After an extremely long day (4-hour flight + 2-hr safari + 9-hr drive with a few stops in between), we finally arrived at Heritance Kandalama which will be our first hotel for an 8-day trip to Sri Lanka. The entrance of the hotel with boulders of rocks surrounding it gives you an impression that you’re going into a cave which is actually what this property is famous for. The architect, Geoffrey Banwa, blended the architectural design of Heritance Kandalama into the natural topography of where the hotel was built. The spacious lobby gives you an airy atmosphere and switches your vacation-mode on instantly. Welcome drinks were immediately offered to us along with cold face towels, I needed those two badly. Check-in process was quick and as soon as my key was handed over to me, I immediately grabbed my suitcase (I didn’t even want the bellboy to bring it for me) and went to my room.
I was given a superior room which is their entry-level category and it was HUGE!!!! I had a small living area inside the room and a study table. The room opens up to a balcony overlooking the grounds of the hotel, I was advised by the hotel staff to never leave the sliding doors unlocked as monkeys can open these doors.
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- That’s actually a design up on the wall. I know it looks disgusting but when I looked closely, it’s a design of bamboo trees. 🙂
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- My balcony
The toilet was huge as well with modern design, it needs refurbishments though as some of the tiles were already worn out. A glass wall separates the toilet from the nature outside, I know that there’ll be nobody who can see me from outside but I still opted to put the shades down. I don’t want to see any monkey peering into my bathroom as I take a shower. :p
After taking a shower, I met the group at Kanchana restaurant for dinner. Buffet spread was of wide variety offering grills, Western food and local Sri Lankan dishes. I skipped the local dishes as it was too spicy for me and filled my plate with seafood and pork! Coming from Dubai, I’ve missed the sinful pork. 🙂
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- Omelet station at Heritance Kandalama
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- Heritance Kandalama
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- Breakfast of the champions, :p
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- Kanchanca Restaurant
Breakfast the next day was even more bountiful and it was only then that I realized that the restaurant actually overlooks the lake – amazing views from up there!
Heritance Kandalama is a great hotel to base yourself in if visiting this area. Its location being in Dambulla gives its guests immediate access to explore the nearby tourist attractions such as Sigiriya, Dambulla Caves, Minneriya National Park, Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa. The hotel offers day trips for all these places which you can book directly with them. Apart from these tourist destinations, Heritance Kandalama can also arrange some other outdoor activities for their guests such as hot air balloon trips, trekking, bird watching, boat trips, horse rides and elephant treks.
If you’d like to spend some downtime to be one with nature within the comforts of a modern hotel – Heritance Kandalama is the hotel for you.
Note: My stay in Heritance Kandalama is part of a sponsored trip of our company. However as always, opinion stated above are my own.
