I went to Kandy on business and brought my family along for the trip. We bunked at Queens and found the service to be very cordial throughout our stay. The hotel was centrally located, directly across the street from the Tooth Temple and close to Tuk Tuk and taxi stands. Connected to the Hotel, is nice shop that sells a variety of Batiks, and after a bit of negotiation we were able to find some great pieces. The rooms were not luxurious, but comfortable and clean. They did have a baby cot (crib) for our little one, which is always welcome to keep from getting kicked in the neck all night. The Chinese restaurant upstairs was also great.

The highlight, was the outdoor lounge. Open air with fans, a stocked bar, but not uncomfortable for the whole family to sit, relax and have a snack. It opens up to the pool, which was great for our boy. Overall, I would say it was a great stay and would most definitely come back to Queens on my next trip to Kandy.

The ceiling and one entire wall of our room was covered with black mold. The room smelled, the furniture was broken (wardrobe held closed with a wad of toilet paper). The furniture in the lobby is discolored with age and dirt. The place was so bad that we moved to another hotel and sacrificed our money (which they would not refund). It was worth $80 not to stay in that smelly dump. We loved everything else about Sri Lanka but the Queen's Hotel, which is now run by the government.

This is the second time I have stayed here. It was built in 1844 and it hasnt changed a bit. Dont stay here if you want a modern hotel, but I love the ambiance. It is good value for the price. The food in the kitchen is ok. The bar staff is friendly. I love sitting in the dining room and watching the sidewalk activity. They have internet but you have to take your computer to the lobby to get a signal and you have to pay for it.

I went there because of the lonely planet recommendation which was too good for what I experienced. I chose one of the cheaper rooms which had no TV or minibar. The room was ok sized facing the garden with the swimming pool, there was an open window above the room door so one could hear all the noise from the corridor. There was no a la carte breakfast so I went to a nearby cafe. The laundry service was unsatisfying, one shirt got stained in the washing, when I complained they washed it again over night and removed large parts of the stain but not all.
The location is great, quite close to the temple, and the hotel gives a good colonial feeling. I got talked at by two men at two different ocassions telling me they were working at the hotel but weren't allowed to speak to guests so they had to speak to me on the street, and were pointing me to some shopping opportunities. This frightened me somehow.
There is a supermarket close to the hotel and some internet cafes.