Cinnamon Citadel Kandy

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I had a very good stay at Cinnamon Citadel Kandy in Sri Lanka. The experience was smooth from arrival to departure. The hotel atmosphere felt calm and well maintained, with attentive service throughout the stay. The staff made a strong impression. At the bar, Ishara,Prageeth, Hiruni, and Yathresh stood out for their friendly and welcoming attitude. They served with care, handled requests quickly, and created a relaxed environment for guests. Their approach made the evenings at the bar enjoyable and comfortable. Overall service across the hotel stayed consistent and reliable. Staff responded promptly, kept communication clear, and maintained good standards in guest handling. The stay felt well organized and pleasant throughout.

We had a truly wonderful experience during our stay. From the moment we arrived, the staff were extremely kind, friendly, and supportive. Whenever we needed anything, they were always ready to help, and in many situations, they provided even more than we expected. Their hospitality and professionalism made us feel very comfortable and welcomed throughout our stay. The hotel itself was beautiful, peaceful, and very well maintained. Our room was clean, spacious, and of excellent quality, which made our stay even more relaxing and enjoyable. The food was also amazing, with great taste and good variety. We actually visited the hotel to celebrate my wife’s birthday, and the arrangements made by the hotel staff were absolutely beautiful and well organized. They made the celebration very special and memorable for us. Once again, thank you to all the staff and hotel management for the superb arrangements, excellent service, and unforgettable hospitality.

While the hotel building is nice, and the breakfast buffet is very very good, in room diving service has a lot left desire. The food is not particularly tasteful, and there is also another feature of staff behaviour which is a bit puzzling: they answer the phone even while they are interacting with guests. This happened quite a few times in the reception area, but was probably most palpable when the food delivery came to my room, and the person carrying the food, put down the train and turned away from the door after I had open it to answer the phone. I did not feel very important as a guest then, frankly speaking.

Perfect hotel, great place to chill with calm surroundings, polite staff, garden, pool area & amazing buffet (Breakfast & Dinner). Nanjini, Christina & Roshan were humble & nice as well. The room was very cozy & cool with our own private porch leading to the garden & river.

Worst service experience ever. Tea takes 30 mins to prepare. Out of materials and half of the dishes for the breakfast buffet by 9:00 am. Staff is very unprofessional. Rooms are stinking. Very old hotel. Would never recommend this hotel to anyone.

Cinnamon Citadel sits right on the bank of the Mahaweli River, and the view from the property is beautiful, especially from my balcony, which opened directly onto the river. The welcome drink, a tamarind juice, was a lovely touch and genuinely surprised my taste buds in the best way. The room itself was nice, the dinner and breakfast were both good, and the amenities were decent — a swimming pool and some board games made for a relaxed vibe. A special mention for Mr. Danushka — he truly stood out among the staff. He wasn't just going through the motions; he genuinely checked in on us, asked how our stay was going, and even helped us connect with a local in their language. That kind of human touch is rare and really memorable.

The check-in had a rough start, we were first assigned a room that didn't match what we had booked, and had to be reassigned. Not the smoothest welcome. The room, while pleasant, was noticeably smaller than what was shown on Booking.com, especially the beds. A bit misleading in my view. The place also felt a little too commercial at times. There were email follow-ups before arrival pushing upgrades (at extra cost), a $14/day charge for an additional bed which many hotels offer complimentary, and staff handing out QR codes with their names on them nudging guests to leave reviews. These small things added up and took away from what should have felt like a more genuine hospitality experience.

Very nice place , with very friendly stuff. Hiruni, Chintaka, Dinashan and Rukmal are very friendly and courteous. We pretty Like it to sit and relax here in the bar.

Very nice river view, very nice pool, and special thanks to Kumara for being so kind and helpful at the pool area. Great hospitality overall 🙌

Good ambience, great staff. Chintaka, Hasini and Rukmal all great