Kandy View Hotel is a hillside hotel on Ampitiya Road, in the hills just outside the busiest part of town, and it is the pick in this guide for travellers who want a pool, a garden and a rooftop terrace at a modest price. It is about a 12-minute walk from Kandy Lake and a three-minute drive from the Temple of the Tooth, with Udawatta Kele Sanctuary a 15-minute walk away, so it gives you quiet and hill views while staying close to the main sights. The room choices run from a shared dormitory and basic doubles to a standard double, a deluxe double with a balcony and a Junior Suite of about 700 square feet with a balcony, which makes it flexible for solo travellers, couples and small groups. There is an on-site restaurant, a coffee shop, a bar and a spa. It is a relaxed, good-value base for a few nights in the hill capital.
Location and getting around
The hotel is on Ampitiya Road at Hilpankandura, on the slopes above the town. The walk to Kandy Lake takes around 12 minutes, though some of it is uphill on the way back, and the Temple of the Tooth and the Kandyan Art Association and Cultural Centre are about three minutes by car.
The Royal Palace of Kandy is a four-minute drive, and the railway station about 12 minutes. The airport is a long way off, roughly three hours by road, so plan your arrival day and ask the hotel about transfers, which it offers for a fee per vehicle.
Rooms and facilities
The room types include a shared dormitory, Basic Double, Standard Double, Deluxe Double with a balcony and a Junior Suite with a balcony. The hotel has an outdoor pool, a rooftop terrace, a garden, a spa, an on-site restaurant serving lunch and dinner, a coffee shop and a bar. Free WiFi and free self-parking are provided, along with a 24-hour front desk, 24-hour room service, laundry and dry cleaning, and in-room safes.
Breakfast is available for a surcharge, so check what your rate includes when you book.Who it suits: couples, solo travellers and small groups who want a pool and a view without paying for a grand hotel, and hikers who plan to visit Udawatta Kele Sanctuary or the surrounding hills. The dormitory also makes it an option for backpackers. If you want to step out of your door onto the lake path, a lakeside hotel in the centre will be more convenient.
Good to know
Check-in is from noon and check-out is at 11 am. The Perahera festival season brings crowds and high rates, so book ahead for that period and for the dry-season holidays, and compare rates by date. Kandy is hilly and humid, so bring a light rain layer, and ask the hotel to arrange a tuk-tuk for the first and last trip of the day.
Why stay here
- ✓Outdoor pool
- ✓Rooftop terrace
- ✓Garden and spa
- ✓Restaurant, cafe and bar
- ✓24-hour front desk
- ✓24-hour room service
- ✓Free WiFi
- ✓Free self-parking
Good questions
Where is Kandy View Hotel?+
On Ampitiya Road at Hilpankandura, about a 12-minute walk from Kandy Lake and a three-minute drive from the Temple of the Tooth.
Does Kandy View Hotel have a pool?+
Yes, an outdoor pool, plus a rooftop terrace, a garden, a spa and an on-site restaurant and bar.
Does it offer an airport shuttle?+
Yes, for a fee per vehicle. The airport is around three hours away by road, so arrange transfers ahead.
