The Kandy House ~ Exclusive Holiday Villa
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| Details | |
|---|---|
| Bedrooms | 2 |
| Bathrooms | 1 |
| Sleeps | 5 |
| House | |
| Suitability |
|---|
| Pet Friendly |
| FlipKey traveler rating |
| 16 reviews |
| Stayed here? Write a review. |
Get the real scoop!
All reviews are written by verified travelers
Details
| Rental type | House |
| Minimum Stay | 2 nights |
| Living space | 150 square meters |
| Bedrooms | 2 Total |
| Bathrooms | 1 Total |
| Sleeps | 5 |
| Suitability |
Pet friendlyYes Smoking allowedAsk Suitable for childrenAsk Suitable for the elderlyAsk Wheelchair accessibleNo |
| Theme | Adventure, Romantic, Mountain, River, Tropical |
Description from the owner
The Kandy House is not a hotel or hostel, but a lovely private residence available for your exclusive use (just you - no other guests!). Just a few minutes out of Kandy centre (2.5km), the house affords stunning views within a peaceful setting. Whether just for a few nights or longer term as a base to explore Sri Lanka’s hill country and cultural triangle, the Kandy House is your home away from home. Ideal for a couple, or small group or family, can sleep up to 5 comfortably. Full kitchen for self catering, modern bathroom with hot water, washing machine, library and games, garden to relax. From U$ 70 per night with two nights minimum.
Amenities
Location
The Kandy House ~ Exclusive Holiday Villa
Kandy, Sri Lanka
What's Nearby:
Additional Location Information
Just 2.5km from the centre of Kandy - the Kandy House is an easy tuk-tuk ride or bus trip away - but being on the Mahawela River valley (rather than the Kandy city valley) means that you are away from the noise and vehicle smog. The house has stunning views from a grassy hillside location, with glimpses of the Mahawela river and Knuckles Range - beautiful at sunset!
Ayurvedic massage and treatments from qualified Ayurvedic doctor now available.
Look for us on google maps...
Location Type Mountain, River, Tropical
Rates
Rates shown in $ USD (change)
| Date | Weeknight | Weekend Night | Weekly | Monthly | Minimum Stay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rate Summary | $70 | $70 | $350 | $1,100 | 2 nights |
| Apr. 1 2013 - Dec. 31 2013 Standard USD rate |
$70 | $70 | $350 | $1,100 | 2 nights |
| All Other Dates | $70 | $70 | $350 | $1,100 | 2 nights |
| Can't find rates for your travel dates? Contact the owner | |||||
Additional notes from owner
2013 Kandy Esala Perehera dates to be confirmed (tentatively 8-20 August).
Rates above are inclusive of local taxes.
In peak seasons (including December - January and Perahera season) a 5 night minimum may apply.
In accordance with local customs and laws we do not accept unmarried Sri Lankan couples.
We now accept credit card payments via this Flipkey site - transaction fees are an additional 5% on the rates listed above.
Guests are required to sign our "Standard Rental Agreement and Contract"
Availability
AvailableUnavailable Last updated: May 12, 2013 ◀▶
What Past Guests Are Saying
Overall Rating
ExcellentVery Good
Average
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Twillyon
AdelaideA perfect base for seeing Kandy!
Left on 04/04/2013 for a stay in April 2013
Nimal and Simon we're very accessible via email when we organised our trip and Nimal was even waiting to meet us at the train station when we arrived!
We had 3 short, action filled days in Kandy so Nimal arranged a car and driver to drive us to adam's Peak, Sigiriya and the elephant orphanage - it was seamless! Nimal also offered plenty of advice on things to see, do and eat.
The house is high enough to not need aC, it's clean, tidy and even has a washing machine (very handy if you're running our of clothes mid-trip). We didn't use the cooking faculties but there is a store at the end of the road to buy ingredients from. The local restaurants are inexpensive and serve delicious Sri Lankan food.
