Santani Wellness Kandy

Thr property itself is beautiful and the concept of a wellness retreat in nature is wonderful. The concept and location are perfect for those seeking a nature retreat.

The soundproofing is completely inadequate for a luxury resort. During our stay in the garden view rooms, we could hear absolutely everything from the neighboring rooms - and I mean EVERYTHING. We could hear guests using the bathroom at night, conversations, and even their breathing. There is absolutely zero privacy, which is unacceptable for a 5-star establishment.This lack of sound insulation completely undermines the peaceful retreat experience that guests are paying premium prices to enjoy. It's impossible to relax and unwind when you're constantly aware of your neighbors' every movement.While the setting and concept are beautiful, the poor soundproofing in the garden view rooms makes it impossible to recommend this property at 5-star prices. For a resort positioning itself as a luxury wellness retreat, basic privacy and quiet should be guaranteed.

The setting at Santani is stunning, surrounded by beautiful nature. The restaurant staff were truly outstanding — warm, attentive, and professional. The yoga sessions and nature experiences, when uninterrupted, showed real potential to be memorable and restorative.

Despite clear assurances beforehand, our stay was heavily disrupted by BBC filming on the property. Meals, yoga sessions, massages, and nature walks were all interrupted, and a particularly distressing moment occurred when I encountered a crew member while undressing at the spa. Communication from management was also disappointing; I had to chase responses to my emails, and even after two weeks following my last message, I still received no reply. Attempts to resolve the issue directly were met with offers that felt inadequate given that half of our stay was impacted. I had no intention of writing a negative review, but after repeated delays and a lack of meaningful resolution, I felt it necessary to share this experience — especially because this trip was meant to be a special memory with my elderly parents, which was sadly compromised.Summary:Santani has incredible potential, but poor communication and failure to protect the guest experience turned what should have been a memorable stay into a major disappointment.

Beautiful location and architecture. The spa was a highlight for me. The staff were very helpful and dining was an experience!

It was all so great I don't even know where to start from. The staff were super helpful and friendly (every single one of them), the food was Michelin-Star-Restaurant level, especially the Sri Lankan options, the rooms were very very clean, spacious, and so comfy that it was extremely relaxing even just staying on the balcony and listen to the birds, without any other sound disturbing in the surroundings. We stayed in the Garden View Chalet, and it was wonderful to be surrounded by all that nature (no TV in the rooms, that's a big plus!). The yoga lessons and the massages were also great, especially the afternoon yoga sessions with Rahul. In brief, if you really want to switch off and actually relax and take care of yourself, skip all the other places in the Hill Country and stay here instead. :)

Absolutely phenomenal stay. Our room was wonderful with phenomenal views, the food was superb, the staff amazing, the yoga fantastic and we also had incredible spa treatments. A special thanks also to Osanda for a wonderful nature walk, where we were able to swim in the river. We would love to come back for longer in the future!

The views are exceptional.Good food.

Walking to the restaurant at night, there is a beautifully lit stone wall. The path is easy to see. There really is no need for a guide with a torch to walk behind you with a torch to light your path. I appreciate the need to be attentive, but this just felt intrusive. Common seating areas very small. 100 dollars for 2 hour birdwatching with a guide... Ridiculously expensive.

A very luxurious experience consisting of ayurvedic spa treatments, great meals, helpful & kind staff, morning walk thru through nature, a great cooking class. A nice place to unwind - definitely recommend for anyone seeking a zen experience while in the northern part of Sri Lanka.

Disappointing

I stayed at this hotel in 2019, and at the time, I had a much better experience than I did now. Unfortunately, despite the significant price increase (150% more), the quality has dropped considerably. For a hotel that advertises itself as a wellness destination, the environment does not provide the tranquility one would expect. The constant noise from the restaurant, both from the kitchen and the staff, made the experience unpleasant. Additionally, disturbances caused by guests in the next room during the evening and by the staff early in the morning further disrupted the sense of relaxation.Another negative aspect was the internet, which was extremely slow—something unacceptable for a hotel charging 800 euros per night. The cleanliness was also subpar, with the room windows, both top and bottom, visibly dirty. To make matters worse, at the restaurant, we were asked to keep the cutlery between courses, which is not appropriate for a service of this standard.Overall, the hotel seems to have lost focus on customer experience and the essence of a wellness retreat. I do not recommend staying here until these issues are addressed, especially given the high cost.

