We stayed at the Mansion in January 2012 for one night. Although the swimming pool was closed we can really recommend this quiet venue outside of Kandy. The tuk tuk ride into Kandy is a matter of 10 min and doesn't cost a thing.

We were travelling with my 2 year old son and the staff was very attentive and always made sure that we would have everything we needed. They helped us perfectly with organising the taxi trip to Colombo.

The rooms are spacious and clean and provided all the comfort advertised.

The house is a must for everyone who would like to stay in a colonial building. We had the whole place for us and felt like queen and king ;)

We would definitely stay here again when an accommodation in Kandy is needed!

Our stay did not get off to the best start but they turned it around and I would recommend this hotel to anyone wishing to stay in a Colonial style villa located in a quiet area close to Kandy.

We were picked up by a driver at the airport arranged via the hotel. We paid cash for this service. On arrival at the hotel, late at night, we were directed to room 101 on the ground floor. We had requested a first floor room which is not guaranteed but we were pretty disappointed with the room as it smelt musty and was located next to the hotel guest restaurant.

The next day we were move to a room on the first floor which was far nicer and we were much happier in this room. This is personal choice, there are 3 rooms on the ground floor and other guests appeared to like them, I really dislike ground floor rooms so don’t let us put you off.

Where the Mansion House Kandy really gain 5 stars from are from the fantastic value for money and the wonderfully friendly and helpful staff. The Mansion House needs a serious cash injection, it is a bit tired around the edges but it is clean and nicely located outside of Kandy. Kandy is well worth a day trip but the noise from the traffic and being pestered a bit made the tranquil location of the hotel pure bliss…………………

Each day the hotel staff would order us a tuck tuck to take us places and we arranged a man with a van via the hotel to take us to Sigirli and Pannounwena. We again paid cash separately to all drivers. The reception staff, manager and waiting staff were so lovely and friendly – if you like staying in places where you feel like a house guest then you will love The Mansion. You are permitted to bring your own alcohol to the restaurant but they also have their own stock of Lion beer. As the hotel is in a rural location most people ate dinner at the hotel, we did this on two evenings. The food was very good, recommend the curry. The only odd thing was that they appear to want your food order 50mins before you want it which can be annoying if you have just got out of a tuck tuck after a long day.

On our last day we went for a lovely walk around the surrounding countryside where the locals pointed us in the right direction if we looked lost. We saw some really pretty birds and enjoyed a peaceful walk.

Breakfast consisted of tea and coffee (both a bit odd tasting), scrambled eggs on toast, fresh fruit and loads of toast – just the right amount for breakfast.

The hotel is so beautiful that it is used for weddings; we did not see one but be warned this could happen but I’m sure any noise would be offset by being able to view a local wedding. The photographs of weddings look really nice.

To conclude, for 3 nights’ accommodation, 2 dinners each (one with beer) and breakfast each day the total bill was £125! This hotel might be a bit tired but it is a beautiful building steeped in history, located in a quiet valley and the staff are awesome! Loved it!

Arrived Colombo at past midnight and traveled 3hrs to Kandy. Upon arrival in the wee hours of the morning, we were greeted by the friendly staff. As we waited for our rooms to be ready, the kitchen staff prepared a simple breakfast with a hot pot of coffee. There was also a choice of Sri Lankan breakfast. I tried it on the second day, it’s simply delicious. We had our breakfast overlooking the padi field just in front of the hotel. Hotel is located away from the city centre so it’s not easily accessible by foot. Do ensure you arrange for your transportation in advance. The hotel decor is slightly dated but still retains its charm. Rooms are clean and air conditioned. Shower gel and shampoo are not provided, so bring your own.

I loved the grandeur, especially the enormous first floor public room and its large out-door balcony area with the sweeping view over the lush rural valley just below. It was easy to imagine the gracious living of the time the Mansion was built and the main dining room looked magnificent with its tables, walls and doorways covered in flowers in readiness for each day's wedding banquet. We were up with the dawn chorus to see the plentiful and exotic bird-life (bring binoculars) and we enjoyed eating outside in the veranda at breakfast and dinner. Although there is no bar, the helpful staff readily brought in beer and drinks and were happy for us to stay up till late, chatting, despite the work they had in store the next day, preparing for another wedding reception. Much has been done to restore The Mansion but there is still plenty to do. Not all of my group enjoyed their two nights there because of this. It would be good to repair the pot-holes that prevented our small bus getting to within nearly a kilometre of the hotel. Mosquito nets would be a good idea too - bring your own or use a Jungle Formula plug-in or similar, as many of the windows and doors have gaps, and don't forget insect protection in the public rooms. Choose a good room if you can as they vary considerably. The first floor rooms at the front are probably best for the views. My ground-floor room at the front unaccountably had frosted glass and most other rooms don't have much of a view, even the splendid one where Gandhi stayed. The upstairs bedrooms at the back of the building are small and poky despite the high ceilings. However the bedrooms are not the reason to visit The Mansion. Go because of the old-world charm and the the experience of living in a delightful time-warp. Go now, because once the restoration is complete this jewel of a building will probably be a boutique hotel and will command a price far beyond its current exceptional value.