An ode to Dutch colonial architecture, Landesi by Nyne Hotels is a unique slice of tranquillity that sets apart Middle Street from the lively cacophony of the Galle Fort. Landesi is a boutique villa that embodies a vibrant intersection of art and architecture, balancing historical culture and modern design motifs in effortless fashion.

Remodeled in 2012, Landesi was fundamentally transformed. The hotel was redesigned through the critical lens of renowned architect and Dutch colonial academic Ashley De Vos. Meticulous and yet possessing a contemporary consciousness in his approach, the hotel metamorphosed under his guiding hand into the alluring blend of design features it is today. Landesi boasts a rich wooden staircase that dominates one’s initial impression of the lobby, complemented by heirloom furniture introducing tastes of the establishment’s 17th century Dutch influences. Visitors are warmly welcomed by the hotel’s spacious layout, the entrance heralded by stunning eighteen-foot tall wooden columns, a soaring ceiling laid in timbre and arching wood lattice windows. De Vos’s expertise is evident in the balanced nature of Landesi’s design, ushering in stylish contemporary motifs through its beautiful terrazzo flooring, elegant chandeliers and serene collonaded garden tempered by ample natural light.

Landesi’s ambience is one characterized by rich aspects of global culture, and its lush interior  prominently features a collection of curated contemporary works that is every art lover’s dream. With a strong vision to represent contemporary Galle Fort and its thriving art culture, the hotel accents its transcendent space with gorgeous contemporary paintings, sculptures and art across a variety of mediums. The resulting atmosphere is one characterized by sophistication and allure.

Elegantly refracting the eclectic influences of the old and new that is unique to the citadel of the Galle Fort, Landesi is a prime holiday destination. Its revitalized interiors carry proud vestiges of vintage 17th Dutch architectural influences, stylish contemporary design motifs, and curated displays of variegated art, from elegant sculptures to arresting paintings, and serves as a charming microcosm of the adaptive landscape of its surrounding city– ever-evolving between the Dutch colonial past and the modern present. At Landesi, global guests can languish in the boutique villa’s atmosphere of luxury and sophistication, serene in their sequestered slice of haven.

Written by Kavinu Cooray