Mountbatten Bungalow- Thema Collection

Returning from Kandy, and on a whim we stopped at this charming property for lunch. Although not house guests, we were warmly welcomed by two staff members. After having chosen a light meal from the à la cart menu we had a table set in the garden. The gardens are beautifully maintained and the view from the pool is stunning. The main bungalow would once have been occupied by a tea planter, but is now converted to a boutique hotel, tastefully decorated with period furniture and objects. I cannot comment on the rooms as we did not occupy one. It is situated close enough to visit Kandy (and very close to the botanical gardens) but far enough to escape the crowds and noise of the city.

Magical location, surrounded by wildlife. We stayed in one of the very comfortable and well equipped chalets. Wonderful staff that go out of the way to make your stay enjoyable. We had a bird watching walk which was very informative. We also had a cooking lesson with Chef Wasantha, cooking on an open fire with traditional pots. Fabulous experience, with a fantastic meal at the end of the lesson. (We ate what we cooked) highly recommend

A unique place to stay steeped in history and we actually even had Mountbatten's room himself - Blue Lily. The room was very large and a very good temperature. Comfortable bed and a large bathroom. The staff are a delight - very helpful and kind and calm and dressed in authentic uniform. The setting is beautiful and calm and an oasis near Kandy. We had lovely pre-dinner cocktails and the gardens are manicured and beautiful The swimming pool is lovely we had it to ourselves and the staff again were amazing helping us to get photos and couldn't do more for you. At dinner the service was wonderful and the chef came to say hello which was lovely. The wine was really nice also. Sadly I cannot say in good conscience that the food was good in all respects. this is the one area that needs improvement and would make a vast difference. At breakfast the bread was hard and served with garlic butter which made no sense and was I think from the night before. The set menu seemed a strange selection of choices to put together - the sorbet was an ice cube with mint, the soup chicken was lovely but preceded by vegetable cous cous. Staff were helpful and I was allowed to have an a la carte item for my main - chicken skewers - which were delicious but sadly the dessert was a chocolate volcano pudding which was hard as a volcanic rock and the centre not runny. I still rate as 5* because the hotel and everything about it deserves this. The food could just do with improvement.

Our accommodation was in a beautiful garden surrounded by birdsong. One highlight was our cookery lesson from the chef when we made a curry, a salad and a sambal. Another was the guided bird watching walk which we did early one morning and spotted lots of interesting, colourful birds.

The original building and cabins have a great location high in the hills, with a magnificent view from the infinity pool and boasting an interesting history. We stayed in the cabins which were a good size, air conditioned with a comfortable bed and a good shower. The food was acceptable without being fantastic. The warm food (dinner and breakfast) was on the cool side when served. Breakfast is preordered the night before. The staff are friendly and helpful.

We loved everything about this place. The location was perfect, in the hills with exceptional views but only a 10-15 minute tuk tuk ride from Kandy city. The food was exceptional, with breakfast served outside in the garden and dinner inside the old manor. The service is like no other. The best I have ever experienced. The rooms are beautifully decorated and very spacious with all the amenities. We loved spending time in the infinity pool with the most magnificent views over the hills including the most beautiful gardens and birds. However, what made this place so special were the staff. Everyone (especially Chula) were so warm, welcoming and had the biggest genuine smiles on their faces. Nothing was too much for them, including arranging drivers, day tours and delivering coconuts after us spotting locals climbing coconut trees. Chamilla the driver took us on an amazing tour which included the botanical gardens, gem factory, dance show and to a dosa place in the city (Balaji Dosai - highly recommend). We had the best time and couldn’t recommend this place enough.