Heritance Kandalama

It was a day out with the family , staff was very friendly and help full . food was Amazing & tasty . we had a special Birth day arrangement for my family members .all of us really appreciate the kindness of the staff. Hotel enviroment was ECO Friendly,beautifull View .

My family stayed at Heritance Kandalama from 19 December for two nights. The hotel is beautifully integrated with nature, and they truly enjoyed the environment. The room was very cozy, spacious, and offered a stunning view of Kandalama Lake. Heritance Kandalama’s greatest asset is its very friendly and professional employees. Since I live abroad, I had some disappointment with the Heritance Head Office reservation team because they didn’t fully understand my requirements and seemed unaware of what was happening at the hotel. This area needs improvement to strengthen the connection with guests, as Heritance Kandalama is famous worldwide for its personalized service. However, a gentleman named Mr. Chathuranga contacted me before my family arrived at the hotel. He fulfilled all my requirements in a very friendly and understanding manner. The room was amazing, and my wife thoroughly enjoyed the spa treatment. In addition, the High Tea team offered a great variety of snacks that my family loved—credit goes to the F&B and Culinary teams. One of the most important aspects was the kids’ activities. Many hotels don’t pay much attention to their little guests, but Heritance Kandalama did an excellent job. My daughter is still talking about the kids’ activities and the magic show! Ms. Warsha and Ms. Apsara from Guest Relations were wonderfully engaged with her—thank you so much for that. You are truly gems of the hotel; please keep it up. Once again, Chathuranga, Warsha, Apsara, and the F&B/Culinary team, thank you for your true Sri Lankan hospitality toward my family. See you soon!

This is my third stay at Kandalama and the outstanding service has not changed. Apsara who we met last year, was just as welcoming and wonderful, and staff members Nilan, Rashika and Janaka were also stand outs. The buffet was as always, incredible. In my opinion the only place to stay when visiting the cultural triangle.

I am writing this review while currently staying at Heritance Kandalama to warn other travelers. We specifically paid extra for the "Panoramic Room" category because the hotel’s website explicitly promises "Superior treetop or lake views" and "Views over the lake and Dambulla rock."

We were assigned rooms 208 and 209, and the view is a complete disappointment. We are staring at nothing but dense jungle which completely blocks the lake. I've attached a photo of the view.

The hotel actually sells cheaper "Superior" rooms which they describe as having a "Verdant Jungle View." That is exactly what we have in 208 and 209—except we paid the premium "Panoramic" price for it.

We spoke to the Guest Relations Manager who admitted that the real views are on higher floors, but because the hotel is "at capacity," they refused to move us. If management knows these lower-floor rooms don't match the "Panoramic" promise on their site, they shouldn't be selling them in this category.

To add to the frustration, the WiFi in these rooms is virtually non-existent, unlike in the rest of the hotel. You will struggle to do basic things like browsing or even loading the QR code just to see the in-room dining menu.

My advice: Don't waste your money at Heritance Kandalama and stay at a different hotel. If you do choose to stay here, just book the cheaper rooms—you will likely end up with the same view we have. If you expect the "Panoramic" view promised on the website, you are playing roulette.

What a Amazing hotel. The room was spacious and clean. The was was Amazing. The staff was very attentive and friendly. Can't wait to be back.
.Thank you

This is not the first time I have stayed here, and they hotel hasn’t disappointed me. All these years and they have kept the charm and the service. It’s a remarkable effort to keep up for over 30 years. My congratulations go to Asela, who keeps it going. The staff are very attentive and courteous. What amazing is during dining every staff knows, about your allergies and your preferences. I give a five star again and highly recommend to visit this place.

The positive side to staying at Heritance is the view - it's simply breathtaking!
Sadly, thats where the positives end.
The rooms are at least 10 years past its prime!
The look of the room was also let down by the outdated curtains and plain décor, which made the space feel dull and gloomy. Those uncomfortable with insects such as spiders, cockroaches or even geckos may find this accommodation unsuitable.
As this is a remote location the food options are limited! The food at the restaurants were very hit and miss. The breakfast buffet offering was average and didn’t particularly stand out in either selection or flavour compared to other buffets in Colombo.
The room rates reflect five-star pricing, but the overall accommodation experience felt more in line with a three-star hotel/motel. While functional, the rooms are dated and in need of refurbishment!
Overall, I was expecting more given the price paid, and unfortunately the experience fell short.

