The Grand Kandyan

My daughter's wedding was well organized. The staff was very friendly. The food was very clean and delicious. They served it responsibly. A highly recommended hotel.

We booked this hotel as it was recommended to us from our friends. Our main reason for visiting Sri Lanka was to meet up with Sri Lankan friends we had made whilst visiting the Maldives (where they worked mainly as bar staff). We arrived into Colombo Airport around 12.15 hrs after the Sri Lankan Airlines flight from Heathrow the night before. We knew booking around this time of year would be busy because of the Sinhala and Tamil New Year, which was 13 and 14 April this year. It was hubby's 60th Birthday on 14 April, hence we decided to book for this period.

After a 4 hour drive from Colombo to Kandy, we finally arrived at The Grand Kandyan Hotel. We booked on a B&B basis, so we knew we would have to pay for all our drinks and lunch/dinner/snacks. The hotel is amazing with a fantastic lobby, where an organist/singer played every night. The roof top pool is AMAZING - the views were INCREDIBLE!!

We spent all of our evenings in the Roof Top Pool Bar. The pizzas and bugers were lovely. The bar tenders were so friendly - but what do you expect - they are Sri Lankan who are just such lovely, genuine people who can't do enough for you.

The breakfast was an eye opener in that, although they had a buffet style breakfast, even thought you helped yourself to what food was available at the stations (and there was plenty of choice believe me!) it also had a live cooking station, but this was only for omelettes. If you wanted eggs of bacon, these were cooked out the back and was brought to your table. I'd read on hear about a guy called Hilary where people had commented that he couldn't do enough. We can definitely agree with that - he was so friendly and attentive and you could tell this was from the heart. He even arranged for us to come to the restaurant (after we'd eaten pizza up in the Roof Top Bar) as he'd arranged a 60th Birthday cake which was brought to our table on while the guy on the organ sang Happy Birthday to him!! The only downside with the breakfast is that, unless you had fresh eggs, bacon or an omellete, alot of the other food was luke warm, which is a shame. But I stuck to omelettes and hubby stuck with bacon and eggs with toast, so no problems for us there.

The rooms were amazing - we were in 310 and it was the perfect location with amazing views from our balcony of Kandy and the surrounding hills.

We went out into Kandy with our Sri Lankan friends a couple of times - the first time we had a meal at Club Nuara with our friend and his wife and children on one night and then one afternoon we met up with about 10-12 of our Sri Lankan friends and they had arranged a party for my hubby with a 60th Birthday cake and cards/presents - it was a wonderful day.

After our 5 days at The Grand Kandyan, it was time to take the nearly 3 hour journey back down to Negombo, where we had 9 nights booked to stay in The Club Dolphin Hotel. A separate review will be done shortly.

We'd definitely recommend this hotel - the staff are so friendly and the views are amazing.

Stunning views of the Buddha statue, Stupa & surrounding mountains & villages. Room, bathroom & balcony just perfect. Ramith was so professional. He and the staff cared for us continually to assist with meeting any need & going beyond to look after everything. Pool with rooftop view is incredible. Their laundry service is also exceptional. Thank you so much for having us.

Thank you Thila for the delicious daiquiris and your timely and attentive service.

Loved this hotel, sitting atop a hill with breathtaking views. From the stunning foyer to the beautifully presented rooms, again with those views, our only regret was that we were only there for one night. Loved the rooftop pool and the adjacent bar. It wasn’t the best of the buffet breakfasts we had in Sri Lanka but absolutely no complaints.

I stayed at Grand Kandyan Hotel with my family for 1 day during our 7-day trip to Sri Lanka, and I genuinely regret not staying longer. From the moment we arrived, the ambience was warm, grand, and welcoming, and we immediately felt at home. The front office staff were exceptionally polite, professional, and always ready to help with a smile, making our check-in and overall experience very smooth and pleasant.

Our room was spacious, comfortable, and very well maintained, with fantastic amenities that made our short stay truly relaxing. The housekeeping team did an excellent job keeping everything spotless and neatly arranged, and the bell boys were prompt, courteous, and very supportive whenever we needed assistance. The restaurant was outstanding, offering a wide variety of delicious food with attentive and friendly service that made every meal enjoyable.

What touched us most was the genuine hospitality of the entire team – they were not just doing a job, they were really taking care of us. We already miss the hotel, its people, and the warm atmosphere they created for us. I highly recommend Grand Kandyan Hotel to all visitors – it is truly a must-stay property if you want comfort, great service, and heartfelt hospitality

The room we stayed in at Grand Kandyan Hotel was beautifully spacious, impeccably clean, and thoughtfully designed for comfort. The bed was extremely comfortable with fresh, crisp linen, and the overall decor gave a warm, elegant, and luxurious feel. Every detail, from the lighting to the seating and amenities, made the room a perfect place to relax after a long day of travel. It truly felt like a peaceful retreat for our family, not just a place to sleep

Kandy itself is a beautiful city to explore, and Grand Kandyan Hotel is a great base for it. The hotel is just a short drive from the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic and the scenic Kandy Lake, where you can enjoy peaceful walks and lovely views of the city. Families can easily visit the Royal Botanical Gardens in Peradeniya, which are perfect for a relaxed half-day with children, or take a tuk-tuk to viewpoints and temples around the hills for stunning sunsets over Kandy. Cultural shows, local markets, tea experiences, and nature walks are all within easy reach, so you can enjoy both comfort at the hotel and plenty of activities around it during your stay

