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Amaya Hills is a hilltop resort at Heerassagala, 6.4 kilometres from Kandy city, built in a pseudo-Kandyan style high in the Hanthana range with views to the Knuckles. Its red-pillared wings step down the slope above the Heerassagala forest, around a long pool that looks out over the valley, and the hotel leans on the story of the last Sri Lankan kingdom, whose capital was Kandy, for its look and its sense of occasion.
All rooms have a queen-size bed, a bathroom with a rain shower and a deep soaking bathtub, a minibar, tea and coffee making facilities, a 42-inch television, an in-room safe and Wi-Fi. They are sold in four categories, and the names below are the ones you will see when you choose a room.
Each room can be booked for up to three adults, plus up to two children. Baby cots, high chairs and extra beds are available on request, and check-in is at 2pm with check-out at noon.
Rasawasala, on the lobby level, is the all-day restaurant, serving Sri Lankan and international buffets. Sangraha is a lounge for Ceylon tea and light dishes in the afternoon and evening, and the Dumbara Bar serves cocktails in the evening, with a balcony over the hills. The hotel keeps its own beehives, and their honey goes into Milifera, a house cocktail. Later at night, Le Garage is the hotel's nightclub, with a resident DJ.
The large swimming pool faces the Knuckles mountain range and is big enough for lap swimming as well as for children, and a good place to watch the sun go down over the hills. The Ayurveda Spa offers Panchakarma-based treatments, from full-body rejuvenation and pain-relief massages with herbal oils to herbal steam, with seven treatment rooms, four herbal baths and three steam boxes, open from 8am to 8pm. There is also a gymnasium and a squash court, and the hotel runs bee-harvesting sessions at its hives. Weddings, events and conferences are held here too.
Kandy's sights are a short drive down the hill. The Temple of the Tooth Relic, at the heart of the UNESCO-listed sacred city, is about 7.5 kilometres away, beside Kandy Lake. The Royal Botanic Gardens at Peradeniya are close by, the Ceylon Tea Museum introduces the island's tea heritage, and the forest trails of Udawatta Kele Sanctuary rise behind the city. Walkers can head into the Hanthana range itself, where a hike to the peak of Katusu Konda looks back over the valley, and the hilltop Lankatilaka temple makes a good half-day outing.
Yes. The Esala Perahera, Kandy's great procession of elephants, drummers and dancers, usually takes place in July or August, and the hotel runs a shuttle down to the city for it. Rooms in Kandy fill early in Perahera season, so book well ahead if you plan to be here then.
The hotel is about 117 kilometres by road from Bandaranaike International Airport, and the last stretch climbs out of Kandy into the Hanthana hills. The simplest way to arrive is a private transfer from Colombo airport to Amaya Hills, which takes you all the way to the door.
It suits travellers who want a full-service resort with cool hill air, a big pool and a spa, within easy reach of Kandy but above its traffic. Families do well in the split-level Family Mountain View Suites. If you would rather have a house to yourselves, the private Hanthana Boutique Villa (the former Amaya Bungalow) is nearby on the same hillside. For more choice in the area see our places to stay in Kandy, or the other Amaya Resorts & Spas hotels around the island.
Location is beyond description. Calmity and beauty are found in every corner. The smiles are great and the service is super! Our room was super due to Sarangeetha and his artful work to welcome us back every day with a surprise in…
We had a lovely breakfast at Amaya Hills, Kandy on 24th & 25th September, made even more special by the wonderful service from Nalaka at the breakfast buffet. He was exceptionally friendly, attentive, and always greeted us with a…
TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE – WE DO NOT RECOMMEND IT AT ALL. We stayed two nights at the Hotel Amaya during our honeymoon and both nights were a disaster. The first night, the room was full of mosquitoes and we could barely sleep. The s…
Ratings and reviews provided by TripAdvisor for Amaya Hills Kandy.
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