Designed by famed Sri Lankan architect Geoffrey Bawa, the unique Heritance Kandalama hotel is set into a cliff face among dense tropical forests, flanked by the Dambulla rock temple and Sigiriya Rock Fortress. The hotel’s buildings were planned to blend seamlessly with the surrounding environment and are covered with hanging vines and flowering plants. Each of the 152 rooms faces either Kandalama Lake or the forest – even the bathrooms were planned to showcase the view – and is decorated in an elegantly simple contemporary style. The Kandalama is the first Green Globe 21-certified hotel in Asia, and the first hotel in the world to be awarded the prestigious LEED Green Building certification. There are three restaurants to choose from, including the Kanchana Café, which has won multiple awards. Among The Kandalama’s amenities are a pool, business center and fitness center, while the world-renowned Six Senses Spa has a location here that offers Asian, Swedish, aromatherapy and Ayurvedic massage.
Location: Based in the epicentre of the cultural triangle of Sri Lanka the Kandelama is an architectural wonder. Shaped like a bird with its wings drawn out and carved into the side of a mountain overlooking the eighth wonder of the world (Sigiriya), this hotel offers guests something really special.
History: The hotel was constructed between the years 1992-1995 on the outskirts of an area known as Dambulla, thought to be inhabited from as early as the 7th to 3rd century BC. Here, statues and paintings dating back to the 1st century BC can be found in caves.
Service: The Kandelama has won numerous awards for service including the CNN Ultimate Service Award in 2001. It also picked up the Trip Advisor Excellence Award in 2012.
The Kandelama has 152 rooms in total with eight different room types, the most luxurious being the prestigious Royal Suite. Covering an impressive area of 1,291-square-feet. All rooms come with the following as standard: tea/coffee makers, TV with cable channels, IDD telephones, mini-bar, electronic safe, free Wi-Fi, rain shower, hair dryer, 24-hour room, service, complimentary toiletries, laundry service, private balcony.
Located on the Sigiriya wing, named after the eighth wonder of the world, these 264-square-foot rooms provide lovely views of the famous rock fortress. The bathrooms are well-appointed, featuring not only a rain shower but also a separate bathtub, and the rooms are elegantly-decorated.
These stunning rooms, located on the hotel’s fifth floor, feature private balconies that feature expansive views of the lake and Dambulla Rock. The bathrooms are well-appointed, and the rooms are elegantly-decorated.
The Kandelama’s Superior Rooms provide 218-square-feet of space, as well as private balconies with panoramic views of both the lake and Dambulla Rock. The bathrooms are well-appointed, and the rooms are elegantly-decorated.
The hotel provides its guests with a fully-equipped gym open 24-hours a day for guests’ optimal convenience. A gym instructor is on-hand at all times for personalized assistance. The gym is equipped with showers and changing rooms as well.
Guests with business-related needs can take advantage of the hotel’s new conference center. It also features two conference halls and four rooms that are ideal for meetings, events, banquets, and more.
The hotel provides guests with three luxuriously-appointed pools to choose from: the Kachchan Pool, an infinity pool that simulates Kandalama lake; the Kaludiya Pool, a traditional natural pool with a dark bedrock bottom; and the Rashmi Pool, an expansive body of water ideal for sports like water polo.
Guests wanting to indulge in some of Sri Lanka’s ancient beauty traditions can head to the hotel’s Six Senses Spa, where highly-trained therapists use indigenous herbs, tropical fruits, and exotic Sri Lankan oils to refresh and beautify the body and soul.
Providing diners with lovely views of the hotel’s well-appointed infinity pool, as well as Sigiriya Rock Fortress and Kandalama lake, this cafe is an ideal spot to meet up with friends and colleagues to enjoy a refreshing drink and light snack.
This international cuisine fine dining restaurant serves up dishes from all over the world, with complimentary flavors from various cuisines being fused into single dishes. They also provide patrons with an extensive imported wine lists to complement their chosen dishes.
The Kanchana is the hotel’s main restaurant, serving up a wide variety of foods, from continental breakfasts, to Mongolian specialties, and barbeques. This restaurant features indoor and outdoor dining, with expansive views of the lake below.
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