This Hotel in Kitulgala is an old colonial rest house which has a delightful situation right beside the Keleni River.
The restaurant terrace has great views over the Keleni River and the surrounding lush rainforest. Being a rest house, the rooms are more basic than other available accommodation but they are cosy and comfortable with a quirky feel.
The hotel pool is close to the river. They even have a car museum containing a number of vintage Rolls Royces, Ferraris and Porsches!
This 100yr old bungalow was once formerly the home of Lord Louis Mountbatten when he was based in Ceylon during the 2nd World War. Having now been refurbished, it still retains a feel of that bygone Victorian era. Being only 15mins from Kandy, it is an ideal location to explore the city, yet be in a tranquil situation with great views of the Kandyan hills. The bungalow is surrounded by six and a half acres of beautiful gardens. A recent addition are the wooden garden chalets which offer the latest of modern comforts while preserving British elegance.
Madulkelle Tea and Eco Lodge is situated in a 25 acre tea plantation which is in the Knuckles Mountain range and at around 3200ft has amazing views down the valley. It is an extremely unusual hotel (the first of its kind in Sri Lanka) where all the accommodation is in individual tented lodges but with proper floors, beds and own bathroom facilities. It is a really fantastic experience to wake up and go out onto your own terrace and enjoy all the nature that is around. The main Lodge which has the feel of a tea planter’s bungalow, houses reception and the restaurant/bar (where there is a log fire). Breakfast can be taken on the terrace, there where you can enjoy the fantastic views of the gardens, pool and the mountains beyond. It does get cooler in the evenings here, as you are quite high up in the mountains.
This is a Resthouse and therefore by definition is more basic. Kithulgala is about a 2hr drive south-west of Kandy and is situated in the rainforest. It has a magnificent location set on the banks of the Keleni River. It is an old colonial building which was used as the HQ when the film “The Bridge over the River Kwai” was filmed here with David Lean. This quirky hotel will give you an insight into what colonial life was like. It has a fantastic view of the river and the virgin rainforest on the other side of the river. There is no pool but you can swim in the river if you swim where the locals swim. The rooms are simple but adequate – it is the location that is sublime!
Kandyan Manor is a traditional Walauwa located about a 20min drive from the centre of Kandy in and idyllic situation surrounded by rainforest and tea plantations. The manor house itself is very old and there are many old family pieces of furniture. The owners have tried hard to keep that feel of a “home from home”. There are 2 rooms in the house and 2 in small chalets overlooking the lush garden which do have a feel of great privacy. It is basic but the location, service and delectable food are real winners.
Offering excellent and affordable accommodation in Kandy, Hotel Thilanka has been recently refurbished to a very high standard throughout.
The hotel is set up high on the hill overlooking the city of Kandy and the historic Lake – it is on the same side of the Lake as the Temple of the Tooth, so is incredibly convenient for visiting the city. The hotel has a wonderful terrace with swimming pool which has great views of the Lake – it’s great to watch the sun going down over the hills here.
