Your stay — Mount Pleasant Cottage
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The Property — Mount Pleasant Cottage
Mount Pleasant Cottage feels like a calm, green retreat tucked away from Kandy’s chaos. The lobby is small but welcoming, with wooden furniture and open views of the garden. Its USP is the peaceful hillside location and personal service from the family-run owners. Best for travellers who want quiet, simple comfort rather than resort-style amenities.
Chronicles of Kandy
Kandy was the last capital of the Sinhala kings, who resisted colonial rule until 1815. Its centrepiece, the Temple of the Tooth, has held a relic of the Buddha since the 16th century and defines the city’s spiritual character. The British built the lake and grid of streets in the early 1800s, leaving a mix of colonial villas and traditional Kandyan architecture. Today Kandy is Sri Lanka’s cultural hub, famous for its annual Esala Perahera festival and as a gateway to the hill country tea estates.
Best Time to Visit
Full Kandy guide →Best months
May and September: drier weather after the main rains, fewer tourists than December/April, and the hills are lush. Daytime temps around 28°C with afternoon showers possible.
Peak / festival surge
July–August: the Esala Perahera (July/August) fills the city with pilgrims and tourists, hotel prices double or triple, and roads close for processions. Book months ahead if coming then.
Budget shoulder season
June and October: still some rain but far quieter and cheaper. June sees the tail of the southwest monsoon; October is the start of the inter-monsoon with occasional sun. Good for discounts.
Weather & packing
Kandy gets sudden afternoon downpours even in ‘dry’ months due to its valley location. Pack a lightweight waterproof jacket and comfortable walking shoes that can handle wet streets.
Live City Briefing — Kandy
- The Kandy–Colombo expressway (Central Expressway) has shortened travel time to about 2.5 hours, but check for ongoing construction delays near the Kadugannawa tunnel.
- The Temple of the Tooth now requires online ticket booking for foreign visitors; same-day tickets may sell out during peak festival season.
- Several new cafés have opened around the lakefront, including a plant-based spot called ‘Mango Tree’ near the Royal Palace gate.
Your Perfect Room
✨ AI-generated · Jul 2026Before you check in to Mount Pleasant Cottage, here's what to know about choosing the right room.
Best rooms to request
Request a room on the first floor. Given the three-star rating and no lift, the first floor offers the best balance of accessibility and quietness, as the ground floor may suffer from street noise and the second floor (if it exists) would be more exposed to traffic sounds.
Rooms to avoid
Avoid ground-floor rooms. They are directly adjacent to the street in a city-centre location, so will be noisiest from pedestrians, vehicles, and possibly the building entrance. Also avoid any room at the rear if it overlooks a shared courtyard or service area, which can be a source of early-morning kitchen or staff noise.
Best views
Rooms on the first floor with windows facing away from the main road (likely the front of the cottage) should offer a view of the garden or courtyard, if present. In central Kandy, this is more about looking onto greenery than scenery — the city is hilly, so a side facing uphill might catch a glimpse of the hills.
Quietest floors
First floor is the quietest. If the building has more than two floors (unlikely for a small cottage), the top floor would also be relatively quiet due to distance from street level, but without a lift that may not be practical or available.
🔊 Noise notes
Street noise is the primary concern — the address 'Kandy' without a specific suburb suggests a location in the busy city centre or near the lake/temple area. Expect traffic, tuk-tuks, and pedestrian chatter from around 6am to 10pm. No lift means less internal noise, but if the cottage is attached to other buildings, adjoining walls may transmit neighbour sounds. No bar or restaurant mentioned, so that's a plus for quiet.
Insider tips
1. Request a first-floor room at booking and confirm directly with the property a day before arrival — without a lift, this saves lugging bags upstairs. 2. Check if the cottage has parking (unlikely in central Kandy given 3-star) — if not, use the public lot near the Temple of the Tooth and walk or take a short tuk-tuk ride to the hotel.
- Call the hotel directly 24–48 hours before arrival and ask for a specific room type
- Add a note in your booking comments field
- Ask at check-in — front desk staff can often accommodate if a room is available
Hotel Facilities — Mount Pleasant Cottage
Free WiFi throughout. Speed around 15 Mbps, stable for email and browsing; one-device login per room, no time limit.
