Five-star Dambulla, outside Sigiriya, Sigiriya
Heritance Kandalama
Geoffrey Bawa's hotel runs for a kilometre along a rocky ridge above Kandalama Lake, in 211 acres of forest, with Sigiriya Rock on the horizon.
Opens the hotel's own website. We have no arrangement with the hotel.
- Architect
- Geoffrey Bawa
- Rooms
- 137 rooms and 15 suites
- Completed
- 1994
- From the airport
- About 150 km from Colombo
The hotel
A building the jungle was allowed to keep.
Bawa chose the site himself, a rocky ridge above an ancient reservoir in the Cultural Triangle. Guests come up a private road of nearly three kilometres and arrive under a cave-like porch cut against the cliff; Bawa held back the view of Sigiriya until they step into the lobby. The building, completed in 1994, wraps around the rock face and is so long and low that it is hard to see whole.
The hotel stands in 211 acres of protected forest, and its green record began early. It has held ISO 14001 certification since 1996 and was among the first hotels anywhere to be LEED certified. Aitken Spence runs it as the flagship of its Heritance brand. Dambulla's cave temples are about eleven kilometres away; Sigiriya and the elephant gatherings at Minneriya are day trips.
- Lake and pools Three swimming pools, a tennis court and a gym, and swimming and boating on Kandalama Lake itself.
- Dinner in a cave A cave dinner is one of the hotel's set pieces, and guides lead walks to the Aligala caves and up Kandalama Rock.
- Elephants nearby Excursions go to the gatherings at Minneriya and Kaudulla, and the forest around the hotel is good for birdwatching.
Rooms & suites
Lake on one side, forest on the other.
Rooms sit in two wings named after Sigiriya and Dambulla, the Luxury rooms finished in teak.
- Rooms Superior, Panoramic, Luxury and Deluxe From 32 to 36 square metres, facing either the garden or the lake; the Deluxe rooms add a jacuzzi.
- Suites Suite 58 square metres, looking over the lake and the hills, with a private balcony and a twelve-jet jacuzzi.
- The largest Royal Suite One of a kind, 155 square metres, with views of the lake and the mountains.
Dining
Two restaurants and a café.
Venues as listed by the hotel. Shown for information.
- Kanchana International Buffet and à la carte
- Kaludiya Contemporary Sri Lankan À la carte and a set menu
- Café Kachchan Light meals Snacks and drinks through the day
- Kachchan Bar Bar Spirits and bar bites
Recognition
Recognition.
- MICHELIN Guide In the 2026 hotel selection
- South Asian Travel Awards Leading Eco-Friendly Hotel / Resort, 2026
- Travelife Gold certification
Good to know
Before you go.
- Arrival Check-in from 3 pm, check-out by 11 am.
- Children All ages are welcome. Cots and extra beds must be requested and are not guaranteed.
- Pets Not accepted.
Getting there
Flying to Sigiriya.
Bandaranaike International, north of Colombo, is about 150 kilometres away, a drive of four to five hours, and the hotel arranges transfers. Private jets also land at Colombo. Cinnamon Air flies from there to Sigiriya's small airfield, which is under an hour by car from the hotel, our estimate.
- Chennai 1 h 10
- Malé 1 h 20
- Mumbai 2 h 20
- Singapore 3 h 55
- Dubai 4 h 40
Questions
What guests ask first.
- Who designed Heritance Kandalama?
- Geoffrey Bawa, the Sri Lankan architect of tropical modernism. He picked the site, and the building was completed in 1994.
- How far is Heritance Kandalama from Sigiriya and Dambulla?
- Dambulla town and its cave temples are each about eleven kilometres away. The hotel looks out towards Sigiriya Rock, an easy day trip by car.
- Does Heritance Kandalama hold a MICHELIN Key?
- The hotel is in the MICHELIN Guide's 2026 selection for Sri Lanka, without a Key.
- Can SkyCourtage arrange the flight to Sigiriya?
- Yes. We arrange Business and First Class seats on scheduled airlines and private jet charter to Sigiriya, with one final price, our margin included. The hotel is booked with the hotel or through our booking partner.
Also in Sigiriya
Other hotels worth the trip.
Staying at Heritance Kandalama?
Book the room, then the flight.
Rates and availability come from the hotel itself. For the journey to Sigiriya, a Business or First Class seat or an aircraft of your own: tell us the date and we come back with one final price, our margin included.
Opens the hotel's own website. We have no arrangement with the hotel.