Travel

Cinnamon Life

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After our stay at Cinnamon Grand Colombo, we made our way just next door to Cinnamon Life, the city’s newest and most talked-about luxury hotel. I’d heard so much about this property, and I couldn’t wait to experience it for myself. The moment we walked into the grand glass lobby, we knew this was something special, modern, elegant, and full of life.

The Room

We stayed in a premier oceanview room overlooking the Colombo skyline and Beira Lake. The room was bright, spacious, and beautifully designed with a mix of sleek modern finishes and warm Sri Lankan accents. The views of Colombo were stunning!

The Food

Cinnamon Life has an incredible collection of restaurants and bars, and we made it our mission to try as many as we could during our stay! We started off with brunch at Bistro de Marées, a chic, light-filled restaurant offering an impressive buffet with everything from local favourites to international classics. The seafood was fresh, the desserts were divine, and the live music gave it a lovely relaxed vibe.

For dinner that evening, we headed to Staten, the hotel’s elegant steak and seafood restaurant. The atmosphere was stylish and intimate in a nod to a classic New York style steakhouse. The food was equally impressive; my steak was cooked to perfection, and the sides were just as memorable. After dinner we stopped by Gatz Bar, a sleek and modern spot for cocktails and conversation inspired by the Great Gatsby.

The next morning, we checked out the pool, which offers a peaceful escape from the city with comfortable loungers and skyline views. After a quick dip, we enjoyed breakfast at Quizine, the hotel’s main all-day dining restaurant. The buffet had everything you could possibly want: milk rice, fresh tropical fruit, and made-to-order eggs. There were so many stations featuring different types of cuisine.

This stylish spot features two bars, one on the main level that also houses a stage for the live band and a second more intimate cocktail bar perfect for a private event. Before checking out, we had lunch at Sapphire Dragon, the hotel’s Asian restaurant. From the dim sum to the stir-fried noodles, everything was flavourful and beautifully presented. The décor was stunning too.

If you’re a wine lover, you can also check out Cloud Wine, the hotel’s wine bar located on the 23rd floor. The space features stunning views of the city along with an impressive wine cellar that doubles as a private dining room. Be sure to stop by Cloud Wine and ask their resident sommelier for some advice on choosing your new favourite wine.

The Verdict

Cinnamon Life Colombo is truly a modern masterpiece. With its stylish design, thoughtful details, and an incredible lineup of restaurants, it’s easily one of the best new luxury hotels in the city. Whether you’re travelling for business, a weekend getaway, or just looking to experience the new face of Colombo, this property is a must-visit. The hotel is also home to numerous pieces of art and can easily double as an urban gallery. We loved our stay here and we will surely be back.

A huge thank-you to the wonderful team at Cinnamon Life Colombo and Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts for their warm hospitality and for making our stay so memorable!

Travel

Cinnamon Grand Colombo

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I’m back! I took a bit of a break from blogging to travel get back into work mode and pursue a doctoral degree, but I’m back in and ready to write about my adventures. We went on a month-long vacation to Sri Lanka and have lots of fun experiences to share.

First up in our whirlwind country tour was a stay at one of my favorite hotels, Cinnamon Grand Colombo. I first visited this property in 2008 with my family and have been going there ever since. We even had our wedding reception there last year.

We received an amazing VIP welcome from their PR team. This was such a lovely surprise after more than 24 hours of travelling.

The Room

We were treated to a stay in a beautiful executive suite, which featured two bathrooms, a bedroom, a dining area, and a workspace. There was more than enough space for the two of us and our 6 bags! The executive rooms are located on floors 8 and 9 in the premium wing of the hotel. Cinnamon Grand has two wings, a deluxe wing which offers more traditional accents and a premium wing with more modern finishes. Executive floor guests can access the executive lounge, where they offer a daily service of breakfast, afternoon tea and a happy hour.

Dining

The hotel offers 9 restaurants and lots of dining options. We tried out the main buffet restaurant, Plates for breakfast every day. This restaurant has a large selection of different types of cuisines, and there truly is something for everyone.

On our first night at the hotel, we had dinner at Nuga Gama. Known as the village in the city this outdoor restaurant is built like a traditional Sri Lankan village and offers authentic local cuisine. Dinner is served buffet style but you can also order a la carte. Nuga Gama also offers visitors a cultural show with Sri Lankan music and dancing. It’s a must-do for anyone visiting Colombo and it’s a great way to get an authentic Sri Lankan meal without leaving the city.

The next day we had a wonderful seafood lunch at Lagoon. This restaurant offers diners a unique experience as you get to choose your own fresh fish and seafood and decide how you would like it cooked. This is one of my favourite restaurants at Cinnamon Grand.

Last but not least we had an amazing steak dinner at London Grill, a traditional British-style steakhouse. London Grill offers a fine dining experience and a wide range of meat, poultry, and fish dishes to choose from. I would definitely recommend this restaurant if you’re in Colombo. The service and the food is impeccable!

In addition to these restaurants, the hotel has a daily afternoon tea service, served in the Tea Lounge, an on-site pub, called Cheers Pub, an outdoor pool bar, Breeze Bar and a coffee shop.

Colombo Fashion Week

We were in Sri Lanka during Colombo Fashion Week and got to catch some of the shows on the last day of the event. I really enjoyed seeing the innovative designs by local designers. This was a special treat, as some of the festivities were held at Cinnamon Grand.

