Kandy hotels & places to stay

I’ve been unhappy with Kandy hotels so far until my stay at Ozo. It’s up the road from the lakefront, and has a lovely relaxed look and feel to it. I enjoyed both lunch and dinner there, and the buffet breakfast was generous and tasty. The staff are impeccably trained, and go out of their way to make you feel welcome. I hope this hotel keeps up its standards. For now it’s your best bet in Kandy.

This is a really beautiful hotel and is even better in reality than in the photos. From arrival, you are looked after so well by the friendly staff who cannot do enough for you. The reception area opens into the bar/lounge area which is open fronted overlooking the lovely pool and river....an amazing vista. The room was very comfortable and quiet with a nice private balcony and well equipped bathroom. The buffet breakfasts and dinners were really good and the presentation of food especially the cold starters, fruit and desserts was just perfection. We had breakfast included but paid extra for the dinners which were fantastic value. We took tuk tuk's from the hotel into kandy a few times which was a very interesting 15 minute trip. In fact the hotel location is great, away from the hustle and bustle of Kandy. Overall a fabulous hotel and from what we could see, the best hotel in Kandy!!

I visited Sri Lanka for a short period, after staying in Amaya for one day, decided to stay longer, seeing the excellent service they provided. Staff was very friendly, I felt like home. Food was exceptional with a variety of choices. Walking tracks around the mountain leading to the top of Hantana was an excellent experience with picturesque views. Inside the hotel with its grandiose ancient looks and spaciousness surrounded by lush green forest creating a calm peaceful environment for anyone who would know how to enjoy the beauty of nature. Best hotel in Kandy for Kandyan experience.

We thoroughly enjoyed 6 nights in Kandy and our choice of Hotel made our stay VERY special. The facilities, the ambiance, the quality of food, the friendly staff, and the views were SUPER. We also appreciated the Live Entertainment each evening. Being visitors from Australia we enjoyed seeing the Sri Lankan Weddings that were taking place in the Hotel. Our stay in this Hotel truly enhanced our Kandy stay, and we were treated as though we were special. (Which of course we are!) I need to mention that the gift shop in the foyer was really worth visiting as well. The towel animals on our bed are also worth mentioning.There were 4 of us in our group and we would all highly recommend this hotel to our friends.

I will eventually buy a house on the outskirts of Kandy in the hill country where it is even cooler, this is where I went to on this visit! I stayed in the Yala National Park at a fabulous hotel called the Yale Park Hotel. Absolutely amazing place with infinity pools outside all of the rooms. The rooms without exception were all massive and really well thought out. A Chinese guy called Wesley bought the place a few years ago and has invested a fortune in making the place awesome! There are even horses there as well as fish ponds and visits from the local monkeys, a white boar and a white buffalo. The views from every aspect of the hotel were awe-inspiring and memorising! So good to wake up and unpack the entrepreneurial stress with a long distance gaze into the far off mountains! Gods creation at its best and in full affect, you cannot help but to be moved by the view. I will look for an old colonial tea plantation house to renovate rather than a new build! I love the Sri Lankan colonial architecture as it is pretty much intact from the Victorian era from when it was built. Probably cost a small fortune but my philosophy and belief system will take care of the finances! I do believe that when you think of something, write it down, unpack it from though to words and then focus positive energy onto it, the subject matter in mind and on paper will begin to manifest itself into reality, you do have to feed the thought pattern with positive affirmations and a focused belief-energy – knowing it is already real and its only the time-line that has to be traveled to make the initial thought into absolute tangible reality. Please check out my Sri Lanka Blog post: http://www.brianroe.co.uk/sri-lanka/ for pictures of Yale Kandy Park.

