We recently visited Sri Lanka and absolutely fell in love with the clean greenery that surrounds everywhere you go in Sri Lanka. As our Ramayana Trail was literally a road trip spanning more than 600 kilometres over 5 days, we stayed in a plethora of hotels all over the country. In this article, we are going to tell you about our favourite ones on this stay and best places to stay in Sri Lanka. You can either book these hotels directly or through Aitken Spence. For flights, do plan on booking through Sri Lankan Airlines as they have some amazing deals available for travellers heading to the Emerald Island.
Heritance, Kandalama
One of the first hotels that we checked in on the first day of our visit and where you could also stay in Sri Lanka. The hotel is located at Dambulla nearly three to four hours away from Colombo. It is set among the low lying mountains surrounding Dambulla and this hotel has been built into the rock formations itself. The rocks are such an integral part of the hotel that you can find them at pretty much every nook and corner offering a smooth cool surface to lean against.
The reception and the lobby of the hotel are at a surprisingly fifth floor as we check-in and mistakenly try to take the lift to the fifth floor, ending up at the same area itself. Although the rooms itself are done in a semi-colonial style with a lot of wood being used, it is the view from my room that totally surprises me. The Jacuzzi in my bathroom overlooks the Kandalama Lake and the Sunrise is absolutely amazing while looking on from here. The other interesting part of the hotel is the infinity pool overlaying the lake.
The meals are served in their all-day dining which offers a good selection of Sri Lankan and Continental food that you must try out.
Trinco Blue by Cinnamon Hotels
Located on the beautiful beaches of Trincomalee, the Cinnamon Blu hotel is one of the most beautiful hotels to stay in. It impresses me quite much with its minimalist design and their use of the single block colours like the Blue in our room and the Orange in the suite. The room opens up onto the Indian Ocean beach replete with its beautiful sunsets. The dining area is quite huge and you might want to check out the cool sea breeze while you enjoy the typical Sri Lankan fare.
Heritance Tea Factory
One of the most interesting hotels on our itinerary and definitely one of the best places to stay in Sri Lanka. Located on the sloping hills of Nuwara Eliya amongst multiple tea gardens, this hotel is a converted Tea Factory. With a typical Colonial feel, the hotel has been constructed around the old fittings present inside the factory. While the old machinery has been labelled Green, the new structures have been labelled Red, in accordance with the international laws.
The hotel has a wonderful tea lounge where you can try out local teas in all the grades stating from the dust to the full leaved Orange Pekoe. Along with that, the hotel also has working machinery with a generator that is turned on every evening to showcase the process to the guests. The lawns and the tea gardens surrounding the hotel make for even more picturesque photographs.
Grand Hotel Nuwara Eliya
We fell in love with this beautiful hill station the moment we landed here. The mountains slopes are filled with tea gardens on both sides as the mist-filled roads snake their way up through to the top. In the valley resides one of Asia’s oldest hotels built more than a hundred years ago. Although the building was first built to house the Governor, it has been a hotel for 128 years now. There have been quite a few changes made over the years, but the good old colonial sentiment still tends to pervade here, replete with teak and rosewood everywhere.
The hotel has quite a few places to eat including a speciality Indian and a Thai restaurant along with a Bar which has a small humidor and a Billiards Room to boot. Located in the oldest part of the hotel, this cosy Bar along with its Billiards room give you the quite the colonial feel. The tables which have been ordered from London during that era have still been maintained properly along with Ivory Billiards balls more than a century old and a scorecard that’s even older.
We quite fall in love with the rooms we have as they are done up with some dim lighting along with two radio stations that play Blues and Jazz music. The all-day dining restaurant Barn has a massive Buffet spread for Dinner and Breakfast that has quite a few international cuisines including some South-East Asian food to go along with the Sri Lankan and Continental food. The hotel also has a heated swimming pool along with a beautiful spa that you must check out.
Taj Resort & Spa, Bentota
One of the best places to stay in Sri Lanka located along the beaches of Bentota. The resort offers a luxurious getaway along with a swimming pool overlooking the Indian Ocean. I quite liked the views from most of the rooms as the sea grew stormy. Not only did we get to try out some authentic Indian food here, but you can also find some curated Arrack cocktails out here.
Taj Samudra, Colombo
One of the largest Taj hotels and the best places to stay in Sri Lanka, The Taj Samudra offers an amazing experience right on the Galle Face of Colombo. Not only can you watch the sun go down here, Taj Samudra also offers an expansive list of culinary options to try from. There’s a Japanese restaurant along with a Crab restaurant that serves the best of Crab dishes from around the island.
We hoped you liked our favourite places to stay in Sri Lanka. Do let us know about your favourite hotels to stay in Sri Lanka in the comments below.
