Kandy Backpacker's Hostel

The people working there are lovely, and breakfast and dinner come included. The pool is a nice bonus, especially since places with one seem uncommon in Kandy outside resorts. It's about 30 minutes from the center, but you can walk, take a tuk tuk, or catch a bus for 26 rupees. The rooms are nice, though ours smelled damp. I'd recommend it if you're traveling on a low budget.

Good value for the money, though finding the hostel was a bit tricky. The rooms really need more attention, both for upkeep and cleanliness. The receptionist seemed reluctant to help with our luggage and wasn't very welcoming.

Breakfast and dinner are included, so the price is reasonable, but the hostel itself feels worn out. My room smelled mouldy and wasn't pleasant to spend time in. I didn't mind the free cooking session, and the instructor seemed keen, but he spoke so quietly that I could only catch about half of it as a native speaker. Non-native speakers seemed to have even more trouble. We mostly watched him cook and talk through how to combine the ingredients, rather than taking part in much of a class. The food was delicious.

I had a great stay in a single room with AC. Breakfast and dinner were free, the owners were helpful and made me feel safe, and the pool was nice for cooling off.