The Sun House

Here we are at the end of the first month of a new blogging year, & I think it's high time for a relaxing weekend retreat away to plan our individual blog Agendas for the year.

A lovely place where we can find a quiet corner to relax & plan our posts & think about where we want take our blogs in 2011. Over the years we've been to all sorts of 6 star retreats on these cyber weekends....some very ritzy, palatial & down right decadent. This weekend's destination will be a little different. The Sun House is a private colonial boutique hotel perched high on a hill, just 5 minutes from the ancient fort town of Galle on the south coast of Sri Lanka.

Built in the 1860's for a Scottish spice merchant, The Sun House has an wonderful ambience, albeit with a touch of peaceful, faded beauty. Galle was deeply affected by the 2004 tsunami & has spent the ensuing years regrouping & rebuilding.

The Sun House has been renovated to maintain its colonial charm and elegance. The large central living area is the heart of the house. A place where you can browse through their eclectic selection of books in the library, sink into a relaxing sofa, listen to whatever music takes your fancy or relax by the pool.

The elegant suites are filled with colonial antique furniture & dreamy four poster beds.

With wonderful names like Hibiscus, Araliya, Parrot Fish & Dumas, the spacious suites have garden & pool views & private balconies.

Complete with antique furniture, mosquito nets & colonial ceiling fans, the suites make for a truly restful place to read or write or just to dream.

Each suite as a large, modern bathroom.

And the Cinnamon Suite has a stunning outdoor bathroom with a bath tub where you can soak in absolute peace and beauty.

The Living Room overlooks the wide verandah.

And is the perfect place to meet & compare notes on how our blog planning is going.

If you are the lucky occupier of the Cinnamon Suite, then your experience is very special, as it occupies the entire first floor of The Sun House. The Suite is complete with its own library & sitting room.

And a fabulous writing desk to work at & feel the cooling sea breezes drifting through the open windows.

The Mango Courtyard is a lovely spot for taking High Tea.

The fragrant frangipani ('temple tree') garden leads down to the swimming pool.

The pool area is an idyllic and serene place to relax, read, write or swim.

As the day draws to a close, the alfresco pavillion is the place to meet for a refreshing drink & to review our progress.

Make mine a passionfruit margharita please!

A lovely night together in the Dining Room awaits us. Scrumptious & tempting Sir Lankan cuisine is on the menu.

The Griddled Squid with Blistering Sweet Chilli Sauce followed by the Lime Tart has won me!

So The Sun House it is this weekend - care to join me my friends?

Images: The Sun House