- Rooms from 1,076 sq ft (100 m²)
- Architect: Kerry Hill Architects
About Amanwella
- Every one of Amanwella's 30 suites is identical in layout and opens on two sides — to a private 6-metre courtyard plunge pool and to a broad ocean-view terrace — a design principle Kerry Hill adopted directly from Bawa's insistence on dissolving the boundary between interior and exterior.
- The 47-metre infinity pool (roughly 154 feet) is oriented so that the water-line appears to merge with the horizon of the Indian Ocean, an effect Hill achieved by positioning the pool on the resort's highest terrace.
- Kerry Hill, who held the RAIA Gold Medal, cited Bawa as a primary influence at Amanwella; the resort's biographer David Robson listed Hill as one of 24 contemporary Asian architects whose work most directly carries Bawa's tropical modernist legacy forward.
- The resort sits 37 acres of coconut grove roughly 190 km south of Colombo and 80 km east of Amangalla — Aman's two Sri Lanka properties are deliberately distant from each other, anchoring opposite ends of the island's southern coast.
- Entry-level rooms start at 1,076 sq ft (100 m²).
History
Nestled amid 37 acres of coconut groves on Sri Lanka's sun-drenched south coast near Tangalle, Amanwella overlooks a perfect crescent of golden sand beach fringed by the Indian Ocean. The resort's modernist architecture combines indigenous materials with clean lines inspired by Geoffrey Bawa, featuring freestanding suites that open to private plunge pools and ocean-view terraces. Beyond the palm-shaded private beach and 47-meter infinity pool, guests explore nearby tea plantations, treks, temples, and national parks showcasing Sri Lanka's authentic wild side.
The setting
9 km from Hummanaya Blow Hole.
Restaurants and bars
- The Restaurant — Restaurant · Mediterranean
- Beach Club — Poolside · Seafood
- Lounge Bar — Bar · Cocktails, snacks and cigars
Experiences
- Signature Ayurveda — Traditional warm-oil Ayurvedic treatment such as the signature Abhyanga massage.
- Amanwella Spa — Healing massages, facials and body treatments in suite, poolside or indoors, with Sri Lankan herbs, plants and flowers; Ayurvedic traditions.
- Amanwella Mindfulness — Wellness and mindfulness sessions: yoga, chakra balancing, pranayama, Signature Massage with king coconut oil, Ayurveda Wellness Lunch, Aqua Yoga.
- Unwind on the Beach — Foot massage on the beach while sipping champagne.
- Beach snorkelling and surfing — Snorkelling on the 800-metre beach in winter; surfing at nearby beaches in summer, with one-to-one lessons from local surfers arranged by the hotel.
- Whale and dolphin boat trips — Boat trips from Mirissa Bay, an hour's drive west, arranged through Amanwella.
Amenities
- 47m infinity pool
- private beach club
- 800m private beach
- spa (in-suite treatments)
- yoga platform
- butler service
- library
- boutique
- Private pool
- Kids' club
- Water sports
- Pet-friendly
Awards
- Conde Nast Traveller UK Hot List (2026)
- Forbes Travel Guide Star Awards winner (2026)
- Gold List (2015)
- 5 Best Places to Stay in Sri Lanka (2014)
Open Amanwella in the atlas for live weekend rates, photos, and the full folio.
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