Santani Wellness Kandy

My husband and I stayed in the Mountain View Chalet at Santani for one night during our journey from Ella to Colombo. In hindsight, I would strongly recommend at least two nights—three if you have the time—to fully experience what Santani has to offer. Kandy was our penultimate stop during our 10-night Sri Lanka itinerary, and Santani promised the perfect respite we needed at this stage. While the setting and aesthetic were truly breathtaking, our experience was marred by a series of frustrating inconsistencies and service failures. Unfortunately, our 06:37 am train from Ella was cancelled, forcing us onto a later train, which delayed our schedule and caused us to miss the lunch service at Santani. Although we provided a heads-up about our ETA, we were informed that only sandwiches and fruit could be offered for lunch upon arrival. I pleaded for a hot meal after a 6-hour journey but was met with a firm no. While I understand the need for structure around meal times, the lack of flexibility felt unnecessarily rigid, especially given that lunch was included in our package. It was a bitter start to an otherwise promising stay. For each meal, we were offered two menu options: Western or Sri Lankan. A chef consultation was arranged to tailor the menu to our dietary requirements—my husband is gluten-free and does not eat red meat. The concept of personalisation sounded wonderful in theory, but the delivery fell far short. At dinner, the meals differed from what we discussed earlier, and when we questioned this, we were told certain items contained gluten. My husband’s dessert, for example, was swapped from Sri Lankan pancakes to a makeshift fruit salad—hardly the bespoke experience promised. At breakfast, they served granola containing gluten and suggested my husband “just eat a little,” as if his dietary restriction were a mere preference. This was not only disappointing but also felt deeply unprofessional. Additionally, previously requested items like a Sri Lankan omelette and mixed fruit smoothie were either forgotten or met with bizarre responses like “eat this first, and we’ll bring another.” The grounds and chalet were stunning, and the views from our Mountain View Chalet, for which we paid an additional $40 upgrade, were well worth it. The serenity and natural beauty are Santani’s greatest strengths. We also had 90-minute Ayurvedic treatments, which were very relaxing. However, there was inconsistency here too—my husband received the promised consultation with the doctor before his treatment, while mine skipped the consultation entirely. The lack of uniformity was frustrating and detracted from the wellness experience. Finally, as we were checking out at 12 noon and couldn’t stay for lunch (which begins at 12), we requested a packed meal. I specifically asked for a salad alongside my sandwich, but we were instead given fruit—again, an instance of Santani failing to meet basic expectations. Individually, these lapses in service might not see

This is really something different from everything you know. Secluded resort in the mountain. Contemporary architecture - concrete, metal and wood. Amazing views from the villas. Gourmet food. Spa center is very good. Massages - superb. Yoga for advanced, but you can also have private sessions if it is too hard for you.

We stayed 2 nights at this very unusual hotel up in the hills from Kandy. Its design makes you feel a part of the local environment. Our bedroom was very comfortable with a terrific view of the hills opposite. The central dining and sitting area was spacious and comfortable and the quality of the food was very good. This is definitely a retreat for Yoga and Spa enthusiasts and for walkers. In poor weather ( which we experienced ) it can feel rather remote. If you are going to use the Spa facilities think about taking a package as the individual price of treatments was much higher than we had experienced in other locations. We took a guided walk with their naturalist guide and it was very enjoyable- they helped us with special socks to avoid leeches which are pretty much part of the local habitat when it is wet- don’t be put off by that though! Altogether a good stay but be careful to think through your needs to book the right length of stay and package.