The drive up from Colombo climbs steadily into Sri Lanka’s central highlands, the air cooling and the scenery turning to tea country and forest as Kandy comes into view. Commissioned in 1804 by the last Adigar, or chief minister, of the Kandyan Kingdom, this walauwwa—a traditional Sri Lankan manor house—stands amid tropical gardens on the edge of the city.
Two centuries on, careful restoration has preserved its blend of Kandyan, Moorish and Dutch colonial architecture, along with the antiques, artwork and intricate detailing collected across generations. Just nine rooms are spread across the property, each individually styled and named for a Sri Lankan butterfly—giving the manor the feel of a private home rather than a hotel.
Days unfold at an unhurried pace: mornings by the outdoor pool or in the spa, afternoons exploring Kandy’s Temple of the Tooth and the lakeside promenade nearby, and evenings over authentic Sri Lankan meals served in the manor’s dining rooms. Wander the gardens that surround the house, and the sense of stepping into another era—one of Kandyan aristocracy, colonial trade and careful craftsmanship—only deepens.
The manor is positioned as a living home rather than a static monument, offering an intimate way to experience Sri Lanka’s hill country heritage.