W15 Hanthana Estate and W15 Ambuluwawa recognised at the 33rd annual World Travel Awards in the Maldives
Sri Lanka’s emerging luxury boutique hospitality sector has earned a significant international endorsement, with W15 Hanthana Estate and W15 Ambuluwawa of the W15 Collection honoured at the prestigious World Travel Awards 2026.
The recognition was presented at the 33rd annual World Travel Awards Asia, Oceania & Indian Ocean Gala Ceremony, held at CROSSROADS Maldives on 27 September 2026. The evening brought together senior leaders from across the international travel and tourism industry to celebrate excellence throughout the region.
A milestone for W15 Collection
Hardy Jamaldeen, Chairman of W15 Collection, accepted the awards on behalf of W15, marking a defining moment for the brand and its ambition to establish Sri Lankan boutique hospitality as a globally recognised proposition.
For Jamaldeen, the honour extends well beyond two individual properties.
“This recognition is a tremendous honour for W15 Collection and, most importantly, for the people behind these properties. Hanthana and Ambuluwawa are very different experiences, but both are rooted in what makes Sri Lanka extraordinary – our landscapes, heritage, culture and genuine hospitality.”
He added that the recognition reaffirms W15’s philosophy of creating smaller, highly individualised properties rather than conventional hotel products, with each destination shaped around its own distinct sense of place.
W15 Hanthana Estate – heritage and highland luxury
Set in the tea country of Kandy, W15 Hanthana Estate is a restored tea estate bungalow that blends colonial-era character with contemporary luxury.
Hanthana has previously represented W15 on the international boutique hotel stage, earning a nomination for Asia’s Leading Luxury Boutique Hotel at the 2025 World Travel Awards. The property was also among the nominees for Sri Lanka’s Leading Luxury Boutique Hotel 2026, reflecting its growing international profile.
W15 Ambuluwawa – a distinctive new destination
W15 Ambuluwawa offers a markedly different proposition. Located near the iconic Ambuluwawa Tower in Gampola, the property is built around the dramatic landscape of Sri Lanka’s central highlands.
W15 Ambuluwawa was also nominated for Sri Lanka’s Leading Boutique Hotel 2026 at the World Travel Awards.
The achievement comes as W15 Collection continues to expand its portfolio across Sri Lanka – from the southern coastline and Colombo to the central highlands – with a focus on individual properties that reflect their surroundings rather than following a standardised hotel
Jamaldeen said the achievement would encourage W15 to continue investing in distinctive Sri Lankan hospitality.
“Our objective has always been to build a Sri Lankan hospitality brand that can stand confidently alongside international names while remaining deeply connected to the character of the island. These awards give our team enormous pride and reinforce our belief that Sri Lanka has the talent, locations and stories to create truly world-class boutique hospitality.”
The dual honour for W15 Hanthana Estate and W15 Ambuluwawa marks not only an achievement for two properties, but another step in W15 Collection’s evolution into a Sri Lankan luxury hospitality brand with an increasingly international profile.
W15 Collection’s portfolio currently spans boutique hospitality experiences across Sri Lanka’s coastal, hill-country and urban destinations.
