The Elephant Stables

Not only is the property beautifully decorated and maintained, the staff could not have been more friendly and accommodating. Elephant stables is a haven of serenity just far enough away from the hectic chaos of downtown Kandy to offer peace & quiet.

It was perfect

Amazing food and service from Madoo and Bandera. We had the Sir David Lean Bungalow. Peaceful Private. Gorgeous Incredible fresh food and drinks. We felt like royalty. Such a singular experience. So many other positive aspects of this stay.

none. It was perfect. No dislikes.

Wow. This place was exceptional! From the moment we arrived, our every need was catered for expertly, swiftly and with flourish of personalised service that has is well above the standard of many other accommodations. Bandula was the man in charge while the owner was on leave - and he was fabulous. It was very quiet here and we were the only guests for some of the stay, so we enjoyed the luxury of full attention of all the staff. This place is a gorgeous small boutique hotel set in an old tea plantation house, away from Kandy centre, set high up on a ridge, from where you gaze down across the whole valley and surrounding hills that cradle this British colonial capital. Beautiful and spacious, the property comprises just two floors - an elegant and relaxing ground floor space split between a large lounge, spacious dining room and bar, and an outdoor garden and pool area. We stayed in the Lemongrass Deluxe Garden Room. Wonderful huge room - four poster bed draped with mosquito nets, terrific balcony with awesome views. Fab large TV perfect for binging Netflix at night after days of exploring, enjoying attentive room service. Breakfasts were nourishing - it was great to sit out in the garden - and other dishes from the menu were available most of the day

This place is perfect! Did not want to leave. If we come back to SL, we will DEFINITELY stay here again.

Great boutique hotel with only 7 rooms. Rooms were tastefully furnished. Clean and comfortable. Breakfast was yummy. Attentive care by staff - Jagan & Indika

The Staff were very Friendly. Chef INDIKA deserves a special mention. He went out of his way to take care of the Food Preparation. His preparations were excellent. Kudos to him and his Support Staff .

The Shower had no Water Pressure.

Views over the river and mountains was excellent. Pool and outdoor facilities were nice. Beds were comfortable. Linen was clean. Staff attitude and service were very good. Chef and butler were very obliging towards our requests.

When we booked on Booking.com, it wasn’t listed that the room we booked was specifically the Riverdale Bungalow and that it would be 15 minutes away from the main hotel. We were informed this only after pre-payment was made. This should’ve been clearly listed on Booking.com. Furthermore, we weren’t aware that the bungalow was annexed to a larger house where the owners of the house still live. We thought we would’ve had the place all to ourselves. The room and outdoor areas requires deep cleaning. There were cobwebs around, not just high up in the ceilings, but also between the outdoor table and the chair so it showed clearly that cleaning is lacking. Instead of proper tissue box, they put a toilet roll in the tissue box holder. Menu didn’t have Sri Lankan cuisine on it so we requested.

The hotel Elephant stables is situated on one of the small hillocks of Kandy with quite a nice view over the region and its wood covered hills. It is a very quite place with only a handfull rooms and guests, very privat. You get easily in contact with the hotel crew.

To get around in Kandy is not that easy. You need a car and driver or at least a tuk tuk driver. The hotel is not situated in the heart of the city. The waiters from the hotel are helpful, very helpful or even a bit too helpful.

The property is beautiful, immersed in nature and with stunning views on the hills. The staff was great and extremely accommodating to our last minute change of plans. Breakfast was delicious. Perfect for a cozy and relaxing getaway.

Everything was amazing. Just heads up if you’re driving: the road to access the property is a bit narrow and secluded, but that’s what makes it special!

Spectacular scenery. We stayed in Riverdale bungalow and not the main Stables. We did not visit the stables. So the review is about the bungalow.

We did not realize that the bungalow is shared between the owner and the guest. The guest rooms are outside.

Beautiful property in stunning location. Views are fantastic. Own pool, and extremely friendly, efficient and professional staff. Many thanks to Danju and the chef. Food was delicious. Would love to stay again.

Little bit tricky to find the first time and tuk tuk drivers not sure where it is. But all fine after we got there.

