There's lots to love about the Amangalla – it seeps elegance, class and history from every pore. Deceptively large given the relatively compact frontage, the hotel tumbles back through a series of rooms and suites, a large, and simply stunning, spa and treatment centre, the elegant swimming pool, terrace and delightfully wild gardens before finally reaching the outdoor yoga platform.

Converted and upgraded from the New Oriental Hotel, which since Colonial times had stood here, the heart of the original hotel is still very much beating, just delightfully updated and Aman-ised.

The service is faultless, the facilities second to none, the decor mesmerising and the guest rooms supremely elegant. The hotel's spa, The Baths, is amongst the finest we have seen, and the barber's salon is definitely worth a visit even if you don't need a trim. The Amangalla easily stands up against Asia's other Colonial grand masters; in fact, we're tempted to say it even leads the pack.