Stayed at this Kandy City Hotel for 1 night during a recent holiday trip to Sri Lanka. It is a new hotel and has just been in operations for a few days when we stayed there. Everything is still new and even our room had a fresh smell of paint when we first entered it. Locationwise, it is located at the heart of Kandy City, so it offers close proximity to the lake, the Tooth Relic Temple, Kandy City Center mall, as well as restaurants and supermarkets. I think location is the best thing about this hotel. Breakfast was also very tasty and well prepared, for which we greatly appreciated. In general, accomodation in Sri Lanka is expensive if we compare it with the rest of Asian countries. So, at the rate we were given, I really have nothing serious to complain about this hotel. If I need to mention 1 flaw, I think the bathroom in the room is too small, while it is obvious that the room itself still has a lot of unused space. So, I was wondering why they didn't make the bathroom a little bit bigger than it is now. Also, the drain stinks badly so I think the hotel needs to do something about it immediately.

This was my favourite hotel of all those we stayed in during our three week holiday in Sri Lanka. It was a peaceful haven away from the hustle and bustle of Kandy. The whole hotel is beautiful furnished with interesting pieces of artwork around. Lovely pool area and great staff. I particularly must mention Dilini who was a wonderful hostess!! I wish we could have stayed longer in this gem of a hotel and hope to return one day.

The room was great with a large bed, perfectly sized (can easily it 2) and clean shower and a beautiful view on the river. The staff was super friendly and attentive. The best thing however was the SPA. I went twice and had different girls with different programs. They were very well trained, with re right pressure on either the relaxing or the deep tissue. The products they use felt great and smelled nicely. The music in the background and the brand new steam room that reminded me of the European steam rooms that I know made the whole experience very relaxing. A bit in the higher price side, but for those who come to Sri Lanka to relax, this is the place to go. (Tried one Ayurveda one downtown, but it's nothing in comparison to Ceylon SPA in this hotel)

I heard about this place from social media and most of them call it Paradise of honeymooners. While our stay I realized how they deserved that name. This is one of the best hotel and places in Sri Lanka. I think at least you have to visit this place once. About our stay. The road to this place is not that easier, but as we all know difficult roads leads to you into beautiful places. They welcome with us with brilliant Kedondong (Ambearella) juice and it was so refreshing for our ride up into hill. The rooms were excellent and they layered luxurious carpets all around the hotel and improve the hotel appearance. The bathrooms were so good and they are equipped with bathtub, hot water heaters worked well. You can do number of free activities while your stay including tennis, badminton and pool access, should mention this was one of the well maintained and best pools we experienced at a hotel. Also they have cycling, boat ride and pool table but those come with extra charge. They have well maintained golf ground, but don’t know whether it was free or comes with cost as we didn’t play golf. About the place and garden, it was like heaven in earth (you will see beautiful captures from my photographs). Staff at this place were exceptional, they were really helpful and respecting to there clients. We really enjoyed the foods they made and they were mouthwatering. You can get anything you like they have wide range of verities of food options. At last as improvements the air condition units controllers were bit old and they seems out of control. That was the only thing we have seen as negative, other than that this hotel is amazing peacful place to enjoy your holidays with beautiful seeneries, joyful activities and lovely staff. Appreciate your great service Amaya Hunnas Falls.

my partner and i stayed here for 5 nights. we wanted to be away from city life of kandy; we made the right choice - the hotel’s location is exquisite. our driver did an excellent job in locating it – not particularly easy but, if you make sure you have elegant’s telephone number, he can call them for directions. the rooms are spacious clean and comfortable. we opted for one without ac and a private balcony. the views are utterly stunning with tropical green mountains in all directions. standing on the upper veranda, we felt like we were in the forest canopy listening to an orchestra birds. a lot of love has gone into this business. the building is modern and maintained very well. the staf were friendly and attentive without being over bearing. they just leave you to get on with it if thats what you want. the owner, has been in the hotelier business for over 10 years and his hotel reflects the very best that he has learned. the service, his employees and the hotel was the best we saw in sri lanka. they can also organise professional drivers to take you anywhere you like. our main driver, charminda, was a very careful (a rarity in sri lanka), considerate and thoughtful character. we very much appreciated him looking after us when it was needed it. over all we really enjoyed our stay and will definitely come again next time were in the country. the only thing i would suggest would be a more varied menu for vegetarians.

