Are Sri Lanka's Heritage Hotels Worth It?
After snagging a Heritance Hotels package, I finally stayed at Geoffrey Bawa’s legendary Kandalama—plus four more heritage properties. Here’s the unfiltered review! 🏨 1. Heritance Negombo ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Best for: Airport layovers (just 30min from Colombo). Pros: Modern, ocean-view rooms with sunset balconies 🌊. On a lively street—walk to bars/restaurants. Verdict: Solid transit hotel, but not a destination. 🌿 2. Heritance Kandalama ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The Crown Jewel: A National Geographic "must-stay"! Design Magic: Built into a jungle-covered cliff—monkeys 🐒 greet you at breakfast. Infinity pool with Lion Rock views + nightly flute concerts (missed it? So did I 😭). Verdict: Worth the hype—architectural & ecological masterpiece. 🏰 3. Earl’s Regency Kandy ⭐️⭐️ Reality Check: Zero "Regency" vibes—dated rooms & mediocre food. Saved by Kandy’s charm (visit the Temple of the Tooth instead). Verdict: Skip unless desperate. 🍃 4. Heritance Tea Factory ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Hidden Gem: A 19th-century tea factory in misty highlands. Charm Offensive: Original machinery + maze garden (very British!). Cozy rooms, stellar service—best food of the lot. Con: Freezing temps (pack a sweater in "summer"!). Verdict: Worth the mountain trek. ⚡ 5. Ahungalla Heritage ⭐️ Disaster Alert: Rude staff (eye-rolling included 🙄). Even Bawa’s design can’t save shabby upkeep. Verdict: Avoid at all costs. Final Takeaway Only Kandalama & Tea Factory justified the price. But hey—bad hotels make great stories! #SriLankaTravel #LuxuryOnABudget #GeoffreyBawa #HotelWinsAndFails