Grand Kandyan Hotel also felt very safe and secure for my family – the property is well managed, staff are always present and attentive, and you can see that they maintain good hygiene, cleanliness, and modern safety standards throughout the hotel

Grand Kandyan Hotel is also well located for those who enjoy walking. Several key sights like Kandy Lake, the Temple of the Tooth, the Royal Palace area, and the Kandy Clock Tower are within about 15–20 minutes on foot, so you can easily step out and explore the city without always needing a vehicle. There are also cafés and small restaurants within walking distance, and for anything further, tuk-tuks and cabs are easy to find, which makes getting around Kandy very convenient

The food and drinks at Grand Kandyan Hotel were outstanding, with plenty of choices for every taste. The main restaurant offers a generous spread of Sri Lankan and international dishes, so guests from any country can easily find something familiar as well as try local flavours. There are options for vegetarians and those with special dietary needs, and everything we tried was fresh, tasty, and well presented. The bar and poolside areas are perfect to relax with tea, coffee, fresh juices, or a drink in the evening, making it a comfortable and enjoyable place for couples, families, and travellers from all around the world

Some thoughtful touches also made our stay at Grand Kandyan Hotel feel special – the grand lobby and beautiful interiors, with lovely views of the surrounding hills, reliable Wi‑Fi, easy parking, and the overall feeling of staying in a true five‑star property in the heart of Kandy, just a short distance from key attractions

Right, this hotel cant be 5* it’s something that was designed or built for Nicolae Ceaușescu or some other ex Soviet satellite country ,or something from the dark days of Kazakhstan in the 1960' or 1970's.Put simply the décor is gross.
The room, is ok, for the 1960’s ,the wallpaper is coming off the bedroom walls, the bathroom sink has mould, even Stevie Wonder would have noticed that. So the cleaning staff need to be spoken too..
Yes the vast majority of staff are polite and helpful but the rooms are gross.
The food was ok, buffet, staff are friendly,.
The views are excellent, but please look at the rooms, make some urgent changes and bring this tired old hotel into the 21st century .
hotel feels stuck in a bygone era—reminiscent of 1970s Soviet-style decor.
The Good:
Staff:
Most are very helpful. When the front desk failed to deliver fresh milk, Hillary in the restaurant stepped in and saved the day.
Dining:
The buffet food was decent and the service was friendly.

The views are the saving grace here, but the rooms are simply not up to par. Management needs to stop relying on the scenery and start modernizing the guest experience.

Sri Lanka created a legend, I met the legend, I was served by the legend, the legend is Hillary Smith. He is simply brilliant, very attentive, very observant and can virtually second guess the guests needs.
Along with the Legend Hillary, the Head Chef deserves a mention, he has a brilliant sense of humour, and it was a delight to meet him..

Great hospitality,Amazing food

We recently stayed 2 nights at The Grand Kandyan Hotel and had a fantastic experience. This was our third visit (previously with friends and family), and once again, the team made us feel truly welcome with their personal touch.

The hotel itself is grand and full of heritage charm. Rooms are spacious, clean, and very comfortable. The food was excellent with plenty of variety, and every meal was enjoyable. The pool & the Gym are excellent.

What stood out most was the service—friendly, attentive, and genuinely caring. Specially Mr. Henry at the Tamarind Restaurant!

Overall, an excellent stay and definitely one of the best places to stay in Kandy. Highly recommended! 👍

Every trip to Kandy feels incomplete without a stay at The Grand Kandyan. The experience is consistently exceptional with impeccable service, outstanding cuisine, and an atmosphere that keeps you coming back.
A special mention to Hillary for his remarkable hospitality and attention to detail, truly elevating every stay.

We had an amazing stay in Kandy. The pool bar man Thilak made our night extra special. He went above and beyond to help us during our stay.

We stayed at your hotel April 6th for 1 night with trip a deal tour
the room looked very grand but unfortunately there was a very unpleasant musty, mould, sweaty odour. The room needs airing and sunshine.
The room was tidy, grand and spacious.
Regards
Maria Hunt – Australia The Grand Kandyan Hotel

This hotel would have been magnificent when first built. It still is very impressive but starting to show signs of wear. The service is definitely 5 stars and the food and drinks were great.
A big shout out to Dhonmasiri (apologies if name is not spelt correctly) in the Sky bar. He was run off his feet but managed to serve our group and others with excellent service and a smile.

Was a fantastic stay… the room is generous and well appointed.
The bathroom was large and had a bath.
The bed was extremely comfortable and the air conditioning was a pleasure to return to.
The pool was great and big enough for lap swimming and has fantastic views.
The main restaurant was nice and the staff were very attentive.
The food and beverage manager Hilary made our stay very pleasant.

Clean and spacious room with good view

Food tast was good. Frendly staff. Rooms were clean and tidy .

The property was excellent

“Excellent food and service, with special thanks to Mr. Helary, the Food & Beverages Manager, for his outstanding support.

Location, Value for Money, Service and cleanliness

Fantastic food. Overall good rooms. No service shortfalls. Room and bathroom are spacious.