Sitting on the balcony each morning, overlooking the mountains was hevenly, we'll be back to stay here again next time. -
Suzandrew_12
Los Angeles, California, United StatesAmazing private house overlooking Kandy town
Left on 01/21/2013 for a stay in December 2012
Three of us stayed at the Kandy House in mid-December of 2012, and we can not recommend this place enough -- it was a highlight our trip and we will look forward to returning soon!
First, about the house: it is nestled in the hillside above Kandy and offers a tremendous panoramic view of the mist-hugged city and gorgeous green hillsides. The deck is large and has four deckchairs for afternoon lounging. The design of the house is modern and tasteful. The beds are comfortable and have mosquito netting. The bathroom is clean with hot water. The kitchen comes stocked with cookware, a small stove, and a microwave if you feel like cooking. Comes with Wi-Fi. Basically everything you need to feel comfortable.
About the proprietors: booking the house with Simon was quick and easy. He is located in Europe and is business partner in the house with Nimal, who lives near Kandy and is the local contact person (Nimal and Simon met doing humanitarian work). Nimal was incredibly kind, gracious, and helpful. We arrived at night in the rain and he met us in town to guide us to the house.
About the location: the only downside of staying in a lovely secluded hillside house is getting there. It's very conveniently located from town, and if you have a driver, this probably won't affect you. We drove ourselves and had to memorize the route to and from the house. The path to the house from the street is a steep but short climb down a rough dirt road. A little treacherous at night (the "flashlight" app on my cell phone came in quite handy for these walks). One of the great things about the location is that there is a market called Nihal's on the road from the main drag to the house. After a day seeing the sights in Kandy we stopped at Nihal's and got everything we needed to cook ourselves a nice dinner (also snacks and coffee).
If you are staying in Kandy, this is where you should stay. You will be very happy you did. -
Blackisle_11
Inverness, United KingdomNice house shame about the problems
Left on 12/20/2012 for a stay in November 2012
We stayed at the Kandy house from the 7th of Nov till the 14th Nov, our flight was delayed so arrived later than expected ie in the dark, we only noticed the lack of cleanliness once we had recovered. On arrival we asked about the wi fi which had been offered as part of the deal for November, to be told by Nemal that he would return the following day to turn it on?
Rather strange as it is supposed to be on and he was using the internet when we arrived. If you are offering a service, please provide it, not the 400 rupees cards supplied 3 days later, which equates to 2 hours internet, not unlimited of 50 dollars as promised. This is unacceptable.
The property was not clean, the linen is yellow and worn out walking in bare feet left your feet filthy, the house had been given a quick sweep prior to our arrival, but that was all.
We had to clean all cutlery and crockery before we used them, the fridge contained a fermenting can of coconut milk half used, popodoms half a jar of sauce from the last guests , there was also a pile of empty Cartons and rubbish at the back door. The shower room was not clean we had to remove a pile of black hair from the drain, tiles were grubby and bits and bobs from the last guests!!!
The eves of the property are open which means that birds enter the property, Having open eves is supposed to keep the property cool, which is fine if there was some form of netting to prevent the birds flying around and dropping crap everywhere on the tables and floors which means you constantly have to sweep the floors and wipe the dining room table, every morning there was evidence of vermin droppings.
The washing machine works but the tap had been broken for some time when it was turned on it came off completely I informed the manager / partner where we could turn the water off but didn’t get back to me. I had to fix this myself.
All the above was emailed to the owner on two occasions who failed to reply positively regarding these matters and didn’t respond at all to last mail, assuring us he would !
The owner asks the guests to clean the property before leaving, on this occasion we left the property cleaner than when we arrived. We left the linen to be cleaned by the manager as we felt the owner and manager had not fulfilled their side of the contract.
This property has great potential but falls down badly on cleanliness and general maintenance.
The property has commanding views of Kandy and the surrounding area accessed down a steep road; the property could be wonderful with simple maintenance and updating.Response from simon eccleshall - 03/21/2013
Owner
We accept responsibility for the cleanliness issues raised here but are disappointed with this review as remedial measures were immediately taken and are not acknowledged here. Our offer of a refund was also declined.
The guests above arrived immediately after previous guests had left the house in a less that clean state. We arranged for our cleaners to visit the following day and thoroughly clean the house.
