Simpson's Forest - Luxury Boutique Resort & Spa - Kandy

Hotels
9.3 (385 reviews)
Meenawatte Estate Elkaduwa, Wattegama , Kandy , lk

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Free
Children allowed

Facilities

Health or beauty spa nearby
Free beach shuttle
Offsite parking discounted rates available
Guest education on local ecosystems and culture
Fitness facilities (surcharge)
Non-smoking rooms
Air conditioning
Swimming pool
Restaurant
Room service
See all facilities

Review Highlights

Pros:
Beautiful location
Friendly staff
Great amenities
Cons:
Slow service at times
Some comfort issues in rooms

Categories

Cleanliness
8.88
Clean and well-maintained property.
Service
9.35
Staff were friendly and attentive, contributing to a welcoming atmosphere.
Location
9.89
Beautiful setting with great views, ideal for relaxation.
Room Quality
8.34
Rooms were satisfactory but some guests noted issues with comfort.
Amenities
9.37
Infinity pool and nature walks are standout features.
Value for Money
9.33
Great value considering the quality of facilities and service.
Food and Beverage
9.38
Breakfast received positive comments; overall dining experience was good.
Overall Experience
9.85
Overall positive experience with minor complaints.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2025-12-22 12:13

Property Description

Luxurious Accommodation

Simpson's Forest Hotel, nestled in Kandy, offers a tranquil escape just 13 km from the bustling Kandy City Center Shopping Mall. The hotel boasts free bikes, private parking, an outdoor pool, and a fitness center for guests to unwind.

Exquisite Dining Options

Indulge in a gastronomic journey at the hotel's restaurant, serving a delectable array of American, Chinese, and Asian cuisine. For those with dietary preferences, dairy-free, halal, and gluten-free dishes are readily available upon request.

Entertainment and Recreation

Enjoy a plethora of activities during your stay, from billiards to hiking and cycling in the picturesque surroundings. Additionally, the hotel features a children's playground, ensuring a memorable experience for families.

Ready to experience luxury and serenity at Simpson's Forest Hotel? Book your stay now for an unforgettable getaway.

Important information:

Please inform of your expected arrival time in advance. You can use the Special Requests box when booking, or contact the property directly using the contact details in your confirmation.
Guests are required to show a photo ID and credit card upon check-in. Please note that all Special Requests are subject to availability and additional charges may apply.

Check-in and check-out hours:
Check-out: 12:00 AM

Property Policies

  • Parking

    Free public parking is possible on site (reservation is not needed).

  • Internet

    WiFi is available in all areas and is free of charge.

  • Children and extra bed policy

    Children of any age are allowed.
    Children up to and including 2 years old stay for free when using an available cot.
    Children up to and including 3 years old stay for free when using an existing bed.
    You haven't added any extra beds.
    Any type of extra bed or child's cot/crib is upon request and needs to be confirmed by management.

  • Pets

    Pets are not allowed.

Location

Guest Reviews

9.3
Based on 385 reviews
Cleanliness: 8.88
Service: 9.35
Location: 9.89
Room Quality: 8.34
Amenities: 9.37
Value for Money: 9.33
Food and Beverage: 9.38
Overall Experience: 9.85
N
Nisayuru • solo_traveller • lk
9
Nature, relax, boost up the good energy
Pros:

Calm and relaxing. Excellent place if you love nature.

2026-04-25 • via Nuitee
S
Stephan • couple • de
10
Ein Urlaub im Garten Eden mit sehr freundlichen Menschen.
Pros:

Das Simpson Forest ist ein Platz zum entspannen. Das Hotel liegt umgeben von einer wunderschönen Flora und Fauna. Es ist ratsam eine Nature-Tour mit Shandu zu manchen. Er erklärt die Umgebung auf eine unaufdringliche Art, dass man ihn gespannt zuhört. Das Team im Hotel, angefangen an der Rezeption mit Shane und Nilupul, man fühlt sich gleich herzlich willkommen. Es wird sich um alles gekümmert, so dass man gleich entspannen kann. Unbedingt sollte man auch im Wellnessbereich verwöhnen lassen. Auch im Restaurant und Küche sind Menschen am Werk, die ihr Handwerk verstehen. Ganz besonders Anusha und sein Team. Das Essen ist hervorragend. Vom Zimmer hat man einen atemberaubenden Blick in die Berge. Vielen Dank dem Team im Simpson Forest.

