Mansion

The Mansion was built in the 1920s by Punchi Banda Nugawela, Diyawadana Nilame of the "Temple of The Tooth' in Kandy. He was a Kandy chieftain, believed to have lived lavishly in the early 20th century. The building’s designer was European, but the architect’s identity is still a mystery. In 1999, the last resident, Mr. Rathnapala Marawanagoda, decided to turn the villa into a hotel. Much of the timber is Rangoon Teak. The downstairs floor is Italian marble, and the upstairs balustrades and stairway sides use valuable Sri Lanka timber. Different glass in the dome above the upper drawing room was used to create soft lighting. The Nugawela family hosted lavish gatherings. Mahathma Gandhi stayed here in November 1928, in the large bedroom beside the main staircase. A baby elephant would sometimes come into the dining room to take a banana from a guest. Actor Gregory Peck also used the house while filming ‘Purple Plain’ in 1955. The Mansion Kandy has been closed since August 15th 2014 for restoration led by Sri Lanka's leading architect, Channa Daswatte. I hope the hotel will be running again by 2020.