Erected in 1712 for a Dutch East India Company official, The Dutch Suites has been converted into a luxury hotel with just four suites by Channa Daswatte, heir apparent to legendary local Geoffrey Bawa, whose architecture inspired Amanresorts' design. At this cinnamon-colored colonial residence on Sri Lanka's south coast, a vast lawn furnished with cane chaises overlooks the Indian Ocean, and an infinity pool is set amid palm fronds.

At the Dutch Suites, sinhalese beauties travel cool stone floors attending to guests who have exhausted the need to explore the seminal cultural sites up north. Rooms have colonial antiques; wonderfully soft beds enveloped in mosquito netting dominate each suite; and bathrooms are generously outfitted with oversized claw-foot tubs.