Cons:

-

2026-04-21 • via Nuitee
B
Bhagyashree • couple • ae
5
5 star in natural beauty but actually only a 3 star property when it comes to the rooms and the facilities
Pros:

The natural beauty and the surroundings are beautiful

Cons:

It’s certainly not a 5 star luxury resort. The rooms are dated, devoid of any extra furniture, dark and really need an upgrade. The bed linen and the mattresses are quite old too. The bathroom is quite dingy. Overall, the accommodation could do with brighter lighting.

2026-04-16 • via Nuitee
A
Andrew • extended_group • gb
9
Pros:

We had an amazing stay in the Forest villa! This hotel is so beautiful and in the most incredible location. The infinity pool is even better than it looks in photographs, with an unbeatable view. But mostly I would like to highlight the wonderful hospitality - we were welcomed and supported by Shane throughout our stay. He was so warm and helpful! We also want to give a special mention to Gunasakara who took us on the nature walk, he was so knowledgeable and showed us all the different plants and wildlife throughout the estate. He was so patient and kind, we hope that he will continue leading activities as a naturist.

Cons:

It is very remote so unless you do a day trip, you eat at the hotel. The food was good but not the best we had in Sri Lanka. This really isn’t a negative as the beauty of the nature around the property is fabulous.

2026-04-11 • via Nuitee
R
Richard • couple • gb
6
5 star location and grounds, but sadly not 5 star overall
Pros:

We had a very mixed experience. Much about this hotel is exceptional. But much is also nowhere near the 5 star and “luxury boutique” label.

On the positives, the grounds of the hotel are stunning - extensive and beautifully kept and with outstanding views to the hills (the Knuckles range) and down to Kandy. The infinity pool has magnificent far reaching views. It is a 30 minute drive up from Kandy but for us that was a positive as it meant escape from the chaos of Kandy into the peace and beauty of the hills. And it is close enough to Wattegama that a taxi or tuk tuk could be ordered and arrive in 10 minutes.

The staff are wonderful, kind and helpful. The greeting when we arrived was everything you would hope for in a 5 star hotel.

The room had a lovely private terrace with a view to the hills. The bed was comfortable.

We had dinner the first night we stayed. It was a worryingly big menu, trying to cater for every type of visitor, but in fairness when we ordered the local Sri Lankan cuisine it was excellent.

Cons:

On the negatives, the layout of the rooms round two sides of a (immaculate) lawn feels a bit like a motel. The room itself was vast but almost entirely devoid of furniture. With a polished concrete floor and a gigantic vaulted ceiling, it felt like being in a portion of a barn. The fittings are all dated. The towels were thin, worn and ancient and in at least one case had a hole in it, as did a placemat at breakfast. The tea and coffee facilites were very poor - coffee was Nescafé sachets, and not renewed when the room was serviced. The shower was ok. The dining room was huge and with only a few couples staying felt intimidating and institutional. Buffet breakfast the first morning with tea and coffee served from pre-prepared flasks was a low point. My partner asked for espresso but that wasn’t apparently an option. The next day they changed to set menu breakfast which was probably a good idea to reduce the waste but the tea and coffee were no better. We used the gym which is not as advertised- small, outdated equipment, no weights. The spa appears to be a room with a massage therapist. In short, not “luxury”, certainly not “boutique” and absolutely not 5 star. Of course it is astonishingly cheap - less than £100 a night when we stayed - so actually priced about right, just not as advertised.

I really wish this place well. With some small investment in the rooms, towels etc, a makeover of the restaurant and the “spa” it would be absolutely stunning and they could charge 5 times the current price.

2026-04-11 • via Nuitee
D
Deepta • family_with_children • gb
10
Idyllic and peaceful
Pros:

About 30 min out of Kandy. Secluded, quiet and very peaceful. It wasn’t very busy when we were there. The infinity pool is just stunning. Rooms are large and comfortable. The staff are kind and attentive. The nature walk with Sandun was informative and really good. Shanindran on the front desk was a gem of a guy. The set menu breakfast - the western breakfast was plentiful! The Sri Lankan breakfast was equally good.

Cons:

Nothing. We would return again.