We had wonderful time at Swiss Residence Kandy. Peaceful place and easy access to the hotel and very short distance to Kandy city. The parking is good and security guards are helpful to park vehicles. Welcoming is good with welcome drink. The room quality is excellent and way better than we expected. Doorbell and door access panel of hotel room is modern and love the way they arranged bathroom and toilet separately. Bathroom well cleaned, and quality bathware use. The hotel staff professional and helpful. The view we get from the hotel was excellent. Day time, and night time both were amazing. The room quality, bed, air conditioning unit all were perfect. We only had the breakfast from hotel and really enjoyed the meal, buffet included all craving food options including English breakfast and Sri Lanka meals. The hotel swimming pool is well maintained and clean, the place that pool located also great. At last this is underrated but one of the best hotels in Kandy to me. Only concern you should remember, there is sudden steep hill while accessing to the hotel and better you put sport mode/ power mode of your vehicle when you near hotel.

This is by far the best hotel in kandy,western standerd rooms and service, hard to get at Sri Lanka in general, the manager bought us train tickets a month ahead of our visit, it was the last tickets at that date, as he spent 3000 from his own money to get us this tickets and without that our journey would fall apart as we were dreaming about this train ride, then upgraded our room for free once we have checked in, many thanks for making us feel like home

It is a typical four-star hotel, big and popular with tour groups. The service is good, as is the breakfast and dinner buffet (catering for western and sri lankan tastes). The WLAN is shaky (the hotel claims that it's better than in most places in Sri Lanka. Which doesn't make it less shaky). We found the staff professional and friendly, the lower in the hierarchy the friendlier. Location is good, in that one can walk to the city center and is fairly quiet. But be aware that walking takes 20 minutes. Tuk-tuks are neither faster nor more comfortable because traffic in Kandy is horrible. Our large room was on the fifth floor and had a balcony with a view over the lake. On several days, we had no warm water in the morning. Apparently too many people had showered before us - no such problems in the afternoon or evening.

From the moment we entered we were greeted with a warm welcome and juice. The room was big and very clean, facing the pool. The staff are so good and friendly that I would want to stay here again. The breakfast excellent. There was nothing to complain as everything was superb. I will definitely suggest this place and I also found it VALUE FOR MONEY. We have already informed a few friends to visit The Earls regent Hotel Kandy on their visit to Sri Lanka

We travelled as a couple and had a wonderful, relaxing time. We were met by Mr Sunny at the train station in Kandy as pre-arranged with the hotel. The ride to the hotel was a bit arduous as we had not expected the narrow, bumpy roads cum dirt tracks and it was by car and tuk tuk. Our first evening meal was a bit of a disappointment as I now realise that we arrived late and were probably the last people to order and that the kitchen had perhaps already closed. The soup was lukewarm and so was the curry. Staff bent over backwards to compensate for this failing by offering a breakfast of our choice for the next morning. There was a fair choice of meals at breakfast, lunch and dinner. Plenty of fruits at breakfast, a selection of dessert at dinner. Delicious Sri Lankan curries. The accommodation in the tent/lodge was very comfortable. Plentiful hot water and powerful shower. Comfortable beds with duvet which kept us warm during the night. Strong winds at night - Bring your ear plugs if you are a light sleeper! Do bring at least a cardigan for the evenings as it gets very droughty and cold in the dining terrace. Beautiful scenery all round. We tried the spa on our last day which was good and had such a beautiful view. We opted for a tea picking talk one day and went amongst the tea-pickers which was very informative. All the staff are extremely polite and friendly. Perhaps a "fine-tuning" is needed - they need to be consistent with what they do but perhaps that is what the charm is about staying in Sri Lanka at a tea station. All in all, we would come again and would thoroughly recommend this beautiful place in this part of the world.