The broadband wireless internet service was unfortunately down during the stay of these guests (due to a technical problem at the service provider dialog.lk) so we reverted to a USB dongle internet connection. Dialog has since improved their service in the area.
The maintenance issues identified above were immediately addressed. -
Steph Vajda
Brisbane, AustraliaGreat location, great house
Left on 09/01/2012 for a stay in August 2012
We stayed in the Kandy House a couple of weeks ago. The location is superb, tucked away down a steep driveway, overlooking valleys and mountains, such an incredible view from the back deck. The house is nicely designed with two great bedrooms and a fantastic living/dining/entertaining room upstairs. This is the perfect spot for a family or small group traveling through Kandy and is priced well too. There's enough facilities to live self sustained here or to entertain. Recommended, most definitely.
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Allen_Key72
BristolAn amazing retreat
Left on 08/29/2012 for a stay in January 2012
We stayed in the Kandy House for 6 nights over New Year 2011/12 and loved every minute of it.
Situated in the Kandy Hills, just a short tuk tuk ride from the town, the house is in an idyllic location and is the perfect place for relaxation, experiencing breathtaking scenery and watching the abundant birdlife.
The house host, Nimal was excellent. He was there to greet us with our bags when we arrived late from Colombo and made us feel at home straight away. He left us with the keys and the true feeling that this was our place for the next few days, but also made it known that he was available at any time by phone and nothing was too much trouble. Indeed, we spent a couple of our days with Nimal as he arranged and hosted a trip to Sigiriya and Dambulla and also drove us all the way to Ellla for our onward journey. Nimal was an absolute pleasure to spend time with; full of local, national knowledge and information and an extremely safe and carful driver.
We hope to make it back to Kandy House one day - an amazing retreat in a beautiful location with a wonderful, kind host. We cannot recommend it highly enough. -
The Watt Family
Scotland/AmericaWonderful house, Excellent views!
Left on 08/15/2012 for a stay in July 2012
My husband and I stayed at the Kandy house for a week in July and could not have been happier with our experience there. The house was comfortable and stylish and had everything we needed to enjoy our stay. We especially loved the beautiful hardwood dining table and enjoyed many meals looking out through the massive floor to ceiling windows that lined the DR, as well as the LR. The bedroom was comfortable and the canopy bed gave the room a charming B&B; feel. The house was nicely decorated with artifacts from throughout asia.Â
The real highlight, however, was the large second-story  deck complete with an outdoor BBQ. It had been our intention to do much more exploration of the surrounding area, but we were so happy barbecuing and enjoying the great weather and stunning views that we rarely left the house!
The kitchen was well-stocked for self-catering and had all of the amenities that we needed as amateur chefs and food lovers. Guests should understand that kitchens in asia do not necessarily offer all the amenities of the West, but with a little patience and creativity you can cook just about anything. The supermarket was a bit farther down the road then we would've liked, but it made for a nice walk, and a small store nearby had a lot of basics with very friendly owners. (Although the Kandy house is a bit of a hike from the city center if you don't have a car, this actually makes it more appealing since the air quality in the mountains is far, far better than Kandy.)
Simon was very helpful in answering questions and providing information prior to our arrival. Nimal could not have been more wonderful in getting us situated in the house and checking in from time to time to see that we were alright.
With friendly owners/managers, an ideal, peaceful location, and everything one needs for self-catering, the Kandy house is definitely a great pick. I would highly recommend it to anyone visiting this wonderful, culturally-rich city. -
Paul and Sandra Humphrey
St AlbansIt was different.
Left on 06/21/2012 for a stay in April 2012
The view from the house balcony was exceptional. The main bedroom was fine. It is difficult to find any further compliments.The kitchen was really unusable. As advised in advance the cooker largely did not work. This no doubt because water comes in from the roof when it rains and lands on the electrical appliances.The kichen cupboards along with the contents thereof did not look as though they had been cleaned in a long time.Cutlery along with other cooking implements are kept in a filthy wooden box. When we arrived we found dirty washing on the sofa and (questionably) clean washing hanging up to dry in the small bedroom. It looked to us as though people had been staying there unofficially. It was certainly not from paying guests. The owner describes the house as being "a few minutes out of Kandy City". It is not. It is far too far to walk to Kandy; even going there downhill.Since the kitchen was unusable, it got dark very early and the house was barely accessible to motorised transport at night time the evenings were not particularly pleasant although we managed to make the best of it.