2026-04-07 • via Nuitee
K
Kyoko • couple • jp
8
ゆっくり過ごすのにはいいホテル
Pros:

とにかく広く探検が楽しい。 ゆっくり出来るホテルでした。

Cons:

中心地から遠い

2026-04-05 • via Nuitee
S
Selma • couple • dk
5
Pros:

The nature and views are amazing. The food is very good and tasty. The staff was friendly but could use some service training. The guided nature walk around the estate was nice.

Cons:

The gym was not good and had no free weights, only a few old machines. The interior in the restaurant made it feel like eating in a canteen. The staff lacks proper service education. There were a lot of children and noisy guests playing loud music at the pool and the staff did nothing about it. It was not the peaceful stay that we expected. Overall, this is definitely not a 5-star hotel.

2026-04-03 • via Nuitee
S
Stefanie • couple • de
10
Sehr schöner Aufenthalt - danke!
Pros:

Super freundliches Personal, außergewöhnlicher Pool mit Blick in die Berge und den Sonnenuntergang, sehr schöne Naturwanderungen durch die eigenen Teeplantagen mit leidenschaftlichen Guide

Cons:

Nichts, wir waren wunschlos glücklich in diesem Hotel auf unserer Sri Lanka Rundreise

2026-04-01 • via Nuitee
T
Toni • extended_group • ca
10
Wonderful stay!
Pros:

Beautiful resort with breathtaking views and a gorgeous infinity pool. The staff went out of the way to make our stay truly exceptional!

Cons:

Would have liked the pool to stay open a little later!

2026-03-28 • via Nuitee
K
Kozodavlieva • couple • ae
10
A quiet and luxurious stay with beautiful views
Pros:

What I really loved about this hotel is the privacy - it’s very quiet, with a huge property, stunning views, and delicious food in the restaurant as well as tasty breakfasts. I highly recommend it if you’re looking for a peaceful stay. There’s a gym, spa, restaurant, and pool. The staff is also excellent. I would definitely return to this hotel.

2026-03-26 • via Nuitee
I
Isobel • family_with_children • gb
8
Loved it would return!
Pros:

Gorgeous scenery. Especially the pool view is stunning. The staff were particularly exceptional and so lovely to the babies and toddlers that were either us. Especially Shane and Joanne who went out of their way to help us when the airline lost our luggage. Restaurants has lovely food too

Cons:

It’s far out from kandy which was fine for us as we wanted to stay somewhere scenic but that may not be for everybody

2026-03-26 • via Nuitee
G
Giorgia • couple • ch
10
PARADISE
Pros:

Amazing hotel , Amazing location, amazing staff and dreamy pool with sunset . Just a dream

Cons:

Restaurant food is average. Too bad. A hotel like this should have excellent food served.
Less options, more quality

2026-03-25 • via Nuitee
R
Roman • couple • ch
8
2026-03-21 • via Nuitee
V
Valeriya • couple • fr
10
2026-03-20 • via Nuitee
C
Caroline • family_with_children • fr
10
Pros:

L’hôtel est absolument magnifique et la vue depuis la piscine est tout simplement exceptionnelle.
Le personnel est remarquable, toujours attentionné et professionnel. Une mention toute particulière à Imalka, d’une gentillesse rare, que nous avons énormément appréciée.

2026-03-19 • via Nuitee
A
Ajit • family_with_children • in
10
2026-03-18 • via Nuitee
S
Sahiba • couple • in
9
2026-03-16 • via Nuitee
B
Benchawan “Penny” • couple • us
8
Beautiful grounds
Pros:

Simpson’s Forest is a truly peaceful and beautiful retreat just outside Kandy. The grounds are beautifully maintained, with lush greenery and a sense of calm everywhere you look. One of the highlights is the wonderful pool, perfectly positioned to overlook the stunning surrounding vistas—an ideal place to relax and take in the scenery. The entire property feels thoughtfully cared for, making it a lovely escape for anyone looking to enjoy nature, comfort, and tranquility in a beautiful setting.

Cons:

The hotel was not full during our stay, so it was surprising that we were placed in a room with neighbors on both sides. Unfortunately, the walls are quite thin, and we could clearly hear conversations and noise from adjacent rooms, which affected the overall comfort of our stay. A little more spacing between occupied rooms when availability allows would greatly improve the guest experience. Aside from that, the property itself was enjoyable.

2026-03-13 • via Nuitee
S
Scott • family_with_children • gb
9
Very nice, value for money
Pros:

Very nice setting and pool. Room very good and staff.

Cons:

Can’t complain

2026-03-11 • via Nuitee