Our stay at the Secret Garden Fort involved a number of surprises. First -- the "Fort" is the old (original?), walled area of the city of Galle. The Secret Garden Fort is a small guesthouse with a handful of rooms. The two booked for our family were pretty basic in furnishings and amenities. One was accessed by a tight, metal, spiral staircase, which turned out to be less of a challenge than expected at first sight. There was an initial moment of confusion about our reservation when we arrived, but it was quickly resolved.
The hosts were friendly, welcoming and hard-working, and one even stepped up for some voluntary child care for an unhappy baby.
Despite some early concerns our one night stay was quite pleasant. The room offered no more than bare necessities, but it was surprisingly quiet, given its great location close to restaurants and shops and proximity to the city wall and the sea beyond.