Our first night in Sri Lanka was spent at this little hotel on the hill...a totally unassuming enterprise, until you wake up in the morning and hear the birds outside, open the balcony doors and you are struck by an awesome view of the Mahawali river meandering down below, against the green lush backdrop of the opposing forest. On the river, slowly moving fishing boats and the peaceful lull of soulful lonely flute playing. The view is peaceful and restful for the soul. The rooms were clean and well equipped - bar fridge, kettle, toiletries, clean towels and clean warm bedding and a super large comfortable bed. Air-conditioning that worked and above all a large shower with hot water. There are no decorations in the rooms but you definitely do not need it when you have an awesome view of the river! Staff were always available to assist and the front desk staff were pleasant and helpful. Special thanks to Dennis and his team for making our stay in Kandy such a pleasant and memorable one. Hotel is well located to Kandy central and temples. They even kept our luggage for free over three nights while we toured to Pinnawala and Sigiriya. Breakfast was excellent and restaurant staff were always willing to explain the different local dishes on the menu. Do not expect Italian coffees or any other coffee other than proudly produced Sri Lankan coffees - the Sri Lankans are proud of their home brews! A friendly bunch and in true spirit of Sri Lankan hospitality they ensure you experience Sri Lanka in its truest form...Thank you Emerald Hill Hotel for making our stay so memorable and for accommodating all our wishes and requirements, we wish you all the best and wish your hotel grows from strength to strength. Highly recommend Emerald Hill Hotel for your stay in Kandy! From Proudly South Africa!

Really nice colonial style hotel in Kandy. Rooms are lovely and is is only 5 minutes away from he centre of Kandy.Food is good and there is a lovely bar which looks down the river. Make sure you visit the temple when you are in Kandy as it is the best temple we visited in Sri Lanka. You are also very close to the Tea Plantations which are really beautiful in stunning countryside. Lovely hotel, very classy.

Although this hotel is right on the lake road, we really enjoyed our stay and would recommend it. Our room was spacious with a huge balcony directly overlooking the lake. The bed was super comfortable and everything was clean and modern. Best shower in our 7 days in Sri Lanka so far - lots of hot water, great pressure. Wifi very fast and dependable. Staff was friendly and helped us book train tickets. The location is only a 5-10 minute tuk tuk ride into town. There is a good Chinese restaurant (Slightly Chilled) with happy hour and balcony with lake view about a 10-15 minute walk away. We didn't have the hotel breakfast so can't comment on the food, but would highly recommend Viyana Boutique.

Literally one of the best places we have ever stayed. The location is not in the town centre however it's only a short tuk-tuk ride away and the view you get of of the valley and the town from the hotel is incredible (far better than it would be in the town itself) as this place is basically up the hill overlooking kandy in all it's beauty. The room was beautiful and clean (again incredible views) the staff were outstanding, nothing was too much trouble. They even picked us up from Kandy train and took us on a tour to an elephant sanctuary at a far cheaper rate than any of the local tour operators. Can't think of any single bad thing about this place, a real gem, highly recommended.

The Mountbatten was the first hotel on our journey in Sri Lanka, and the perfect place to be for exploring the temples of Kandy and also finding time to chill by the pool with the incredible views of the hills. The staff were by far our favorite of all that we met in Sri Lanka, and were super helpful when sourcing our train tickets to Ella, as well as helping us with a driver to be our tour guide! The food was amazing, from Delicious breakfast served in the stunning gardens at sunrise, to curries in the evening in the restaurant. We stayed in one of the cabins, which i would highly reccomend over the main house rooms- they were very high spec, and clean and right in the jungle with all the noises and trees looming over us! we totally loved it and will be going back!

Staying at the Samadhi Centre was a truly memorable feature of our time in Sri Lanka. The location means you have to do a bit of driving to see the sights in the Kandy area, but it is worth it for the feeling of true escapism each afternoon when you return along the windy road, to the cool, shady, tranquility of Samadhi. Travelling with small children meant we had to keep a very careful eye on them along some of the windy narrow paths around the hotel and they didn't fit in well with the meal times or food on offer, but the staff were wonderfully accommodating and had special meals prepared in advance of the evening buffet, and were very patient and kind to our children. The food was amazing - some of the best we had in Sri Lanka.

