Bandarawela Hotel

This review is based on our experience and from over 40 years of travelling Asia, Asia Minor and Europe. Just don't go there would be our advice. Given one star as you can't give zero. Firstly, do not believe the photographs on the website. As we entered this purported 4 star hotel the driveway told you it wasn't 4 stars. Full of holes and craters. We were with the tour company Inspiring vacations. Outside the entrance. Off the bus at 36°C humidity, 80%+ then taken into a crowded room with no air-conditioning or fans working or installed in the front area, complete pandamonium going on and had a menu given to us immediately on entering on arrival. We were then instructed to select our evening meal so it would be ready at that time due to being in a large group. We then received our room key and pointed in the rooms general direction. No signs or help here. The building was built in the late 1800s and looked every bit the part. No air-conditioning, no fridge, no safe. The doors and windows were a gateway for mosquito entry, and the mosquito repellent was empty. The bed was two old hospital beds pushed together with no proper support system under the mattress . The sheets and covers were all soiled, old, dirty and almost threadbare . The furniture was wooden and really old and was hard to open and close the doors and draws due to the warped wood. The TV was an old miniature plastic case style from the 70's but we do not use the TV when away. The bathroom was disgusting. Old odd tapes some rusty, dripping constantly, grimmy bath tub, had been painted rather than enamalled . The toilet roll dispenser rusty, dirty, and the room was oppressively hot. The old fan produced little relief at t a low speed because higher made it shake and rattle. Went to dinner at our appointed time of 6.30pm, it finally arrived at 7.25pm. My plate came on a hot sizzling plate, so hot it had burnt the chips and vegetables and the steak was inedible.The guide was asked if there was alternative eating in the town and he said "yes, if you want to get sick". The staff appeared totally incompetent and had little knowledge of 4 star or any star service. We found out the next day that 14 of the staff had walked out a week before. Two chefs, waiters and assorted general staff. The house maids were now helping the one remaining chef in the kitchen and the gardener became the barman. Breakfast was very ordinary, hard toast and greasy eggs. It was not until the second day that we got the buffet we paid for.There is absolutely nothing romantic, kitch, or historically quaint about the place. The town is a squaled area, a few markets and shops to view but dirty and dusty, poor and quite uninteresting. We feel that Inspiring Vactions would do better for themselves and their customers to totally remove Bandawella hotel from their tours. I imagine the hotel will respond to this review but we can assure you it is not at the International 4 Star level. This may be their 4 star rating

We stayed here as part of a tour group as it appears there is limited accommodation in the area. The hotel certainly shows it's age as an original workers accommodation for railway construction workers then converted to a hospital. There were mixed reviews between our group about the standard of bedding, ranging from fair to very good, so it may depend which room you get. If not entirely happy on check in, do ask to see if another room is available, as some of our party had their rooms changed on request. Some rooms have kettles/coffee/tea etc, some didn't. Buffet breakfast here was the standard buffet with tasty local options. Some members of our group also enjoyed dinner here, while we chose to eat dinner in town which is only a short walk away. There is a mosque directly adjacent to the hotel, which we heard the call to prayers on our first night, but slept through on the second night. They also have a bar with friendly staff - large lion beer 920lks, wine 1200lks.

We spent two nights at this property as part of our tour. The property is old as is to be expected - its been around for over 100 years but it is clean and the service is fantastic. The rooms are very basic. We had two single beds pushed together and a claw foot bath. The Gardens are beautiful and the sitting area/lounge was very comfortable. The food was all lovely and they also put on a cooking demonstration for us. They had a buffet dinner out in the gardens which was lovely also. It was a good location close to town but far enough out that it wasnt noisy or busy.

Wonderful heritage hotel - however, bathrooms dated and shower facility hard to use (in old fasioned bath) Staff excellent.