The Verdict

Cinnamon Grand offers guests a five-star experience featuring 2 pools, a gym, tennis courts, and ample common spaces. The executive floor also offers butler service, which is great if you’re travelling on business or just want an extra bit of luxury. The staff are attentive and always willing to help. I’ve never been disappointed with a stay at this hotel and I would highly recommend it as a great choice for a luxurious stay in the city of Colombo.

A huge thank you to the staff at Cinnamon Grand and the Cinnamon Hotels team for hosting us!

 

Lifestyle, Travel

Honeymoon Part 1: Cinnamon Dhonveli Maldives

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It’s been a while since my last post about my trip to Bermuda and so much has happened since then. I’ve taken on an additional role at work which has kept me rather busy although I have managed to keep up on Instagram. I’ve been wanting to write about this hotel for a while so I’m happy to finally have the chance to share our experience at the beautiful Cinnamon Dhonveli Maldives.

If you recall from my Instagram posts in January, Sashien and I had our wedding reception at the Cinnamon Grand Hotel in Colombo, Sri Lanka (wedding photos are currently being edited and I will share some once I receive them) and I’ve been a patron of this hotel since 2008. As we had our wedding in Colombo it made sense to start off our honeymoon in the Maldives one of the most luxurious honeymoon destinations in the world. Since we trusted and knew the Cinnamon brand of hotels we decided to choose a Cinnamon property in the Maldives and Cinnamon Dhonveli did not disappoint.

Getting There

There is one international airport in the Maldives located in the capital city of Male. Since we were in Colombo we flew Sri Lankan Airlines direct to Male however there are many other airlines that fly there from the Middle East, Europe and East Asia. Once you land in Male you have to take either a speedboat or a seaplane to your resort. Each resort is located on its own little island or atoll. Luckily for us Cinnamon Dhonveli was pretty close to Male and only a 25 minute speedboat ride away. I am a very strong swimmer and absolutely fearless when it comes to water but this speedboat ride even had me shakey! The Indian ocean can be very rough so it’s extremely important that you wear your lifejacket and hold on tight as it can get quite bumpy out there. If you do get motion sick I would strongly suggest taking your medication before you board the boat.

The Resort

Once we got to the resort we were greeted and welcomed with Cinnamon Hotels’ signature brand of hospitality. We were offered cold towels and drinks as we waited to be checked in. Since we were on our honeymoon we were upgraded to an overwater suite which is located on a dock built into the sea and the suites are freestanding on the water. We were in room 701 which was the furthest out into the sea and offered the best privacy and views of the ocean and lagoon.

There are other room categories at the resort which consist of bungalows and rooms. You can opt for a water bungalow which is the similar to a suite but excludes a living room area, a beach bungalow is located on the land and comes in a duplex style as well as a pool option. There are also simple beach rooms. A full list of all the room types can be found here.

Overwater Suite

Our suite was located at the end of the dock and we enjoyed walking along the dock to get to the main island for our meals. The suite was equipped with a spacious living area which included a coffee table that looked down into the ocean (yes we could see some fish swimming by).

The suite had a king bed and large sliding doors which opened out onto the spacious sundeck which included a seating area, overwater hammock and steps to go down into the ocean. I really enjoyed taking a dip in the Indian ocean first thing in the morning, it’s a great way to start the day.

Here’s a room tour:

There was also a large bathroom with a shower and tub, the sun deck could also be accessed from the bathroom. The suite came equipped with a mini bar, refillable branded water bottles and  sun care essentials courtesy of Spa Ceylon.

The Amenities + Dining 

Cinnamon Dhonveli is very much a luxury resort offering amenities such as a spa, pools, water sports, wellness activities and offsite excursions. One interesting feature at this resort is when you book directly through their website you can choose 2 complimentary activities as part of your stay. The activities consist of:

  • 4 course dinner by the beach
  • Malé city excursion
  • Dolphin watching experience
  • Kid Stays Free
  • 45-minute spa treatment

We chose the Dolphin Experience and the 4 course dinner by the beach and we really enjoyed both of these activities.

The resort features 4 dining outlets: Tex Mex, Beach Bar, Koimala and Raalu Bar. Depending on your room category and package type you may be assigned to one particular restaurant for your all inclusive meals and drinks. We chose the breakfast and dinner package and decided to explore the various options including in-room dining for lunch.

The Verdict

If you haven’t been to the Maldives before then you definitely need to check our this destination. The climate in the Maldives is extremely warm and humid so be sure to stay hydrated and use lots of sunscreen. I would definitely recommend checking out Cinnamon Dhonveli for its proximity to the airport, beautiful rooms and amenities and friendly staff. We stayed there for 3 nights and I felt that was sufficient; keep in mind each hotel is located on its own island so you don’t need to much time at a resort to get a feel for the place.

The Maldives is a muslim country so be aware of cultural and religious norms when you arrive. I would suggest a more modest outfit for the airport. Beware of the rules concerning alcohol as no one can bring alcohol into the airport and it is not served at any airport lounges, although it is readily available at the resorts.

We really enjoyed starting off our honeymoon at Cinnamon Dhonveli and we look forward to checking out the other Cinnamon properties in the Maldives.