This was the separate bungalow at Elephant stables called riverside. Own chef and butler who were brilliant. Food and care and attention in all aspects very good

Not much, dogs are always an issue in Sri Lanka , not their dogs but neighbourhood dogs. Minor in reality compared with the vista and private pool.

The staff go above and beyond to make you feel welcome and comfortable. Special shoutout to Niyal who gave us local tips and stayed late to ensure we made it home safe after our day of excursions. The view of town and the mountains is gorgeous and our safari tent was tasteful and elegant. We were very sad to only spend one night at this oasis.

We stayed in the 'Royal Tent' to the side of the main house. It was spacious, well equipped, private, with its own outdoor seating areas. There were only two of us, but the curtained off area with single beds would make it ideal for families as well. The staff were very friendly and accommodating, the food excellent. The property is on a ridge and has great outlook in two directions. It is an easy drive to the main sights.

If you need absolute quiet at night, the tent might not be the best place to stay on the property as there is some traffic noise from the roads below as well as the bird song (delightful).

Beautifully designed with a great view. Food was amazing both breakfast and dinner. Staff were friendly.

Staff were a little pushy for tips at the end

The place is beautiful. Lovely furnishings, garden, rooms. We took the Tent Suite, which is stunning, and not at all what one expects of a "tent." The breakfast was delicious, with a wide choice of western and Sri Lankan options. The egg hoppers were especially delicious! We had dinner at the hotel on one occasion and ordered the rice and curry - a choice of rice, served with about 10 different curries, all of which were delightful. Finally, every member of staff is friendly and caring. The chef even comes out to talk about his food. And the hotel tortoises are cute too!

Difficult to fault this place, but I would question whether it needs to be quite so expensive. Also, the location is not quite the calm, peaceful backwater that they would have you believe. That said, it is out of the city (LAK 400 ish in a tuktuk) and we weren't disturbed by any noise.

The impeccable service.

We stayed for two nights 13 and 14 January. The staff were absolutely wonderful and we could not have been better looked after. They were superb but let down badly by the quality of the facilities themselves. Unfortunately, the staff and service is where our good experiences ended. Our room was 2 star at best and well over priced. There was no real view for us to enjoy from the room and we were discouraged from using a small, damp side balcony due to the monkeys. The room was dark with the blinds drawn and impossible to pull up with actual rising damp visible on the wall. Windows were small and envelope shaped across the top of the wall providing even less natural light into the room. The walls were dirty with hand prints and scuffs. The ceiling contained visible cobwebs. The towels were once white but are now old, rough and more grey in colour and in dire need of replacement. None of the decor worked with random pieces of furniture throughout and the bathroom was especially odd with the vanity being very low. Our room wasn't made up over our 2 night stay by housekeeping.The hotel needs a major renovation in order to attract western tourists and it appears no one has passed a critical eye over the interiors and accessories in a very long time.Given this, we would like to request one night's free accomodation.Thank you for your consideration. We look forward to hearing from you.

The Sir David Lean bungalow was exceptional. The carefully designed decor enhanced the historical character. The infinity pool overlooking the river and the valleys beyond added another touch of glamour.The staff were attentive, and went above and beyond when my daughter cut her finger badly.

Amazing propertyGreat facilitiesBreakfast super!!Staff adorable

What is the "for Elisa" tune Very loud early in the morning? It seemed like it was coming from outside the property but you may wish to speak to your neighbours as it woke us up every morning.

Amazing staff, location, views and amenities. Great boutique hotel.

Food is over priced (London prices)

The bungalow sits atop a hill with a view of a river, hills and forested landscape capturing a picturesque view of Kandy. The morning mist encompasses the bungalow making you feel you're living in the clouds. With an infinity pool and attentive service and a gorgeous property this stay capped my entire Sri Lanka trip. The bungalow is located 15 min drive from the main property but check-in and everything else is handled directly at the bungalow. The rooms are clean and well furnished. Manju (head of housekeeping) took our orders and overall made our stay enjoyable. The food cooked by the private chef was memorable. Would encourage all friends to visit.

There is a shared bathroom for the suites which was not much of a problem for a family stay but is a small "inconvenience" for friends.