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The Grand Walawwa is located in the heart of the busy town of Kegalle, yet well concealed from the daily bustle. The hotel was once called ”Wickrama Walawwa” and is in fact a nearly 100 years old colonial bungalow. The hotel's architect has preserved the mansion's old world charm and incorporates the modern luxury. And comfort. The hotel is located atop a hillock, and offers a breathtaking view of the surrounding mountain ranges. The hotel boasts of a friendly staff. The receptionist went the extra mile to give us a tour of the premises. The rooms are very spacious and we were very satisfied with the amenities. The hotel is a popular venue for weddings and gatherings. I feel the place would become inconveniently crowded on such days since the property is rather small. We were luckily the only couple occupying the hotel during the weekend and we were able to explore and use the property to our hearts' content.

We stayed at the hotel for 1 night. I didn't like the dinner. They don't know how to cook here. The fish was dry, the shrimp were burnt, and the shrimp cocktail had tails. There was a sauce on the menu for the fish, which was not brought. We asked for the sauce and it was the best thing we had at dinner. They don’t make alcoholic cocktails here, but they can pour strong alcohol from bottles into a glass. You can also dilute it with juice yourself. Why you can’t learn how to mix cocktails is a mystery. There was wine and beer here too, but the selection was small. The food problems didn't end there. At breakfast, the girl frying an omelet had her head in the clouds. The oil from the small frying pan was a second away from catching fire. She didn't hear my order at all. When she came to her senses, she poured the unbeaten eggs into the frying pan. It immediately became different from the scramble I asked for. I decided that the fried egg would be fine, and then she started piercing the yolk with a fork. I asked not to do this. Then the cook came up. I said it’s enough to mock the eggs, move them. While they were torturing the frying pan, the second yolk also spread. It seemed to me that these people saw the stove for the first time, and cooking was not their strong point. There is a kettle and refrigerator in the room. I liked the bathroom renovation. The air conditioner was not very cold. There was no internet on WiFi. It wasn't fixed until I went to the reception. There are no adapters in the sockets, so we had to charge everything in the morning when an employee came with a screwdriver and plugged our chargers. The main feature of the hotel was a balcony overlooking the river where the elephants bathe. This is the main advantage of the hotel, along with the swimming pool, from which you can watch the elephants and take photos. There is a spa near the hotel. Don't go there for anything. Nobody speaks English, although the price tag is touristy. They don't know how to do massage. I recommend the hotel if you find somewhere else to eat. We spent so long watching the elephants that we didn’t go to the elephant sanctuary itself.