This hotel has always been on my bucket list because it was designed by the world famous architect Jeffery Bawa, and I've been to several hotels he's designed. I loved them all and Heritance Kandalama didn't disappoint. The architecture was out of this world, so one with nature. Staff was quite friendly, the rooms were clean and the food was amazing. They had tried their best to give guests a taste of the local cuisine as well as international cuisine. There was such variety and as someone born in Sri Lanka, I must ask all guests to try the hoppers because they are the best I've had!! Made by a local lady, they are a crunchy pancake that can be filled with eggs, cheese, jaggery etc. The choice is yours. There's so much to do and explore even inside the hotel. My son and I had spa treatments and it was so relaxing. The therapists really knew what they were doing.

Very long distances to walk, elevators work well.
Rooms are spacious but ventilation control panel is from last century. No hand shower.
Beware of monkeys, do not leave the balcony door open.
Food is good and variable, drinkable coffee available like in a jungle.

Very nice hotel with friendly and helpful people. Especially Mayura who works as a trainer served us. He gave me and my friend great service when we went swimming in the pool. He suggested good drinks. will Recommended

We stayed here for 2 nights on our Sri Lankan tour. Just wow! An infinity pool makes you believe you are swimming in a nearby lagoon, and the cheeky monkeys visit the balcony of your room all the time. The design of the hotel seems to wrap its arms around the natural beauty of the area, making the treks to and from the dining areas a bit long, but at least you walk off your food. The breakfast buffets were delicious and the cafe served the best snacks.

What an unforgettable stay! The architecture and setting are truly unique—beautifully integrated into nature and unlike anywhere else we’ve stayed. We loved the peaceful atmosphere, amazing food each day, and the genuinely warm and friendly team. Waking up surrounded by nature was such a highlight. Would absolutely recommend.

Heritancekandalama is a really nice place that the view is amizing and food is superb love how the staff treates us which us soogood and they were so caring specialthanks to Mr.Dimuth and his staff which waa soo attentive and front office staff is also so nice helped and guided us well thank you very much we willcome back again

It was a fantastic rustic experience. Service was excellent with many activities to do. The property is one of the best I have lived in. Special recognition and appreciation for the Chef Balbir who really warmed us with his hospitality and care. He really took Care of our personal needs and his dishes were phenomenal. Look out for him when you are there .

Stayed 2 nights here, wonderful venue, rooms well appointed, buffet is probably the most extensive that I've ever seen, absolutely everything that you could want, plentiful, fresh and delicious. The only downside that we had, our room was 350mtrs from the reception/restaurants, long walk down and back after long days excursions.

The building is rather unique and impressive, and the setting is quite magnificent. The rooms are spacious and comfortable, (four star standard), and the service from the staff warrants a five star rating. The buffet breakfast is excellent. Sadly, our experience was tainted by the fact that in charging for extra purchases, we felt the hotel took advantage of the fact it’s isolated and there is no competition. On the first evening in the bar, we were charged the equivalent of A$48 for two gin and tonics! There is the menu price, then an 18% tax charge, then a 10% service charge, then 500 rupees because it’s an alcohol sale! We have never paid this much for 2 gin and tonics anywhere in our extensive travels in the world! We certainly don’t mind paying an elevated price for quality of venue and service, but no-one likes that feeling of being exploited. It’s counterproductive anyway. When we went sightseeing during the day, we ensured that we had a hearty meal before returning to the hotel, and for drinks, we solely relied upon our duty free alcohol purchases for this leg of our trip. Such a shame that this left us with a negative feeling about our stay at this hotel.

A beautiful and calming experience at Heritance Kandalama. The architecture, the views, and the serenity of the surroundings were truly breathtaking. The staff were warm and attentive, making the stay even more memorable. A perfect place to unwind and reconnect with nature. Highly recommended.

Breathtaking viewpoints from multiple vantage points around the hotel.
I have never seen so many raptors in one location plus the bonus of elephants arriving in the late afternoon to the lake below.

Extensive quality buffet options for breakfast and dinner not for the indecisive. The aubergine bake was particularly good.

All the staff were incredibly friendly, particularly Gayathri who made a special effort on our last breakfast decorating the table.

Room kept very clean and our housekeeping chap kept us amused daily by clever towel animals.
We visited a competitor hotel for tea but this is THE hotel to stay in Dambulla.

Good service kanchana restaurant staff @takshila (training) ..good food ..thanks

We stayed one night in this hotel like no other in June 2024 to break journey on the way to the east coast. This year in November we returned for three nights. We believe that without any doubt this is by far the best hotel to stay in Sri Lanka. The place has its own unique atmosphere, the staff at all levels are always helpful and obliging. The food is just magnificent. It is impossible to do justice to the food and accompanying service in words; you have to experience it. We spoke with Chef Shanmu about this in particular to compliment him. No other high end hotel in SL manages to reach the heights of Heritance Kandalama - that's our opinion anyway. We hope to return one day🙏🏾