Fleewinter

This smart beach front hotel boasts views of the Indian Ocean, with Pigeon Island in the distance. It re-opened in September 2010 and today it offers minimalistic style coupled with traditional Sri Lankan finishes.

The hotel has 32 deluxe rooms, four junior suite rooms and two suites. The comfortable deluxe rooms have en suite bathrooms, satellite TV, a mini-fridge and tea and coffee making facilities, while the suites are more spacious and also have a living/dining area and pantry facility.

The main restaurant serves Sri Lankan and international cuisine and there is also a coffee shop and bar at the hotel. There is a swimming pool with a shallow section that is ideal for young children and the beach is just a stone throw away at the front of the property. If you are after something a little bit more rigorous there is also a gym on site.

The hotel organises whale and dolphin watching excursions as well as snorkelling trips to Pigeon Island, which is surrounded by colourful coral reef and home to exotic species of reef fish. You can also explore the history of nearby Trincomalee and visit Fort Frederick, first used by the Portuguese in 1624, followed by the Dutch and later by the British. At the northern tip of Fort Frederick is the cliff known as "Swami Rock" which drops around 360 feet (110 metres) into the sea below. On its pinnacle is the Tirukonesvaram Hindu Kovil where colourful "Poojas" or religious services are conducted at dusk.