KANDY MYST BY CINNAMON A Mystical Escape In The Heart Of The City

Kandy is undoubtably Sri Lanka’s hill-country jewel. It’s the inescapable city of temples and misty mountains that beckons you for a visit ever so often, sometimes for work and sometimes for a cool holiday in the hills. A hotel that’s perfect for both, channelling the heart of Kandy’s energy and its stunning landscape, is the newly opened Kandy Myst by Cinnamon.

Located on the main Katugastota Road to Kandy, this city property is ideally positioned for both business and leisure travellers and complements Cinnamon’s more resort-like property, Cinnamon Citadel that is a few kilometres away.

 Kandy Myst’s location is one of its main assets. Step outside and you are right in the town with easy access to supermarkets and stores while Kandy city is just a 15-minute drive away. Step inside and the hustle and bustle of the city fades away and you are immediately enveloped in a sense of calm by the hotel design that’s inspired by the serenity of Kandy’s rolling clouds and mountain mist.

With 215 rooms spread across nine floors, Kandy Myst by Cinnamon currently boasts the highest room count in Kandy. Even though it’s a city hotel, the property enjoys the best of both worlds in terms of the scenery. On one side, the Knuckles mountain range rises in the distance and on the other, the Hanthana hills frame the horizon.

Accomodation

Room categories include Superior City View rooms and Deluxe Mountain View rooms, with each floor including a pair of interconnecting rooms that’s perfect for families. During our stay in a Deluxe Mountain View room, we got the views of the mountain as well as the busy city streets below. Even though the rooms don’t have a balcony, the glass wall overlooking the scenery offered a fantastic view of the city lights in the night and the slow, rolling mist in the morning.

The rooms are non-smoking and designed with convenience and comfort in mind: sensor lighting at the bedside, a worktop that doubles as vanity, electronic safe tucked away in a bedside drawer, smart TV with streaming services, ironing facilities, minibar with tea and coffee amenities, and a spacious bathroom with a lighted mirror and toiletries. The rooms are compact ( as given with any city hotel) but designed in such a way it certainly doesn’t feel compressed.

And whether it’s business or leisure that brought you here, good sleep is top priority for anyone and Kandy Myst delivered with bedding that was so luxuriously comfortable that we effortlessly drifted off and found ourselves struggling to get out of our cosy bed come morning.

Dining

Kandy Myst offers a variety of dining options that are open to in-house guests as well as the public.

Grains : the main restaurant offers buffet dining with more than 150 dishes ranging from Sri Lankan staples to international favourites. The Head Chef is an industry veteran with experience in Dubai, the Maldives and several Cinnamon resorts and is therefore familiar with the quality and standard the brand delivers across its portfolio. The buffet is a delight, with dumplings and Italian pasta stations, Sri Lankan corners where hot hot hoppers are made to order in a variety of flavours and your option of meats and seafood awaits on platters. On our visit, dinner invited a full house, a mix of in-house guests and walk-ins, with live music and celebrations. We were also surprised with a range of their homemade ice creams in interesting flavours such as avocado and chocolate chip, honeycomb with ginger and salted caramel. On days where guest occupation is low, a four-course set menu awaits with options varying from biriyani to juicy burgers, seafood spaghetti to grilled chicken and more.

Kosmos Sky Bar : Perched on the rooftop, this poolside bar is more than just a bar, it’s also a rooftop dining experience that covers a 360-degree wraparound view of the city. Guests can enjoy signature cocktails such as the namesake Kandy Myst ( fruity, punchy and delicious!) while enjoying dishes off the a la carte menu. If one plans for a romantic dinner, the hotel can arrange a private and intimate setup on the rooftop overlooking the city.

Terra Lounge: the in-house coffee and snack lounge located at the lobby is frequented by guests and outsiders and has an indoor setup as well as an outdoor terrace that allows you to sip on a warm or cold brew and snack on pastries and cakes. Their evening High Tea is what’s really famous among guests and the public, offering 3 varieties of savouries such as a crispy, hot manioc cutlet, a flaky salmon and cheese croissant and packed chicken wrap and 3 varieties of sweets such as a rich chocolate cake, white chocolate fruit tart and sweet strawberry macarons served with either tea or coffee.

Facilities

One of our favourite things about Kandy Myst was their rooftop heated infinity pool which included a baby pool and a jacuzzi as well as in-pool loungers that we spent hours laying on with a book in hand all the while enjoying being semi-submerged in heated water. It’s no joke that Kandy can get chilly towards the evenings, so the heated pool was the perfect combination of comfort and indulgence. Plus, the view is phenomenal!

For those who like to stay active, there’s a fully equipped gym on the rooftop to get a workout in. We were told it’s also the perfect location to catch the morning rays peaking over the mountain valley but unfortunately we were sleeping in quite comfortably and will have to take their word for it! 

The hotel also offers several event spaces. There’s a sixth-floor terrace which is great for group activities, cocktails or private functions and a convertible, closed space on the fifth floor can be used as a conference / meeting space. 

Being located in the town also means Kandy Myst is highly accessible. On our short visit, we easily walked to the supermarket and even did a little shopping. For those who want to explore and be adventurous, the Pekoe Trail is mere 8km away, the Hanthana Mountain Range 11km, and James Taylor’s Seat is 39km in one direction. In the other, the Hunnasgiriya Mountain is 22km away, with the Knuckles Biodiversity Reserve 36km from the hotel.

Overall

Kandy Myst by Cinnamon is conveniently located, tastefully designed and offers guests a relaxing stay with a luxury feel. We liked that despite being right in the middle of town, the hotel is a respite from loud city noises the moment you enter. The staff is also wonderful, full of energy and warmth, like guest service Manager Wathsala and operations manager Osha and other staff who went out of their way to make our stay as pleasant and enjoyable as possible.

Pictures Courtesy: 

Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts

Address: 

273 Katugastota Rd, Kandy

Website: 

www.cinnamonhotels.com/kandy-myst-by-cinnamon

Socials: 

@kandymystbycinnamon