Good question — for the last night before an international flight from Colombo the practical choices are: stay very near Bandaranaike International Airport (Katunayake) for absolute convenience, stay in Negombo (short drive + beachside restaurants), or stay in Colombo city if you prefer a final night of dining/bars/sea‑front views and don’t mind a 30–60 minute transfer on the Airport Expressway. Below are quick, practical recommendations with pros/cons and example hotels.

1. Closest / most convenient — Katunayake (airport area)

• Who it’s best for: ultra‑early flights, minimal transfer stress, transit passengers.
• Travel time: typically under 10–15 minutes to the terminal by taxi for hotels immediately adjacent; other nearby hotels 5–15 minutes. (TripAdvisor.com)
• Hotel examples: Ramada by Wyndham Katunayake / Kings Gate Transit Hotel / Amora Lagoon Hotel — many offer airport shuttles and quick transfers. (TripAdvisor.com)
• Pros: shortest transfer, some 24‑hr services; Cons: fewer beach/resort vibes.

2. Good balance — Negombo (beachside, ~15–30 minutes from the airport)

• Who it’s best for: want a relaxing last night on the beach, seafood restaurants, sunset without long transfer.
• Travel time: roughly 15–30 minutes to Bandaranaike Airport via the expressway depending on traffic. (en.Wikipedia.org)
• Hotel examples: Jetwing Blue, Heritance Negombo, Jetwing Lagoon, Camelot Beach Hotel, Goldi Sands (choices from luxury to midrange). These hotels are beachfront and popular for last‑night stays. (jetwinghotels.com)
• Pros: beach, restaurants, nicer evening atmosphere; Cons: small additional transfer time vs Katunayake.

3. Colombo city (Galle Face / Fort area) — 30–60 minutes to airport

• Who it’s best for: late‑night flights where you want city dining, bars, or to be near Colombo attractions the evening before departure.
• Travel time: around 30–60 minutes to the airport on the Katunayake/Colombo Expressway depending on time of day/traffic. (en.Wikipedia.org)
• Hotel examples: luxury choices like Shangri‑La / Cinnamon Grand / Galle Face Hotel / Cinnamon Lakeside (central, great restaurants and views).
• Pros: best restaurants/bars/urban comforts; Cons: longer transfer and possible traffic delays before early flights.

How to pick quickly

• Flight early morning / you want no stress: pick an airport/Katunayake hotel. (TripAdvisor.com)
• Want one last beach sunset and easy transfer: pick Negombo (Jetwing Blue or Heritance Negombo are reliable choices). (jetwinghotels.com)
• Flight late evening and you want a final night in the city: pick a central Colombo hotel and allow 1–1.5 hours to the airport during evening peak.

If you’d like, tell me your flight time (or whether you want beachfront vs city atmosphere vs absolute convenience) and I’ll pick 2–3 specific hotels in your budget range and confirm shuttle/transfer options and approximate taxi times.