Bougainvillea Retreat

Just a few minutes drive from Kandy, this private retreat transports you back to a time when life was slower. The colonial mansion, built in the 1940s, is set in a large garden with the Hungasgiriya Mountain Range in the distance.

The service here is warm and efficient ensuring that your visit will be a memorable one. The inviting rooms and suites are individually designed, featuring work by prominent local artists. Western decor influences blend with elements of the region’s culture.

You can choose to dine indoors or outdoors and the menu features a variety of rice-based fusion dishes, even some of the desserts include rice.

Make the most of the gardens and surround with early morning or evening strolls, or borrow a mountain bike and explore the countryside. For an extra indulgent experience, you can also arrange professional spa treatments ahead of time.

Kings Pavilion is situated just outside the cultural capital of Sri Lanka, Kandy. The hotel sits within misty mountains where lush green foliage frames stunning views of these beautiful surroundings. This location, along with the natural materials used in construction, brings a sense of calm, peace, tranquillity and connection with nature.

Style and modernised comfort blend effortlessly with the sense of the important history and legacy of tea in Ceylon at Taylors Hill.

The house, built by a British planter over 100 years ago, features sumptuous decor, with each of the five rooms displaying its own unique character.

Set on a picturesque estate, the hotel is named for James Taylor who introduced commercial tea production to Ceylon. Visit the nearby tea factory at Loolecondera estate.

Dine on cuisine inspired by the culture and history of the surrounding region. The menu boasts Asian fresh fusion, using local ingredients and traditional Tamil recipes.

Located on top of a hill a few minute’s tuktuk ride from the bustle of central Kandy with a fabulous view over the sacred city and mountains behind, The Elephant Stables is a charming boutique hotel marrying colonial Art Deco glamour and modern comfort with a Sri Lankan twist.

Once the private home of Sir Cuda Ratwatte, a former mayor of Kandy, many elephants were once housed in the gardens, hence the name.

The Elephant Stables has seven rooms including spacious rooms with balconies and a collection of stylish suites, most of which have separate bedrooms and thus ideal for families, including a vast royal tent.   All rooms have complimentary minibars, air-conditioning and DVD players with a collection of vintage Sri Lankan films.

There’s a bar, living room, reading room and spa while outside there is an infinity pool with a truly fabulous view. The hotel also has a collection of vintage British cars from the 1950s and early 1960s, including a mustard yellow Mini Moke, which are huge fun on local drives around Kandy and longer trips such as to Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage.

The restaurant serves hearty breakfasts, light European lunches, afternoon tea and set menu dinners which feature traditional Sri Lankan curries, Asian Fusion or Western cuisine.