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Chaaya Citadel Kandy: Traveller Reviews

3.5 of 5
124, Srimath Kuda Ratwatte Mawatha, Kandy, Sri Lanka
Hotel amenities
Chaaya Citadel Kandy
Ranked #7 of 34 hotels in Kandy
4.0 of 5 stars 333 Reviews
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333 reviews from our community

What travellers say about this hotel
  • Sri Lanka(27)
  • Very good(11)
  • Buffet style(9)
  • Swimming pool(7)
  • Bar area(7)
  • Dining room(5)
  • Staff were friendly(4)
  • Great location(4)
  • Spacious and comfortable(3)
  • Most beautiful(3)
Traveller rating
    94
    145
    60
    25
    9
Only show reviews for Family (68) | Couples (189) | Business (1)
Date Rating
isle of wight
Contributor
15 reviews 15 reviews
Reviews in 10 cities Reviews in 10 cities
2 helpful votes 2 helpful votes
“The sting in the tail...”
3 of 5 stars Reviewed 6 February 2012

This hotel is in a superb setting next to a river. The rooms are very good with balconies or patios overlooking the magnificent view. They are well furnished and clean, as are all the public areas. The swimming pool is also lovely.

BUT... there seems to be a serious problem of management, with some staffing issues especially in the small A la Carte restaurant by the pool. Our meal there one evening was a total shambles of chaos and confusion with poor staffing levels, an inaccurate menu (the vegetarian section included fish, chicken and lamb!), inadequate kitchen output (nearly two hours to get six meals on the table) and poor quality food (what I was told was fresh tuna was straight from a tin, poorly cooked pasta, very tough meat) . To top it all, I was very sick during the night following my meal. The food in the main restaurant was ok, although the choice was not as good as at the other hotels we had stayed at, and the restaurant staff seemed overstretched and a little grumpy.

I understand that the hotel is soon to be shut for a refurbishment and would hope that all these issues will have been addressed when it reopens. If so, it will be more than worth going to.

Room Tip: Ground floor rooms with a patio are lovely but are more vulnerable to monkey visitors and prying eye...
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  • Stayed January 2012, travelled with friends
    • 2 of 5 stars Value
    • 5 of 5 stars Location
    • 5 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 5 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 2 of 5 stars Service
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Ask iowsteve about Chaaya Citadel Kandy
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
John Keells Hotels, Shehara Anthony - Assistant Manager at Chaaya Citadel Kandy, responded to this review
16 February 2012
Thank you for your comments on the resort and about the restaurant staff. Chaaya Citadel Kandy will be closing for a complete refurbishment on the 1st May 2012 and we have taken into consideration the highlighted areas of concern as areas for improvment.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC
England
Senior Contributor
27 reviews 27 reviews
Reviews in 14 cities Reviews in 14 cities
28 helpful votes 28 helpful votes
“Very good hotel”
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 5 February 2012

A nice hotel on the banks of the Mayawati Ganga.Good room facilities. Very good choice of food at evening meal and breakfast. Reasonable prices in the bar for Lion beer!

Room Tip: Ask for a room overlooking the river
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  • Stayed January 2012, travelled with family
    • 4 of 5 stars Value
    • 3 of 5 stars Location
    • 4 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 4 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 3 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 4 of 5 stars Service
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This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
Melbourne, Australia
Senior Reviewer
8 reviews 8 reviews
Reviews in 7 cities Reviews in 7 cities
7 helpful votes 7 helpful votes
“Lovely hotel”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 30 January 2012
1
person found this review helpful

Just perfect in cleanliness, location, meals and customer service.

  • Stayed December 2011, travelled with family
    • 5 of 5 stars Value
    • 5 of 5 stars Location
    • 5 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 5 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
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Ask Renuka T about Chaaya Citadel Kandy
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
Mumbai (Bombay), India
Top Contributor
51 reviews 51 reviews
Reviews in 23 cities Reviews in 23 cities
54 helpful votes 54 helpful votes
“Loved the place!”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 30 January 2012

We stayed in the resort for 2 nights. Our room overlooked the green lawns, lush jungle and calm river (we stayed in the new block in a deluxe room). The room was large with a small balcony that allowed us enjoy nature at its best. Our bathroom had a bathtub and eco friendly toiletries.

While the hotel does cater to tour groups, it is big enough to allow you your own space as well. The pool is excellent and overlooks the river. The banana shake is excellent at the coffee shop!

This resort had the widest variety of food that I have come across in a hotel. There is a lot of choice for vegetarians too. The array of deserts will tempt you into another helping. We loved the Sri Lankan food as well, especially the breakfast.

My husband had informed the hotel that we would be staying with them for our first anniversary – there was a candle lit surprise cake in our room when we got back from our excursions. It surely did add a special touch to our stay and we really appreciated the gesture.

A small issue - we asked for a large bed, but were given twin beds joined together to make a double bed. We brought this to the management's notice as well, who made some effort to sort it out for us. However, we agreed to continue in the room considering that it had a great view.

Check in and check out were no hassles at all.

However, the hotel is a little away from the main city and you would need a car/taxi at your disposal.

It’s a great place to relax. Service is excellent. Food is delightful. Highly recommended!

Room Tip: Ask for a room in the new wing and preferably stay in the deluxe room
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  • Stayed November 2011, travelled as a couple
    • 4 of 5 stars Value
    • 4 of 5 stars Location
    • 4 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 5 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 4 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 4 of 5 stars Service
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This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
1 review
1 helpful vote 1 helpful vote
“Excellent rooms, great service”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 28 January 2012
1
person found this review helpful

Great place to stay,
the delux rooms (river facing) are very large, clean, well maintained with good decor.
Food is not too great, tried only a al carte...not many options for dinner. However the guys went out of way to prepare particular dish not on the menu....
Overall great value for money.

  • Stayed January 2012, travelled as a couple
    • 5 of 5 stars Value
    • 4 of 5 stars Location
    • 4 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 5 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
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Ask YakubAL about Chaaya Citadel Kandy
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Additional Information about Chaaya Citadel Kandy

  • Chaaya Citadel Hotel Kandy
  • Kandy Chaaya Citadel Hotel
Address: 124, Srimath Kuda Ratwatte Mawatha, Kandy, Sri Lanka
Price range (per night):* 131 AUD - 280 AUD

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