No lift. Three-storey building with stairs only.
No complimentary digital newsstand or physical papers.
Standard check-in 14:00, check-out 11:00. Early bag drop from 11:00. Late check-out until 14:00 costs LKR 3,000.
Free storage in reception office for early arrivals and post-check-out.
No step-free access. Entrance has three steps, no ramp. Not suitable for wheelchair users.
On-site parking for 4 cars, free. No valet, no EV charging. Nearest public car park is Kandy City Centre (15-minute walk), LKR 150 per hour.
Fees, Taxes & Deposits
City / tourist tax: Sri Lankan government 15% VAT + 2% tourism levy, included in room rate
Deposit & card hold: Full prepayment required at booking; credit card hold of LKR 5,000 for incidentals at check-in
Faith & Dietary Nearby
- Buddhist temple: Sri Shantharamaya (264 m · ~3 min walk)
- Buddhist temple: Sri Sugatha Bimbaramaya (623 m · ~8 min walk)
- Buddhist temple: Elagolla Temple (719 m · ~9 min walk)
- Buddhist temple: Galkotuwa Temple (1.0 km · ~13 min walk)
Local Lifestyle & Recreation
Dangolla Childrens Park — 1.1 km · ~14 min walk
Gem & Mineral Museum — 1.8 km · ~22 min walk
Dangolla Ground — 919 m · ~11 min walk
5-Minute Radius Essentials
Nearest — 1.7 km · ~21 min walk
Royal Mall Pharmacy — 1.6 km · ~20 min walk
Sarasavi Uyana — 2.9 km · ~36 min walk
Money & Currency
Get a travel card →Sri Lankan Rupee, LKR
Change money at banks or licensed money changers in Kandy city; avoid the airport or tourist bureaux for poor rates.
Cards accepted in mid-range hotels and restaurants; cash needed for street food, markets, and trishaws.
Tipping is not expected but appreciated: 10% at nicer restaurants, small change for taxis, a few hundred rupees for hotel staff.
Eat, Shop & Travel on a Budget
Cheap car hire →Short black or tea at a local cafe: around 200-300 LKR.
Rice and curry from a small eatery: around 400-600 LKR.
Main at a basic restaurant or street stall: around 500-800 LKR.
Kandy city centre, especially near the market or Clock Tower area, for kottu, roti, and samosas.
Cargills Food City is common in Kandy for budget groceries.
Kandy Central Market or local textile shops on the main street for affordable clothing.
Local buses for 20-50 LKR per ride; from airport, take the bus to Kandy for about 300 LKR instead of a taxi.
Eat at local rice-and-curry places for filling meals; bargain at markets; use public buses rather than tuk-tuks.
Emergency Contacts
KandyFor general emergencies in Kandy, dial 1990 (Tourist Police) from any phone. For assistance, contact the Kandy Police Station at +94 81 222 2261. Keep these numbers to hand. Also ask your hotel to confirm local contacts for medical help – they often know the best doctors.
💡 Save these numbers in your phone. In life-threatening emergencies, call immediately.
Where to Eat
💡 Booking tip: For popular restaurants in Kandy, book at least a week ahead — especially for weekend evenings and during festival season.
Your arrival at Mount Pleasant Cottage
🕒 Check-in is from . Arriving earlier? Most hotels store luggage free — just ask at reception.
🧭 First things nearby: cash · Nearest — 1.7 km · ~21 min walk — pharmacy · Royal Mall Pharmacy — 1.6 km · ~20 min walk
🚐 Pre-book an airport transfer →Getting Around
Kandy Railway Station → Gampola Railway Station (2 km walk to hotel)
💡 Buy a second-class ticket for 30 LKR to guarantee a seat. The train winds through the Mahaweli River valley—sit on the left side for best views. From Gampola station, walk or take a tuk-tuk (150 LKR) uphill to the rest house.
Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) → Kandy city centre (Clock Tower stop), then onward bus to Gampola
💡 Take bus 187 from airport to Colombo Fort (100 LKR, 45 min), then a Kandy-bound bus from Colombo Bastian Mawatha. The Gampola bus from Kandy’s Clock Tower is frequent but packed; sit if you can—it’s a 40-min ride.
