From the editors of Condé Nast Traveler:

This six-bedroom 1910 colonial has been given new life by hotelier Christopher Ong, who put Sri Lanka's Galle Fort Hotel on the five-star map. Here, Art Deco–inflected teak chairs share the airy ground-floor living and dining space with furnishings that combine British colonial, Malay, and Chinese styles. French doors lead to a sea-foam-green-tiled swimming pool and copses of clove trees, Macarthur palms, and frangipanis. Only breakfast is served here at this upscale B&B, but an SUV is on call to ferry guests into Penang's diverse dining scene as well as on tours of Georgetown, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Return in time for sundowners in the garden, when the smiling, quiet staff light lanterns around the verdant grounds. The rooms feature four-poster beds, plenty of loungers, and antiques from Ong's personal collection. Some have colossal stone baths that take up to 45 minutes to fill, others open-air showers or bijou balconies, and all are unique. —2010 Hot List

Which room to book: The duplex Star Anise suite is built around an ancient mango tree.