Heritance Kandalama is Geoffrey Bawa's most celebrated hotel, a long, low building of concrete and glass laid along a granite rock face above Kandalama lake, in the dry zone of Sri Lanka's Cultural Triangle. Completed in 1994, it was designed to disappear into its setting: the terraces are raised on columns, the roofs are planted, and today the whole building is draped in jungle, with monkeys and birds treating it as part of the forest. It stands in 211 acres of protected forest with views across the water to Sigiriya, and it is known as the first resort in Asia certified by Green Globe 21.

Where is Heritance Kandalama?

The hotel lies beside Kandalama lake, a short drive from the town of Dambulla, at the heart of the Cultural Triangle. The Dambulla Cave Temple is about 13 km away and the rock fortress of Sigiriya a short drive further, while the ancient cities of Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura, and the elephant gatherings at Minneriya and Kaudulla national parks, are all within easy reach for day trips. Arrival is part of the experience: a private road winds up to an entrance cut into the cliff, and the view of the lake and Sigiriya opens up only once you step into the lobby.

How do I get from Colombo Airport to Heritance Kandalama?

Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) is about 150 km from the hotel, and the drive inland usually takes 3 to 4 hours, depending on traffic. After a long flight, the easiest way to make the journey is a private airport transfer booked in advance with Lakpura: an English-speaking driver meets you in the arrivals hall and takes you straight to the hotel in an air-conditioned car, van or coach sized for your group, from 2 up to 15 guests, at a fixed price for the whole vehicle rather than per seat. The same service takes you back to the airport, or on to Kandy, the hill country or the coast. Book the Colombo (CMB) Airport transfer to Heritance Kandalama.

What makes the building special?

Bawa built the hotel into the rock rather than on top of it, letting the cliff show inside the corridors and public spaces, and lifting the building on columns so that rainwater and wildlife can pass beneath it towards the lake. The planted roofs and facades have grown into a living screen of forest. Inside, the art of Bawa's circle is everywhere, from Laki Senanayake's great metal owl, caught either taking flight or swooping down, to works by Ena de Silva and Channa Daswatte. The hotel was also among the first in Asia certified under LEED, and its estate is home to 183 recorded bird species and 64 kinds of butterfly.

What are the rooms like?

There are 152 rooms and suites in two wings, the Dambulla Wing and the Sigiriya Wing. Rooms range from the 52 Superior rooms facing the garden, through the Luxury, Panoramic and Deluxe rooms, the latter with a jacuzzi and lake views, to 3 Luxury Panoramic rooms looking over the lake towards Dambulla rock. There are 12 Suites with lake or mountain views and a jacuzzi, 2 Luxury Suites with 270-degree views, and the Royal Suite of 155 m², decorated with work by Ena de Silva.

Where can I eat and drink?

Kanchana Restaurant on the sixth floor serves international food from a buffet and à la carte, and Kaludiya Restaurant on the seventh floor offers à la carte dining. On the fifth floor, Kanchana Lounge and Café Kachchan serve light bites, and Kanchana Bar is the place for a drink as the sun sets over the lake. For a special evening, the hotel arranges a candle-lit Cave Dinner and a Bawa Dinner.

What is there to do at the hotel?

There are three pools: the Kachchan infinity pool, which seems to spill into the lake, the Kaludiya pool with a floor of natural dark bedrock, and the large Rashmi pool. The spa offers Ayurvedic and Swedish aromatherapy treatments. Early each morning, the resident naturalists lead a birdwatching walk, and there are jungle treks to Kandalama Rock and the village of Puranagama, mountain biking, a tour of the Eco Park and the Trails of Bawa architecture walk. Further afield, the hotel organises hot-air ballooning, visits to the Aligala Caves and jeep safaris to see the elephant gatherings, and Lakpura can arrange private transfers and day tours across the Cultural Triangle.