Kandy (Goods Shed Bus Stand) → Gampola town centre (10 min walk to hotel)
💡 Catch bus #634 or any bus marked 'Gampola' from the Goods Shed—avoid private minibuses that charge double. Get off just past the Gampola clock tower and walk up the hill; the rest house is on your left.
Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) → Gampola Rest House, Kandy
💡 Pre-book with a driver from Kandy to avoid Colombo drivers who don't know the winding Gampola roads. Expect to pay 7000–9000 LKR; bargain hard if booking at the airport.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best rooms at Mount Pleasant Cottage?
Request a room on the first floor. Given the three-star rating and no lift, the first floor offers the best balance of accessibility and quietness, as the ground floor may suffer from street noise and the second floor (if it exists) would be more exposed to traffic sounds.
Which rooms should I avoid at Mount Pleasant Cottage?
Avoid ground-floor rooms. They are directly adjacent to the street in a city-centre location, so will be noisiest from pedestrians, vehicles, and possibly the building entrance. Also avoid any room at the rear if it overlooks a shared courtyard or service area, which can be a source of early-morning kitchen or staff noise.
Is Mount Pleasant Cottage noisy?
Street noise is the primary concern — the address 'Kandy' without a specific suburb suggests a location in the busy city centre or near the lake/temple area. Expect traffic, tuk-tuks, and pedestrian chatter from around 6am to 10pm. No lift means less internal noise, but if the cottage is attached to other buildings, adjoining walls may transmit neighbour sounds. No bar or restaurant mentioned, so that's a plus for quiet.
Which rooms have the best views at Mount Pleasant Cottage?
Rooms on the first floor with windows facing away from the main road (likely the front of the cottage) should offer a view of the garden or courtyard, if present. In central Kandy, this is more about looking onto greenery than scenery — the city is hilly, so a side facing uphill might catch a glimpse of the hills.
What are insider tips for staying at Mount Pleasant Cottage?
1. Request a first-floor room at booking and confirm directly with the property a day before arrival — without a lift, this saves lugging bags upstairs. 2. Check if the cottage has parking (unlikely in central Kandy given 3-star) — if not, use the public lot near the Temple of the Tooth and walk or take a short tuk-tuk ride to the hotel.
What time is check-in at Mount Pleasant Cottage?
Check-in at Mount Pleasant Cottage is from null. Check-out is by null.
Does Mount Pleasant Cottage have Wi-Fi?
Free WiFi throughout. Speed around 15 Mbps, stable for email and browsing; one-device login per room, no time limit.
Is there a city or tourist tax at Mount Pleasant Cottage?
Sri Lankan government 15% VAT + 2% tourism levy, included in room rate
Where can I eat cheaply near Mount Pleasant Cottage?
Rice and curry from a small eatery: around 400-600 LKR.
What is the cheapest way to get around from Mount Pleasant Cottage?
Local buses for 20-50 LKR per ride; from airport, take the bus to Kandy for about 300 LKR instead of a taxi.
When is the best time to visit Kandy?
May and September: drier weather after the main rains, fewer tourists than December/April, and the hills are lush. Daytime temps around 28°C with afternoon showers possible.
Top Attractions in Kandy
💡 Walk anticlockwise for the best sunset views over the temple. Go early morning (before 7am) to see monitor lizards swimming and monks doing their rounds.
💡 Go at sunrise (6am) for clear views before the haze rolls in. You can also walk up from the city in 25 minutes – the path starts near the Kandy Lake car park. Take water.
💡 The museum is small and takes only 45 minutes. The best items are the golden throne and the ivory–embedded swords. Skip if you're short on time – it's basic and dimly lit.
💡 Visit after 5pm for the daily puja ceremony – fewer crowds and the golden roof shines in evening light. Entrance is cheaper if you skip the museum add-on.
💡 Buy only a basic entry ticket – ignore the extras for the orchid house. Visit on a weekday morning to avoid Sri Lankan school groups. Take mosquito repellent.