Kandalama is the most distinctive hotel I have had the pleasure to stay in. It was designed by the late Sri Lankan architect, Geoffrey Bawa. The hotel is located in the heart of Sri Lanka’s cultural triangle, so tends to be used by people as a base from which to visit Dambulla Caves (just down the road) and also to see Polonnaruwa and Sigirya (a day trip).
First impressions were not that great. The hotel is down a pot-holed dirt track and the first sight you are greeted with is concrete and vegetation, but this is the back of the hotel and the front is on the fifth floor at the opposite end of the entrance to the hotel grounds. All very confusing, but it is because what would have been the cause of excavation destruction at other hotels, is a cause for celebration at Kandalama. The guiding design principles ignore the conventions of standard hotel layouts and are determined by what is in tune with the natural surroundings.
The wow factor comes on entering the hotel. The rock face which is at the core of the hotel juts through white walls, the reception area has open aspects to the outside where an infinity pool seems to merge into the lagoon beyond.
A good exploration of Kandalama delights all the senses. During the afternoon and until dusk relaxing flute music is played and there are lots of nooks and crannies where you can gaze into the yonder. A tree, which would have been chopped down during the development of many hotels grows right next to one of the windows and creates a wonderful vista.
The unusual design means getting from reception to your room is not a simple task and that you have to turn several corners and walk along various corridors, which are open to the elements. In contrast to the white walls the floors are black. The open aspects can feel a bit eerie at night, but are a delight in the mornings when monkeys can be heard and seen.
The rooms are great and either have a Jacuzzi or a shower which faces a huge window.
The eco credentials of the hotel are not just about the design, but the whole operation, such as re-using water and recycling materials such as containers.
Kandalama is an attraction in itself. Some of the furnishings are inspired too much by aesthetic impact and style over comfort, overall though, the Kandalama experience is wonderful and memorable. It’s a regret, that the hotel was just used as a base for visits to heritage sites and there was not more time to fully appreciate all the hotel has to offer.
