The Kandy House , Kandy

The Kandy House is a beautiful boutique hotel resounding with Sinhalese history and romance. An old Walauwe or manor house, converted into a stunningly beautiful eight-bedroom hotel, cleverly combining classical Sri Lankan architecture with Dutch colonial furnishing and a soft, stylish finish.

Unlike many hotels of this nature, the Kandy House is not a colonial building in any sense of the word. The architectural heritage is particularly and uniquely of the Kandyan period. The building is surrounded by a wide arched veranda held up by beautiful pillars. The walauwa opens into a courtyard in the centre, open to the elements. The overall design of the Kandy House owes everything to the tropical climate, and the air is allowed to circulate refreshingly.

Seven of the rooms are large, with an eighth smaller room suitable for single travellers or teenage children (the hotel does not allow children under 12). The two most spacious bedroom suites open onto a veranda dotted with cane chaise longues, reading chairs and antiques. The gallery bedroom suites surround the large two-storied courtyard. All the main rooms are beautifully furnished, with four-poster beds in elegant wood and beautifully appointed modern cement bathrooms. The emphasis is on style, and luxurious comfort and the renovation of this beautiful building was immaculate.

The garden has been planted by Sri Lanka's premier landscape designers and promises to be magnificent. Avocados, jackfruit, papaya, Sri Lankan oranges and Kithul are amongst the fruit grown in the garden. Below the house awaits an expansive infinity pool landscaped into the surrounding paddy fields.

Breakfast is served either on the front veranda or at the rear of the house overlooking the lawn with the pool beyond. While dinner whether a Sri Lankan rice and curry banquet or a fresh prawn, coriander and chilli paste can be taken in the formal dining room, preceded by cocktails in the Butterfly bar.

The overall atmosphere is peaceful and deeply romantic. I can think of a few places that could rival the Kandy House for a relaxing few days, an intimate and beautiful wedding or merely a base for exploring Kandy and the hills around. The hotel is 7km outside of Kandy town itself.