Encircled by mountains, rainforests, and tea plantations, Kandy is a vibrant city in the heart of Sri Lanka with colourful houses, colourful people, and where even the very best hotels in Kandy are a celebration of vibrancy and color too. Inevitably compared to its bigger brother Colombo, those choosing a stay in the best boutique hotels in Kandy will find Sri Lanka’s ‘hill capital’ is a gentler more traditional choice. Outside of the city are the cloud-shrouded forests offering plenty of opportunities for hiking and watching the abundance of wildlife that inhabits the hills. Sri Lanka has some world-class safari options, and those staying at the best hotels near Kandy can head north to Wilpattu National Park, Sri Lanka’s biggest wildlife reserve.
Boasting one of the largest populations of leopards on the planet, the park limits the number of visitors allowed in so those booking a safari from the best hotels to stay in Kandy can enjoy the incredible wildlife without the crowds. For guests looking to spot a leopard, wonderful wildlife experiences and luxury glamping hospitality await you at Leopard Safaris Yala, contact the Secret Retreats team to book the leopard safari experience of a lifetime. And to the east of Kandy lies the oldest and perhaps least visited national park, Gal Oya, home to the famed Gal Oya Elephants. Here, the delightful Gal Oya Lodge is perfectly placed to share the nature and beauty of Gal Oya with guests. As Gal Oya National Park is the least visited of Sri Lanka’s parks, the scenery is unspoilt and truly breathtaking, to see the best of Yala and Gal Oya’s wildlife the itinerary, Wildlife and Culture of Sri Lanka by Secret Retreats, is the perfect choice.
And those guests looking to get out into the animal, bird, and plant life on a more simple and personal level during their holiday in Kandy might like to ask the friendly staff at the best hotels to stay in Kandy about hiring a guide to take them into the Sinharaja Forest Reserve. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is usually shrouded in cloud, like its distant past when the mighty prehistoric Sri Lankan Lion roamed the former royal reserve. Located in another forest location, close to northern Yala, lies the Tree Tops Jungle Lodge and Tented Eco Camp, which is surrounded by unspoilt forest in rural Sri Lanka, and perfectly placed for safaris into northern Yala. By booking the best hotels in Kandy visitors are entering a mystical UNESCO-listed world of landscaped gardens, sacred landmarks, wonderful wildlife and stunning natural beauty, and cultural monuments. Kandy is also a city that serves up the very best in Sri Lankan cuisine, traditional dance, and religious relics all centered on a magnificent manmade lake where everything you could possibly need is no more than a short tuk-tuk ride away.
Boasting one of the largest populations of leopards on the planet, the park limits the number of visitors allowed in so those booking a safari from the best hotels to stay in Kandy can enjoy the incredible wildlife without the crowds. For guests looking to spot a leopard, wonderful wildlife experiences and luxury glamping hospitality await you at Leopard Safaris Yala, contact the Secret Retreats team to book the leopard safari experience of a lifetime. And to the east of Kandy lies the oldest and perhaps least visited national park, Gal Oya, home to the famed Gal Oya Elephants. Here, the delightful Gal Oya Lodge is perfectly placed to share the nature and beauty of Gal Oya with guests. As Gal Oya National Park is the least visited of Sri Lanka’s parks, the scenery is unspoilt and truly breathtaking, to see the best of Yala and Gal Oya’s wildlife the itinerary, Wildlife and Culture of Sri Lanka by Secret Retreats, is the perfect choice.
And those guests looking to get out into the animal, bird, and plant life on a more simple and personal level during their holiday in Kandy might like to ask the friendly staff at the best hotels to stay in Kandy about hiring a guide to take them into the Sinharaja Forest Reserve. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is usually shrouded in cloud, like its distant past when the mighty prehistoric Sri Lankan Lion roamed the former royal reserve. Located in another forest location, close to northern Yala, lies the Tree Tops Jungle Lodge and Tented Eco Camp, which is surrounded by unspoilt forest in rural Sri Lanka, and perfectly placed for safaris into northern Yala. By booking the best hotels in Kandy visitors are entering a mystical UNESCO-listed world of landscaped gardens, sacred landmarks, wonderful wildlife and stunning natural beauty, and cultural monuments. Kandy is also a city that serves up the very best in Sri Lankan cuisine, traditional dance, and religious relics all centered on a magnificent manmade lake where everything you could possibly need is no more than a short tuk-tuk ride away.
Hotels in Kandy:
Madulkelle Tea and Eco Lodge
On the Hills
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Madulkelle Tea and Eco Lodge
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Tents and Tea Leaves in the Hills above Kandy at the Madulkelle Eco Lodge
Among the best hotels near Kandy is the Madulkelle Eco Lodge. Relax in incredible tented luxury while drinking in breathtaking views from a private terrace in a truly dreamlike location. Madulkelle Eco Lodge is one of the best hotels in Kandy for couples looking for romantic seclusion in a fantasy setting. This beguiling eco-lodge, Kandy, is committed to sustainability, as are most of the properties curated by Secret Retreats, with the restaurant kitchen serving seasonal herbs, fruits, and vegetables plucked from the hotel’s garden. All water used throughout the resort is heated through the use of solar power. Each of the 18 Deluxe Lodges at Madulkelle Eco Lodge is made from the highest quality hard-wearing canvas manufactured in South Africa and used all over the continent in African safari camps. Each sleeps up to three people, so it is not necessarily a choice as the best hotels in Kandy for family holidays, however, children are more than welcome. The Honeymoon Suite is a larger lodge with mod cons including a private terrace, private dining area, and private plunge pool all with sublime views of the mighty Knuckles Mountain Range.Sri Lanka may be a relatively small island off the coast of India, but the nation is the fourth largest in the world when it comes to tea production. There are numerous tea plantations on the slopes above Kandy, but those staying at the Madulkelle Kandy eco-resort are already just a few steps from one of the finest. A tour of the facilities is a must for anyone who has ever wondered how those tasty leaves end up in the teabag or the teapot. Guests at the eco-lodge are welcome to spend their time doing little more than enjoying the sun-soaked terraces or taking a dip in the infinity swimming pool overlooking the hills, valleys, and plantations or ask the staff at this wonderful Kandy eco resort about a day trip to the Knuckle Mountain Range or a trek to the nearby Hatale Waterfalls.