Adigar's Manor
Kandy

Set among paddy fields and tropical greenery just beyond the UNESCO city of Kandy, Adigar’s Manor offers an elegant, quietly indulgent retreat in Sri Lanka’s central hills. Once known as Kandy House, this restored 19th-century manor blends the romance of its colonial past with the understated luxury of a modern boutique hotel.

Built in 1804 by the Kandyan chief Ratwatte Adigar, the house’s period architecture remain intact, deep verandas, whitewashed arches and stone-pillared walkways shaded by terracotta roofs. Inside, the atmosphere is calm and cultivated with antique Dutch furniture, rattan accents and generous beds draped in fine cotton. The sense is less of a hotel, more of a beautifully kept private home that opens itself to guests.

The nine rooms and suites each have their own personality, named with a nod to Sri Lanka’s native butterflies (Peacock Royal, Red Spot Duke, Cornelian, Lime Butterfly, Pioneer, Monkey Puzzle, Sunbeam, Indian Admiral and Black Raja). All are air-conditioned and designed with individual flair, some with high ceilings and garden terraces, others with elegant four-poster beds and views across the paddy fields. The balance of old and new is thoughtful; the charm of an ancestral home, but with contemporary comfort.

At the heart of the property, an infinity-edge pool sits on the lower terrace, its still water mirroring the surrounding jungle and hills. Framed by palm and frangipani, it offers a peaceful spot for reading, sunbathing or simply taking in the rhythm of rural life beyond the garden walls.

Dining at Adigar’s Manor is relaxed yet refined, with the menus showcasing the best of Sri Lanka’s produce; fragrant curries, local vegetables and tropical fruits, balanced by Western dishes. Meals are often taken on the veranda, in the open-sided dining pavilion or under the stars by candlelight, and the service is gentle and intuitive.

Days here unfold at an unhurried pace. Guests might explore Kandy’s revered Temple of the Tooth, visit nearby tea estates or take a tuk-tuk into the city before retreating to the hush of the gardens. As dusk settles, lanterns flicker across the courtyard and the air fills with birdsong.

For travellers seeking a luxury heritage stay in Kandy, one that marries Sri Lankan history with contemporary grace, Adigar’s Manor is the ideal place to pause and feel time stretch a little longer.

The traveller sees what he sees, the tourist sees what he has come to see.
G. K. Chesterton