Best hotels in
Sri Lanka
This is our guide on the best hotels in Sri Lanka, including the hotels we stayed at. I spent hours and hours looking at hotels, researching the areas to stay in much to the annoyance of Elly. I’ve created this guide so you don’t have to.
Go with any of the below choices and you will have a great holiday, and a happy other half. Note, all our main recommendations cater for a Halal diet.
Sigiriya
Hotel: Jetwing Vil Uyana (Sigiriya). 5*
Why it’s great: The perfect place for a nature lover to get lost in. Set amongst paddy fields and marshlands, this hotel is like no other. Eco-friendly hotel with great rooms and exceptional staff. Our recommendation would be a Marsh dwelling with pool. The room has great privacy and you can relax in your own pool hidden away from everyone else. If you don’t like little creatures, it is set in a nature reserve after all, then check out our alternative recommendation.
Alternative hotels: Another stunning hotel in Sigiriya is the Water Gardens. Seamless and stunning are often words used to describe this place, and it is on our list to try next time we visit Sri Lanka. If you are after something more mid-range then checkout Hotel Sigiriya, which has clear views of the Lion rock.
Kandy
Hotel: Elephant Stables (Kandy). 3*
Why it’s great: Don’t be fooled, this maybe a 3* hotel but everything about it screams 5* including the personalised service. Unfortunately for Elly, there were no elephants on site. This is a 1930’s colonial mansion which has been converted into a boutique hotel. With just 7 rooms, this is a very private and serene place to stay in Kandy. The check-in process is completely personalised, and you are given a choice of foods for dinner that evening, prepared fresh for you by the onsite chef. I still have dreams about the beef curry from this place.
Alternative hotels: Theva Residency was our second choice hotel in Kandy. We recommend staying midrange in Kandy as most of your time will be spent out exploring.
Nuwara Eliya
Hotel: The Blackpool Resort & Spa. 4*
Why it’s great: Luxurious rooms with great views of Nuwara Eliya. A great hotel for a short one night stay. We didn’t spend much time at the hotel but loved the large rooms and the “fireplace” in our room. The honeymoon cake waiting for us was a nice touch. We chose this hotel mainly for the warm rooms and the food, as well as its central location in Nuwara Eliya.
Alternative hotels: Heritance tea factory is another wonderful hotel, where you can have an onsite tea factory experience. Recommended for tea lovers.
Tangalle
Hotel: Anantara Peace Haven Resort. 5*
Why it’s great: Perfect for a romantic getaway. This is more than a 5* resort, it is a sanctuary and truly a peace haven. Welcomed like a family member from the moment you set foot on the hotel, Anantara takes great pride in its service. This is again reflected in the small details, such as the staff referring to you by name throughout your stay. The buggy’s to carry us to and forth from our villa were most welcome, as at this point our feet were crying out in pain. We would recommend you upgrade to the villas with private pool if you can. The garden and ocean view villas have the best privacy. The beach villas are more open so would avoid unless you are okay with that.
Alternative hotels: None, if you are in Tangalle make sure to stay at Anantara Peace Haven. The cooking class is a must! This was, along with Jetwing Vil Uyana, one of the best hotels we stayed in on our trip to Sri Lanka.
Colombo
Hotel: Cinnamon Grand Colombo. 5*
Why it’s great: Amazing variety of food and the friendly atmosphere make this hotel a great place to stay. This is more like your typical 5* city hotel. For Colombo I wouldn’t worry too much about the hotel. Save on costs here if you need to so you can splash out where it matters.
Alternative hotels: Any of the cinnamon hotels in Colombo. You can’t go wrong. Looking for something more boutique and close to shops then check out Paradise Road Tintagel Colombo and Residence by Uga Escapes.
Tips & Tricks
We prefer to book our hotels through hotels.com and have provided links as such above. We find the site offers the most competitive rates and the the free night you earn per night booked is a very valuable reward to us, which we have redeemed for free stays numerous times. A nights pay stay gets you 1 stamp towards your free night. 10 stamps = 1 night free. This is effectively giving you 10% cashback on each booking.
We would also recommend you check out the hotel website direct, as with some boutique hotels you can sometimes get a better price direct, but you do miss out on the free nights rewards. For more information on Sri Lanka read our Ultimate two-week itinerary guide.