Just thought of one more compliment: the washing machine was very useful particularly as we were having a long stay in Sri Lanka.
Response from simon eccleshall - 06/21/2012
Owner
We were saddened to receive this unjustifiably negative review and have written to the guest to offer a partial refund.
As informed in advance, only 2 of the 3 gas burners on the kitchen cooker were functional during this guests stay. However a new combination electrical oven was available along with various electrical appliances and plentiful crockery and cutlery. We accept that guests have very high standards around cleanliness, but feel that the descriptions of dirty crockery, cutlery etc are unfair.
We ocassionally dry linen inside the house when it is raining outside - but will stop this practice as a result of this review.
The house is exactly 2.5km from the Kandy Clock Tower and we maintain the description of it being "a few minutes out of Kandy City". Our written guide describes a range of transport options to and from the house and discourages guests from walking to Kandy due to the steep terrain and lack of safe pavements along Peradeniya Road.
We regret that this guest did not enjoy the Kandy House as much as our others guests (described in other reviews) and accept that not everyone reacts positively to the local culture.
If you have concerns about this guest review and our response, I would be happy to share more information. -
usguys07
Sydney, AustraliaA Hill retreat in the cool air
Left on 06/18/2012 for a stay in June 2012
Great place to stay which accommodates 6-8 people. The verandah on the second floor gives you a commanding view over the valley below. Close enough to Kandy but with the cooling breezes of the hills. Great place to relax and sip a few tonics whilst letting the world pass bye. Nimal the agent, arranged transport for us when we arrived and it was only a quick call to have a TukTuk waiting for us at the front door anytime we wanted one. A five minute walk to the local shop gets you most of the basics or a ten minute TukTuk ride to the supermarket for more substantial items (meats, alcohol, ATM) etc. If there was anything we needed Nimal was only a call away. We enjoyed our stay here and made lots of friends so it was hard to pack-up and go home!
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Sylvie and Alain
Montréal, Québec, CanadaFeeling of being on the top of the world !
Left on 04/10/2012 for a stay in March 2012
Beautiful view and magnificient house, at walking distance from Kandy city. We felt blessed to stay in this beautiful place/environment. Thanks to Nimal who came to get us from the train station, because I am not sure the tuk tuk would have been able to bring us there (another time, we asked a tuk tuk and we had to direct him !). There is a local food shop very near, and a larger supermarket a little farther (but still close enough to walk). We had trouble figuring out the functionning of hot water shower at first, but then everything was perfect. We cooked ourselves meals and watched the beautiful scenery from the balcony. Our 2 recommandations to the owner: to fix the gas stove (only 2 rounds work, and they burn the pots)and the roof (it had rained one day when we came back, and there was quite some water on the floor; luckily, it didn't rain on the sofas!).
Response from simon eccleshall - 04/12/2012
Owner
Thanks for your great review! Stove being repaired and further kitchen improvements coming this June. Thanks for the information on the roof leak - unfortunately a constant battle we have with monkeys on the roof!
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Monika Erkelens
Copenhagen, DenmarkPeaceful, warm and friendly retreat.
Left on 02/18/2012 for a stay in October 2011
I stayed at Kandy House for 5 days in October. Kandy House is a spacious, secluded house with panoramic views over Kandy Valley.
Several areas of the house were still being developed in terms of comfort for future guests, e.g. the kitchen facilities. That said, I was definitely warmly provided for and my memories of staying at Kandy House are fond ones. -
Emma
LondonA beautiful relaxing stay
Left on 02/08/2012 for a stay in January 2012
The Kandy House was an ideal place to rest and relax in the beautiful Sri Lankan hill country. Nimal the manager was very helpful and gave us numbers for a reliable tuk tuk driver and also arranged some some local cooks to come in an dish up delicious meals when we needed a little extra looking after.
