This boutique hotel is a stunning old tea planter’s bungalow which is surrounded by the Helboda Tea Plantations, some 45 minutes’ drive from Kandy in Central Sri Lanka. Its hilltop location is sublime- looking past the infinity pool, you can see the mountains covered in tea plantations and the Kotmale reservoir in the distance. The bungalow has been lovingly restored showing off its old world charm with highly polished floors and many fine antiques. It does though have an intimate, cosy feel to it, so feels more like a private home. All the rooms have their own individual character and have open log fires which can be lit on cool nights. There is no AC here (it isn’t necessary as it is higher up in the hills). You can eat wherever you wish – in the hotel’s sumptuous dining room, lounge, terrace or by the pool. It is perfect for those that want to experience something of the old Sri Lankan colonial life. It certainly deserves the TripAdvisor Award of Travellers Choice 2013.
The Kandy House is located some 30mins from the centre of Kandy in a secluded situation. It is a beautifully (and very sympathetically) converted ‘Walauwa’ (colonial manor house) which having been brought into the 21st-century with all modern facilities required by a luxury boutique hotel, is still able to show off its original architecture (with polished wooden floors, elegant antiques and beautiful fabrics. There are two different grades of room – Ultra and Deluxe. All the Ultra-rooms are larger (than the Deluxe Rooms) and have access to their own verandah. You can take meals on the verandah, which overlooks the fabulous gardens and on the lower terrace, the stunning freshwater Infinity pool. This has to be one of the best hotels in Kandy!
This is a delightful small new luxury villa accommodation about a 15 minute drive from the centre of Kandy. Being set on a hill, all the rooms and the dining room have breath-taking views over Kandy and the mountains in the distance. All the rooms in the hotel are decorated in a chic white understated way (which goes along with the theme of being in the clouds). Both Andromeda and Cygnus rooms are on the first level, whilst Akila and Ankaa are on the uppermost level opening out onto the Sky Deck. The Cygnus room has a very private outdoor bath.
Ulagalla, one of the best small luxury hotels of the world, a stunningly luxurious hotel with 20 villas spread through the grounds of 58 acres consisting of paddyfields, verdant woodland and lakes. At its heart is a 150-year-old mansion which contains the reception area and above, the restaurant where you can dine looking down over the fabulous pool. Each villa has a bedroom, bathroom and separate living room and outside its own private plunge pool. The hotel is very keen to protect the environment and runs its own solar farm. There is plenty to do in the hotel such as horse-riding, nature walks, kayaking, bike riding, tour of the organic garden and a cookery demo. The hotel is about half an hour from Anuradhapura.
Sir John’s Bungalow is located well within the Knuckles Mountains and has astonishingly beautiful views of the mountains and wilderness- these can also be enjoyed from the verandah. It’s a 2hr drive from Kandy –and there is very little other accommodation to be had in the area. It is a 100yr old tea planter’s bungalow that has been recently converted into a charming 5 bedroomed guesthouse. The accommodation is simple but comfortable with a homely feel. It is perfect for those that want to get out and experience the beauty of the Knuckles Mountains where there are many walks.
This lovely boutique hotel built in the colonial style really does have a feel of the ancient city of Anuradhapura with lots of carved stonework which is very striking. The rooms are set in bungalows dispersed through the beautiful large gardens .There is a lovely pool area- a large part of which is shallow so good for kids. Being only a short way out of Anuradhapura, it is a very convenient hotel to stay at to visit the ancient city and of course Mihintale.
