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Jetwing Wahawa Walauwa is a restored 1870s mansion near Rambukkana, now a six-suite villa under a coconut-plantation canopy, about two and a half hours from Colombo. Built as a grand family residence, the two-storey house with its twin bay-windowed towers and columned porch has been restored by Jetwing Hotels with antique furniture and modern comforts, and every suite is looked after by a personal butler.
All six suites are air-conditioned, look out over the gardens and have a spacious bathroom with a bathtub, a ceiling rain shower and twin washbasins, Frella toiletries, bathrobes, free high-speed Wi-Fi and 24-hour room service. The names below are the ones you will see when you choose a room.
Jetwing's launch announcement describes four Grand Suites and two further suites, so with only six suites in the house a family or group taking several of them will have the villa largely to themselves.
Meals are served in an open-style dining hall overlooking the pool and gardens, with regional Sri Lankan and international dishes cooked from fresh local ingredients. You can also dine privately in your suite.
The main pleasures are slow ones: a large swimming pool in landscaped gardens, the airy verandas and halls of the old house, and birdwatching under the coconut palms, where endemic species can be seen without leaving the grounds. There are hiking trails and temples in the surrounding countryside.
Rambukkana sits at the foot of the hill country, where the railway begins its climb towards Kandy. The Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage and the Millennium Elephant Foundation are the best-known sights in the area. On the hill above the line stands Balana Fort, an old Kandyan outpost, and the Alagalla range offers hiking. Jetwing also suggests days out to the medieval capitals of Dambadeniya and Yapahuwa and the brick stupa of Deliwala Kota Vehera. Kandy is about ninety minutes away by road.
Yes. Rambukkana railway station is on the main line from Colombo to Kandy and Badulla. The short ride from Rambukkana up to Kadugannawa is often called the most scenic stretch of the Colombo to Kandy journey, climbing through tunnels and past steep drops, and makes a good half-day outing. Arrange a pick-up from the station with the villa or with us in advance.
Jetwing puts the villa about two and a half hours' drive from Colombo; allow for traffic if you are coming straight from Bandaranaike International Airport, north of the city. The simplest way to arrive is a private transfer from Colombo airport to Jetwing Wahawa Walauwa, which takes you all the way to the door.
It suits couples and small groups who want a quiet, personal stay in a historic house, with a butler, a pool and good food, or as a break on the way between Colombo and Kandy. For more choice in the area see our places to stay in Rambukkana, or the other Jetwing hotels around the island.
Pre-book a private vehicle for arrival, departure, or onward travel.