I stayed at the Queen's hotel in Kandy in July 2012 before the Perahela Festival. The hotel is an old colonial heritage, with quite charming old-school decorations. Rooms are old but very clean and carefully tended. The service is friendly. The restaurant provides local as well as international cuisine at a value price. The location is very convenient for Kandy tour, just in the north western end of the Kandy lake. Besides there is also a shop providing high quality Sri Lankan souvenirs and tea (you have to get out of the gate and turn right, 50m). One of the drawbacks is guests might be waken up by the 6am temple chanting by the loudspeaker on the road around the lake.

Best night on Sri Lanka! Very nice hotel. Great design and comfortable furniture. We had best night-sleep over there. The bed was better than at my own house! Room is super-practical and has a perfect size. Bathroom was well organized. Everything was at the right place. First thing we saw was swimming pool. Even though it was very late we could swim and enjoy evening in the backyard. It was great. The place was so nice and comfortable and friendly, we regretted staying there for only one night. Each room has a unique name. Even shower gel smells amazing in there ;) The breakfast was same as in other places. We could ask for eggs or a toast and it was prepared for us. Fresh fruits, juice, coffee/tea, eggs, white toast-bread, sausages (taste awful everywhere on Sri Lanka ;) and jam. In general, Sri Lankas’ breakfasts are not impressive :) We definitely recommend! Stuff was very nice and friendly.

The hotel stuff are friendly. The boss is friendly and helpful too. He helped me to amend my bookings accordingly as i had booked more days than i required initially. He also revised my booking cost accordingly. The breakfast provided by the hotel is very generous, based on the amount we paid for. It is really value for money. The hotel has lift which is ideal for elderly who has problem climbing stairs. The location of the hotel is good too as it is near Kandy city area.

New hotel, very clean, centrally located in Kandy. Staff was very helpful and attentive. Hotel is located in the centre of Kandy, but we didn't have any problems with noise from the streets or anything like that. Restaurant was very good, probably the best food that we had during our three weeks trip to Sri Lanka, menu prices were also lower than in the ones in Hikkaduwa or Mirissa.. Overall - good base for staying in Kandy and exploring this city and surroundings.

From our arrival to our departure, we stayed for four nights, I have nothing but praise for this hotel. Positioned high in the hills a few kilometres outside of Kandy means you have uninterrupted views for miles. Our arrival experience was unhurried, we were given a cold glass of fresh juice on arrival before being taken to our room. A large spacious room which smelt of clean linen, so fresh. Our four poster bed was really comfortable and large bathroom with bath and over bath shower was hot and had good pressure. We stayed in room 5. When the hotel is busy they operate a Sri Lankan buffet dinner which was good quality and had lots of choice, priced at 1200 rupees £6.00 a head it was amazing value. Breakfast was also buffet a mix of Western and Sri Lankan dishes plus yoghurts and plenty of fresh fruit. The manager was a great help to us in suggesting things to do and we found all the staff to be friendly and attentive. On our last night we were going to be the only residents and so we were kindly offered to upgrade for the night into the suite at no extra charge - it was such a lovely gesture, but as we had quite a packed travel itinerary staying in lots of different places we chose to stay put as our room was very comfortable. That evening they set us up a table for dinner at the very top floor of the hotel on a large balcony terrace, such a lovely thought, the view over the low lying towns and across to the hills was just stunning. The journey into Kandy takes around 15mins. If you walk along the short lane from the hotel to the main road you will easily pick up a tuk tuk for around 300 rupees into Kandy. It'll cost you more like 4-500 to return as the hill is very long and steep - it's still a bargain for £2.50. It's a very steep climb from the hotel car park into the hotel, but well worth the effort. A lovely hotel that we hope to return to.