Suisse Hotel Sri Lanka

Customer Rating
  • General
    61
    61%
  • Food
    65
    65%
  • Service
    75
    75%
  • Room
    62
    62%
  • Location
    80
    80%
Average Score - 19 Reviews
68.6
68.6%
Ratings based on real traveller reviews in past 2 years
Customer Feedback
"enjoyed the colonial charm of this hotel. Great location."
VS, Australia
Suisse Hotel, Kandy
Price From:  US $ 66.00 (Standard a/c Room, BB Basis, Twin)
Swimming pool   Tennis court   Internet   Ayurveda   Restaurant   Licensed bar   Room service   Laundry service  
Location
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Kandy is the capital of Sri Lanka's hill country, where the tropical heat of the coast is exchanged for the verdant cool of lush mountain slopes. The Suisse Hotel has an envied position alongside the lake in the middle of the town. Kandy's delightful lakeside setting and cultural heritage make it an essential part of the Sri Lankan experience. Kandy is about 3.5 hours from Colombo's International Airport.
Introduction
For those intent upon a sense of old colonial, The Suisse Hotel may fit the bill. It might not quite match the elegance of, say, Galle Face Hotel in Colombo, but it is of similar vintage, and it is looking grander than for some years after a refurbishment in 2006/7. Dark wooden panelling, polished parquet or tiled floors, pictures of royalty and VIPs of yesteryear and creaking antique furniture predominate in a traditional hotel that slows your step and transports you back in time. Structural changes cannot be made to the hotel - the flagship of the Ceylon Hotels Corporation - without permission from Sri Lanka's cultural ministry, and anybody who happened to have stayed here 50 years ago in the hotel's heyday, when prime ministers and princes might be among the guests, would find that little has changed. These enduring qualities will delight many, but there are drawbacks: low-grade lighting and limited TV channels are also part of the ancient colonial experience and the restaurant menu has been largely untouched by modern trends. Foodies beware! The Queens Hotel, Ceylon Hotel Corporation's second Kandy property, is also upgrading to good effect on the other, busier, side of the lake, and is also worth consideration for those yearning for a sense of history.
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Accommodation
The Suisse has 93 colonial-style a/c rooms. In summer 2007, 50 Deluxe Rooms on the second and third floor had benefited from refurbishment and Red Dot strongly recommends these. The remaining rooms were still awaiting improvement in the summer of 2007 and are of mediocre upkeep. All rooms look out either onto Kandy Lake or a quiet central courtyard. All rooms have a/c and ceiling fan, bath with shower (although some have only shower, so request a bathtub if you prefer); phones (IDD is via reception - you may be asked to take the call at reception, but resist the suggestion of you wish), radio, TV with local channels only, and minibar. Flooring is either polished parquet or tiles. There are also four junior suites (bedroom and sitting area) and the relatively low additional cost makes them worthy of consideration.
Facilities
A traditional restaurant seats 140 and offers either a buffet or set menu - offering a limited range of Western and Eastern dishes -- depending on occupancy rates at the hotel. There is room service, but it is not 24 hours. Outside the restaurant is an equally traditional bar. The swimming pool also has a toddler's pool and pool bar and is set in a lawned area with excellent views over Kandy Lake. There is a floodlit clay tennis court, the usual collection of indoor games, and a new Ayurvedic centre which also doubles up as a hotel tours and taxi service - presumably promising a more relaxing way to travel? The excellent snooker room, with attendant, is another prized colonial staple. There are laundry facilities and money exchange. At the entrance to the hotel is a small row of shopping outlets, predominantly gem shops, souvenirs and antiques and a hair and beauty salon, small shopping arcade, and helipad. Wi-fi is available in the lobby area for a small charge and will also be in range of most Deluxe Rooms on the second floor.
Excursions
Explore the city of Kandy, steeped in history and culture. Walk around the tranquil Kandy Lake and visit the Temple of the Tooth where a sacred tooth relic of the Lord Buddha is enshrined since 4th Century A.D. The temple has decorative walls, a golden roof and fine woodwork. Religious services (pooja) are held daily at dawn, mid-day, and in the evening where guests can participate. The services are accompanied with traditional music and drumming. We also recommend: a visit to Peradeniya's Royal Botanical Gardens with over 60 hectares of tranquil, immaculately designed lawns, borders, pavilions and plant houses; nature walks in Udawatte Kelle Forest Reserve; and Kandy's rich ancient arts and crafts including drum-making, Dumbara mat-weaving and Kandyan jewelry.
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