We stayed at the Habarana lodge in Jul 2006 and have to say it was simply lovely, very tranquil set in woodland with a beautiful lake. The drive up to the reception definately has a wow factor , like stepping back in time to the days of the raj and the britsh empire. A beautiful building with white columns and lovely gardens.

The rooms are all seperate little cottages really with one room downstairs and one above with lovely balconies our room had two. The decor of the room was quite basic (rustic) but nice and clean, the bathroom was a litle dated but again clean and spacious.

The main house was a short walk up stone cobbled pavements lit with small ground lights which added to the atmosphere at night whilst walking to dinner although these paths may not be suitable for infirm travellers.

If you stay here take a walk down to the lake at dusk its onlay a few minutes and its really beautiful (see attached picture) you will also see some wildlife as there are loads of monkeys and mongoose and probably other critters about.

The food was lovely and there was a wide variety of choice which frequently changed and included western and Sri Lankan food.

Ther is a lovely pool although we didnt get time to use it and a nice bar area.

We have just returned from a holiday in Sri Lanka where we spent 3 nights at the wonderful Cinnamon Lodge (formerly The Lodge) at Habarana. From our first view of the outdoor reception area with it's colonnaded facade we knew that this would be a good place to stay. Accomodation is in lodges dotted around extensive grounds situated adjacent to a lake. We spent the first afternoon lazing by the pool and watching the monkeys frolicking in the trees surrounding the lake. During our stay we were also lucky enough to see a land lizards, water monitors, mongoose and a variety of beautifully coloured birds. The service and staff are wonderful and for those of you who like desserts their is a whole cool room dedicated to those with a sweet tooth.
Also for those of you who like a little culture to go with your wildlife this hotel is a perfect base for visiting the ancient Sri Lankan capital of Anaradhupura and the rock fortress of Sigirya.

Three generations of our family stayed at the Habarana Lodge last Easter, and there was something magical there for all of us. Grandma loved the peace and serenity, the birds and the beautiful vista across the lake. The kids loved the elephants, monkeys in the trees, and the brilliant pool. My husband and I just felt it was a really special place, it reminded us of colonial Africa, oddly enough!
The service was excellent, the food was great, the accommodation was lovely, especially having a duplex colonial villa just for us. Each morning we ventured out for an excursion, the Sigiriya Rock is utterly sensational, and then every afternoon we just chilled by the pool. We would return to Sri lanka just to go back there.

I had stayed 2 nights at the Habarana Lodge 10 years ago as part of a tour of Sri Lanka, and it was one of the highlights then. Well, it didn't disappoint when I went back this year!

It feels like you're in the middle of nowhere, the rooms are in little buildings (our room covered the entire top floor of the two storey building, with terraces on both sides, and there was another room below us), it's so quiet and peaceful, the bar is lovely, the buffet fantastic (apart from the usual "Western" food, there is a fine selection of local Sri Lankan food - of course toned down for us delicate Westerners but still faaantastic!). I really can't fault it.

The rooms are huge, they have aircon, a mini-bar (we had to order the key from reception - maybe they'd seen us coming..!), a TV, seating area. All very pretty. The bathroom is clean and normal-sized.

When we went in September 2006 a whole section (incl where I stayed in 1996) was closed off for refurbishment, but we heard no building noise (mind you, we were out most of the day). Don't know when it will be finished or whether there are certain rooms that might be affected by noise - might be worth checking. Also, we were told by one of the bar staff that the hotel will reopen with a different name in the future - I think he said Cinnamon Lodge or something like that. As long as it remains as pretty, peaceful and pleasant, I'll certainly be back.