Ambepussa Rest House:

A blend of Dutch and Sri Lankan architecture

by Beverley Jansz

Ambepussa Rest house was built after the road to Kandy was opened in 1822. The building constructed in the Dutch style, was at first the bungalow of Public Works Department Executive Engineer, before it was converted into a resthouse.

Located on the Colomo-Kandy highway, in the Kegalle district, the Ambepussa Rest house is popular as a stop-over for both foreign and local tourists travelling to Kandy, Dambulla, Sigiriya, Polonnaruwa and other historic sites in Sri Lanka's Cultural Triangle.

The resthouse has six guest rooms with all modern facilities. The restaurant at Ambepussa Rest house has been fully refurbished recently with colourful interior decor. It offers the best in Western, Eastern and spicy Sri Lankan cuisine in the form of breakfast and lunch buffets, which are very popular among tourists visiting Kandy and the Cultural Triangle.

A unique feature at the resthouse is the soothing, and scintillating music provided by a flutist on an 'Attala' (wooden platform on a tree) opposite the rest house.

The historic Beligala Temple, Rajamaha Devagiri Temple and Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage are some of the main tourist attractions in close proximity to the rest house.

Resident Manager, Ambepussa Resthouse, Saman Alwis and his staff take special care to make all guests 'feel at home'.

The 'Avanhala' (Pastry Shop) opposite the Ambepussa Rest house also managed by the Ceylon Hotels Corporation, is also a popular stop-over for tourists travelling to Kandy and the Cultural Triangle.

The Sri Lankan breakfast buffet at the Avanhala, is very popular due to the variety of delicious Western and Sri Lankan cuisine offered. The Ambepussa Resthouse is owned and managed by the Ceylon Hotels Corporation.

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