Queen's Hotel - Kandy

Queen's Hotel

The Queen's Hotel is an 80-room British Colonial style three star hotel, located at central hill capital Kandy in Sri Lanka. Located within the center of the town at end of the most street, this former Governor's residence is one among the oldest hotels in Sri Lanka with a history of over 160 years. it's currently managed by the Ceylon Hotels Cooperation.

The hotel was originally constructed as a residence, the 'Dullawe Walauwa', designed by Devendra Mulachariya on instructions from King Sri Vickrama Rajasinha. Soon after British defeated the Kandyan Kingdom in 1815, it had been adapted as a mansion for the Governor of Ceylon, with adjoining buildings constructed to deal with British troops. The building was subsequently converted into the barracks for the Ceylon Rifle Regiment. In 1840 it had been used as a hostel, referred to as Malabar House, thanks to its location on Malabar Street (now referred to as D S Senanayake Veediya).It was then operated as a boarding house, referred to as the Stainton Hotel, managed by James Stainton. After his death in 1863 his wife continued to run the business until 1869. In 1869 it opened under new management, the Queens Hotel Company, and its name was changed to the Queens Hotel. In 1895 it had been acquired by Kandy Hotels Company Limited who undertook extensive enlargements and enhancements to the building, so as to form it into a first-class hotel.

Notable attractions of the hotel are the Queen of Hearts restaurant, Royal Ball Room and therefore the Pub Royal, the latter being the sole British Pub within the city that gives service with old colonial flavor. The Lord Mountbatten Lounge Bar was named after Lord Mountbatten of Burma who was a frequent guest at the Queen's when he was the Supreme Allied Commander South East Asia Theatre with the South East Asia Command based in Kandy.