Inside Cinnamon Life at the City of Dreams — the Colombo hotel that was 10 years in the making

Having spent over nine months in Sri Lanka, I’ve become fairly well acquainted with the Colombo hotel scene.

There are the chains, some global, some local, which take up space in sprawling buildings and sky-punctuating towers, and there are the arty boutique bedrooms often housed in colonial-era homes full of fascinating antiques and surrounded by frangipani trees — these are always my favourites.

And in just over a year since I first arrived in the city of Colombo, it’s already evolved dramatically, and currently seems to be gearing up to become a destination in its own right, as opposed to a layover on the way to somewhere more exciting.

While most travellers head straight to Negombo, or the south coast beaches, upon arrival in the country, Colombo offers a truly authentic taste of the country and is worthy of a few days at least, if not longer.

The start of the year saw much hype surrounding Sri Lanka, as the tear-drop-shaped island topped numerous ‘best places to travel’ lists, as well as featuring on plenty of nonsensical TikTok videos with creators labelling it the new Bali (please let’s not make this a thing).

Of course, Colombo locals and businesses are doing their best to secure a spot on the itinerary of many of these travellers, especially as the city has much to offer, from fascinating art galleries, to glorious temples and plenty of hip new spots like Chill Cafe, Eskobar, and Kiri Kōpi popping up in the past few months. Plus, Dom Fernando of Paradise Soho is returning to his roots with his latest venture, a restaurant named Open Door Policy, scheduled to open sometime next month. A handful of hot new hotel openings are adding to the hype. One of which comes from the Sri Lankan-owned Cinnamon Group, who already boast over 13 properties throughout the country.

Having been 10 years in the making, on a budget to the tune of £9M, Cinnamon Life, a hotel situated in a moonstone-shaped building (these semicircular carved stones are typically found at the entrances of Sri Lankan temples), has finally welcomed its first guests in the rather fantastical-sounding self-titled City of Dreams. So has it been worth the decade-long fanfare?

Situated on Slave Island, a part of Colombo that’s transformed beyond recognition over the past few years, Cinnamon Life is within a stone’s throw from the Indian owned ITC Ratnadipa hotel which sprung up in prime seafront position back in 2024, and is in close proximity to nearby Shangri La, a stalwart on the Colombo skyscraper hotel scene.

Close by, the Port City area boasts a couple of restaurants, including a new Chill Cafe outpost of Ella fame, as well as Dharshan Mudasa’s Nihonbashi. The area behind the restaurants is seemingly evolving by the week, since it's believed this part of the city will become a central tourist hub over the next five years.

Colombo Bandaranaike International Airport is around a 45-minute ride away, depending on traffic, and direct flights from London to Colombo are available daily, starting at around £640 return with Sri Lankan Airlines.

The hotel is sleek with orange as the dominant hue of the decor, especially in and around the entranceway. Given it’s a colour usually reserved for horror movies, I was instantly reminded of the movie The Substance and its hyper-vivid long orange corridor.

Set over 30 floors, the sheer size of Cinnamon Life can feel quite overwhelming, and I struggled to get my bearings at first, especially since the main reception and check-in area is situated almost in the clouds on level 24 overlooking Colombo’s Lotus Tower.

Envisioned by renowned architect Cecil Balmond, the moonstone shape of the building, as seen from the exterior, really is something unique and quite special, even more so since it pays homage to one of the country’s most treasured ancient cities, Polonnaruwa.

Inside, it’s not a hotel where one immediately feels at home but there are some great features including one of the hotel's most mesmerising — a bold burning sun motif painted across the whole breadth of the ground floor, encompassing beams, walls, and even the elevator. Ironically, it promotes a serene vibe, with the orange shade here signifying the lowering of the sun’s rays and the beauty of the sunset that can be witnessed each day from the hotel’s pool, sea-facing rooms and restaurants.

While incorporating the sun design into the building is a feat of mathematical and creative brilliance, it’s just the beginning of the journey guests go on when they enter the hotel, since 1,000 pieces of art, all created by Sri Lankan artists, adorn Cinnamon Life's walls. Standout pieces include Muvindu Binoy’s digital collages, Pala Pothupitiye’s Trade Migration canvas, and Gayan Prageeth’s ‘Before Nineteen Eighty Three’, a colossal bucket adorned with images of Jaffna and Mannar — areas that were out of bounds for decades due to the country’s devastating civil war.

Bedrooms are simply decorated, with each of the 687 adhering to the same colour palette of bright yellow and blue with a touch of gold and plenty of beige.

Most bathrooms feature a rainfall shower and have been sectioned off from the rest of the room by a curved frosted glass screen. Sea-facing rooms are undoubtedly the best pick, but many don't have balconies.

I liked the fact that drinking water (and plenty of it) is provided in large glass bottles, yet plastic is yet to be banished from bathrooms, where plenty of mini shampoos, shower gels, and conditioners fill bathrooms.

The air-con can be pretty aggressive, but it provides tonic to the city's high season heat, and bathrobes have been adorned with bright tuk-tuk motifs, a nice touch that sets the hotel apart.

Of all the room categories, from city side twins to oceanfront king rooms with extra-large beds, I’d recommend one of the ocean-scape suites if budget allows. Much more spacious than regular rooms, they also boast a lounge area and stand-alone bathtubs.

All of the hotel's 12 restaurants and bars impress, firstly on account of the staff who are helpful, friendly, and knowledgeable, and secondly with a dazzling array of dishes and drinks on offer.

Sapphire Dragon, decked out in bright jewel tones, serves perfectly steamed lobster and prawn dumplings, crab meat soups, and plates of crispy pork belly. While Yoroko, the hotel’s Japanese restaurant, wows with perfect sashimi and spicy California rolls.

Staten Bar and Grill’s Australian striploin steaks are some of the best in the city, best enjoyed alongside one of the restaurant's heady tipples like the toasted sesame boulevardier or seven-day aged negronis.

Cocktails are equally exciting at Flux, where they play with ingredients like activated charcoal and cashew orgeat. The only criticism I have is that the hotel does little to champion Sri Lanka's own vibrant cuisine. There's no Sri Lanka-focused restaurant where it's possible to eat rice and curry, kothu or lamprais, a shame, with Cinnamon being a Sri Lankan-owned chain.

I also think the hotel is missing a trick by not having its very own arrack bar, since elsewhere in the country, bars such as Galle's Ropewalk and Hiriketiya’s Raa are leading the charge in highlighting the country's most loved tipple. To sample great arrack cocktails in the city, book in advance and head to Gini.

Colombo is often glanced over in favour of photogenic Ella, up-country tea plantations, and the wildlife of Yala and Wilpattu, but if you’ve got time and are willing to get into the soul of the place, it’s magical, to say the least.

The hotel will happily organise city tours for anyone looking to get acquainted with Sri Lanka’s lively capital, or you can go on a self-guided stroll taking in Pettah and the candy-striped Jami-Ul-Alfar Mosque, the Colombo National Museum, the Sapumal Foundation, where a selection of art from Sri Lanka’s most famed artists is housed before rounding off the day with dinner at Gini.

Anyone looking for a couple of days of chill time following a tour of the country. It seems to be geared towards business travellers and larger groups rather than solo travellers who may find it overbearing in size.

With two spacious and relaxed pools, one targeted towards children, the hotel would suit families well, and there is plenty of capability for large gatherings, meetings, and functions. A large-scale casino is set to open towards the end of 2025, which could change the vibe, catering to a different type of holidaymaker — watch this space.

Double rooms available from £139 per night without breakfast. cinnamonhotels.com