There were great views out over the valley and I spent many a happy hour there on the very comfortable deck chairs or doing some yoga on my mat. The house is stylishly designed and the inside is a comfortable and user friendly as the outside.
Most importantly, the profits going from peoples stay here will be put towards a local NGO working at grass roots level to better local peoples lives, expand their livliehoods and increase their economic chances. You will not have a more relaxing stay in Kandy and travel to the centre is easy and cheap. Book Now!!! -
S
Hong KongTranquil getaway
Left on 01/09/2012 for a stay in December 2011
The Villa is lovely and away from the bustle of Kandy. It was nice to have our own space and use of a kitchen to have some home cooked meals.
Great view!
There could be some improvements to make it even better ie. a new stove, better kitchen equipment and a banister to the stairs... but we hear that this is all on it's way.
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Amy
Brisbane, AustraliaRelaxing escape guaranteed!
Left on 01/08/2012 for a stay in December 2011
The Kandy House is set in a beautiful location, with the layout of the living space allowing you to take full advantage of the picturesque surroundings. The house was well maintained and clean, with good kitchen facilities available to experiment with the tasty local produce! Staff were very obliging and happy to help. Highly recommend it!
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yaklulu
Claygate, SurreyGreat value for money
Left on 12/26/2011 for a stay in December 2011
We are a family of 4 traveling for the year and we recently spent a week at The Kandy House. The house makes for a great self-catering base, far enough away from the hustle and bustle of town, but close enough to easily catch a $3 (300 Rupees) tuk tuk ride or bus into the heart of Kandy.
Our stay in The Kandy House was made extra special by the kindness and helpfulness offered by the house manager Nimal. He greeted us upon arrival and helped us orient ourselves, not only with the house but also with Kandy, by offering a brief tour of the town. He was always ready to help us with our questions and he made our stay extra special.
The house itself is spacious with plenty of light and from the deck you get an amazing view into the valley (if you are lucky you might spot the local mongoose or even see an eagle fly by).
A few points to mention.
The house has no a/C, but at the time of year we visited (December) it was always nice and cool with the windows open during the day and we had no problem sleeping at night.
The driveway leading to the house is incredibly steep and can be quite slippery after a rain storm, so be warned unless you are sure of foot or have a four wheel drive don’t think about attempting it with luggage.
Also don’t expect too much peace and quiet as the area can be very noisy during the day with all the activity in the valley below.
The Kandy House is very great value for money and we would definitely stay here again if we return to Kandy -
Jon Scott
Reading, EnglandAbsolutely magic!
Left on 12/05/2011 for a stay in April 2011
I really can't express how pleasant an experience it was staying at 'The Kandy House'. I was there in april 2011 and enjoyed every minute. Nimal, the manager, was incredibly helpful and was also a very knowledgeable guide.
I would heartily recommend this house for anyone! -
Hamish John Appleby
Weimar GermanySerenity in the Hills of Kandy - and just 15 minutes to town!
Left on 11/27/2011 for a stay in April 2011
I am a photographer and I was on assignment in Sri Lanka for an elephant project. While there, I needed a place to stay that was safe, comfortable and provided an environment that where I could work but also relax. I loved the Kandy House - It became my second home - The décor is an eclectic mix of asian style - the master bedroom has the most beautiful and comfortable bed in all of Sri Lanka - the kitchen is great because it has all the facilities to cook - as does the whole house. I felt safe leaving my stuff there during the day. The views from the balcony are terrific - great to sit and chill out - or to have friends around for a beer. The house can be definitely multi - categorised as: a great family holiday house, a romantic get away - or as was my case - a travellers retreat. What is also special about Kanky house is Nimal the manager - He met me at the station and took me there - he was so helpful and friendly - in fact we are now friends - and he knows Sri Lanka very well and organised some sight seeing and tours for me. Kandy house is only a 20 minute walk to town or a 8 minute tuk tuk ride (about 2 euros) I was there on and off for a period of four months - and I enjoyed every minute of it!
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