Location is amazing and very peaceful.You feel alone in the nature and the spa is also just amazing

Staff was great but we had some trouble with our booking and didn’t get any support from the staff. Furthermore, we came in Sri Lanka for our Honeymoon and we didn’t get any special attention from the staff at all even though they knew it… we expected more personalized service from such an establishment

Our stay was absolutely incredible. The setting in Sri Lanka’s lush “foliage” is breathtaking, and the way the architecture blends into the landscape is not only beautiful but simply genius. We felt an overwhelming sense of peace from the moment we arrived. The Ayurvedic treatments and wellness programs were life-changing, and the team are so positive and treated us with so much kindness and thoughtfulness. The food was beyond amazing—every meal was filled with such flavour. Santani gave us everything we needed to truly sought to reconnect and release going into the new year. It’s a place that feels magical, and we can’t wait to come back.

-

YogaSpaFood

Lovely peaceful location. Birds & greenery everywhere. Staff were exceptional. Food was so good

The view, food quality, and the SPA facilities

Food quantity , a lot of bugs inside the room, and there are no air conditioners.

Nestled up in the hills this place is perfect to get away from it all. Quiet, calm and peaceful.The meals were absolutely delicious and the staff amazing. Book this!

View and facilitiess

Housekeeping/ restaurant/ spa

The location, of course, is absolutely stunning and the rooms have such beautiful character. The food is fantastic and staff for excellent.

One downside is the noise travels between chalets quite easily so in this beautiful quiet setting you end up hearing other people’s conversations! That gets frustrating when you want to listen to the sound of the cicadas, frogs and birds.

Everything about the place was wonderful: the location, the room, the views, the hike to the river with fresh waters. The food was exceptional. The group yoga classes, the spa, and more made it a true retreat for everyone.

The surrounding villages were very noisy due to ongoing celebrations, and the main lobby, being wooden, amplified the sound of the restaurant workers' footsteps. This made it difficult to sit in the lobby and read a book, despite the staff being lovely.

Beautiful and serene location, perfect to disconnect and recharge. I was traveling with my husband and we live in a big city so it was a perfect escape for both of us. We enjoyed yoga, nature walk which is included in the room rate. The food was absolutely outstanding, including taste and plate presentation. Every staff member is exceptional. We travel a lot and have stayed in many 5* properties but this was one of our favorite ones.

We liked everything.

Beautiful property and staff. Nice spa facilities.

No AC in the rooms. So they could be extremely hot. Location is quite remote which is fine if just plan to stay on property. The kitchen did not make note of dietary restrictions (despite being told at check in and each service) for one of our party which caused issues for several meals.

The hotel is stunning, nestled in the wilderness, and serene. With no TV and limited Wi-Fi only available in the rooms, it truly allows guests to disconnect.The food is amazing, meticulously presented, and bursting with flavor. The Sous chef goes above and beyond by sharing all meal plans in advance and adapting them to our tastes and requirements, offering a truly Michelin-worthy cuisine.While the rooms are clean and tastefully decorated, the wooden slats permit sound from cicadas, crickets, and other animals at night, potentially disrupting sleep for even those who aren't sensitive sleepers. Additionally, noise from neighboring rooms can be audible.Additionally, waking up with the sunrise did not bother me, but it's worth mentioning.

The access road to the hotel is rough and time-consuming to navigate. Guests should not expect well-maintained paths, as the hotel is situated in the mountains and the paths are quite rugged. A suggestion would be to use signage to indicate the location of amenities such as the spa and pool.The lack of a door for the WC, although not fully exposed, was uncomfortable for me.