Kalundewa Retreat

We spent one night in the Kumbuk Chalet and it was such a marvellous experience. The natural beauty of the premises and the surrounding of the hotel gave us a vibe of a paradise. You can spot numerous varieties of birds while having a relaxing bath in the pool. The place was clean, the food was awesome and the staff was exceptionally supportive. They gave us detailed descriptions about the place, its flora and fauna. Their service was extraordinarily great and they all tried their maximum to make us satisfied. They even provided us with a complementary ironing service for two of our shirts. I recommend this place to anyone who is looking for an escape from the hustle and bustle of the city life and personally, I have added this to my list as a worthy place for recurring visits.

Nestled amongst the over 100 acre land with paddy fields, lakes and forest is the Kalundewa Retreat. A unique up-market hotel in a stunning tranquil setting. Enjoyed a few days with the facilities on offer. Very friendly staff, but one should not expect a high level of English in such a location. It appeared that some areas of the hotel needed attention, and it was encouraging to hear that the Management has plans in the near future for a renovation and upgrading of the facilities. Will definitely recommend, and come back again.

Wow. Luxurious property with the friendliest staff. The food was everything was picked from their farm. So fresh, generous portions, and organic! Our stay was simply amazing. We stayed in both the Floating Villa, and then the Bankee Chalet. Highly reccomend. Everyone in that visits Sri Lanka should come here. P.s... we loved the bed-so cozy!

This stay was a disaster. Ours was quite a late booking and we paid US$900 for two nights in Kumbuk chalet, a substantial discount to the rack rate. We arrived at the reception area and were struck immediately by signs of decay. The roof was sagging under the weight of rotting debris, the lamps had rusted, the communal dining area looked unappealing. We were shown to the chalet and yes, the general location is attractive though we thought the lake was a bit swampy. As with the reception area there were signs of decay, missing seals on doors, old debris on the glass bathroom ceiling, mould and filth above the bathroom mirror. It looked to us like the whole project had entered a run to fail phase, so strong was the sense of neglect. You join a WhatsApp group to order meals from a limited menu and sadly the offerings were extremely poor. We ordered a dinner for 8.00pm that arrived stone cold at 8.45. Meals are evidently cooked at premises elsewhere and then trucked in. Because of the mosquitos and insects you cannot eat on the deck outside the chalet after dark. If you eat inside there is no table but you can sit next to each other at a sideboard. Alcohol is not served or sold. The food was poor. On our second night we found a large rat in the bathroom. It disappeared into a hole behind the toilet. Shining a torch in there we could see leaves and other debris, it was obviously quite at home. We asked reception to take a look and they sent two men with a serviette. We guess they hoped to catch the rat in the serviette. We could almost see the funny side. When we were leaving we had our final breakfast in the reception area. We ordered coffee that never came. We ordered the fresh fruit platter, that came twice. The manager came to our table and asked us about our plans for the day. No mention of the rat. |We read reviews before we came and should probably have taken more notice of the comments on maintenance. With hindsight we can also see that there are reviews that, how can we put it, might be of other premises. This is a resort way past the end of its useful life. We travel very extensively but have never encountered such a forlorn place.

We stayed at this lovely oasis of nature for a couple of nights in their floating villa. It was a magical experience afloat on a lagoon colored by water hyacinths and the birdsong at dawn and dusk was uplifting. Dinner on the houseboat was a delightful experience. The staff were polite and eager to help and the meals delicious. A haven where you felt at peace with the proximity of nature. There are only a dozen rooms in this hundred acre estate, so nature and the cultivation of rice is unperturbed. A great place to relax and watch birdlife.

It’s disappointing to see such a beautiful, lush, and magnificent retreat being let down by poor management. The level of service you expect for a six-digit LKR per-night rate simply isn’t delivered. We stayed in the ‘Karanda’ chalet-style suite, which offered a lovely marsh view, surrounded by trees and greenery, and included a private plunge pool. The suites are well spaced throughout the property, offering privacy and tranquility. However, around 10 PM, we experienced a power outage—affecting only part of the hotel, including our chalet. Power was not restored that night, and we eventually had to move to a mid-range suite. What made the situation worse was the lack of basic courtesy. Not even the duty manager offered an apology for the inconvenience of spending the night without power. Since we didn’t stay in the suite we had paid for, we had to repeatedly request a partial refund. The duty manager was rude and unprofessional throughout the process. For the price point, guests expect better professionalism, cleaner rooms and bathrooms, and overall higher standards. This place has the potential to be a paradise and earn five-star reviews—but sadly, it’s currently being mismanaged.

Perfect Honeymoon Stay with Exceptional Hospitality! We stayed at this wonderful hotel for our honeymoon, and everything about our experience was absolutely perfect. The property is excellent, the location is pristine and beautifully maintained, the food was incredibly delicious, and the staff were genuinely friendly, generous, and professional. One particular incident truly showed how outstanding the service is here. We had checked out the next afternoon and were already far from the hotel when I realized my gold bracelet was missing. We immediately informed the hotel, and to our great relief, the General Manager responded right away with concern and support. He promptly coordinated with the on site team to search for it. A very special mention and heartfelt thanks to INDRAKA, the Maintenance Manager, who personally attended to the matter. He found the bracelet in our private pool and went above and beyond by staying at the property and waiting for us to return that night. He handed the bracelet back to us personally. such honesty and dedication are truly rare and deserve the highest praise. We are extremely grateful to both Indraka and the General Manager for their quick response, genuine care, and outstanding professionalism. They turned what could have been a very stressful situation into a testament to the hotel’s integrity and top-tier service. We wholeheartedly recommend this place to everyone. not just for its beauty and comfort, but for the incredible people who make it so special. Thank you once again to the entire management team for making our honeymoon unforgettable!

We spent 3 days in a beautiful suite immersed in the rice fields and the forest. Monkey, peacocks and other beautiful forest's birds completed our environment. Excellent location in order to explore the historical and religious monuments of the area. Very good restaurant. Some troubles with the WiFi