Kandy has long been central to Sri Lanka’s cultural identity—a city layered with history, spirituality, and movement. But just beyond its busy streets lies a quieter perspective. At Taru Villas Kandy, the experience shifts from sightseeing to stillness, offering travellers a place to pause without disconnecting from the destination. Taru Villas Kandy CEO, Alvin Jacobs, shares the thinking behind the property and how it brings together heritage, comfort, and a sense of calm.
A Quiet Counterpoint To Kandy: Inside Taru Villas
Set above Sri Lanka’s cultural capital, Taru Villas – Kandy offers a slower, more reflective way to experience a city steeped in history
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Taru Villas – Kandy is set close to one of Sri Lanka’s most culturally significant cities. What was the vision behind creating this retreat here?
Kandy deserves more than a day trip. It’s Sri Lanka’s cultural heart, the last kingdom, home to the Temple of the Tooth, surrounded by highlands and history. But the city itself can be busy. We wanted to offer a place where guests could engage with all of that and still return to somewhere peaceful. The property sits high above the mist, with gardens that have been here for generations. It’s a home first, one that happens to be perfectly placed for exploring Kandy.
Alvin Jacobs, Taru Villas Kandy CEO
Indian guests often seek a blend of culture, comfort, and calm. How does the property balance its tranquil setting with Kandy’s vibrant cultural energy?
The balance is built into the location. You’re twenty minutes from the Temple of the Tooth, the markets, and the lake, but when you return, the noise stays behind. The gardens absorb it. The verandahs invite you to sit. We find Indian guests appreciate this rhythm: mornings in the city, afternoons by the pool, evenings watching the mist roll in. Kandy gives you plenty to see. We give you somewhere to process it.
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The property offers a sense of calm away from the city. How important is this balance of serenity and culture to the overall guest experience?
It’s essential. Culture can be exhausting, in the best way. Temples, crowds, new foods, unfamiliar rituals. You need somewhere to return to that allows you to absorb it all. That’s what the property offers. Not isolation, but breathing room. Guests explore more, and enjoy it more, when they know what’s waiting for them at the end of the day.
Food is central to the travel experience, especially for Indian guests. How does your culinary approach cater to Indian palates while remaining rooted in Sri Lankan flavours?
Sri Lankan and Indian cuisines share more than people realise: the spices, the rice-based meals, and the emphasis on fresh preparation. We lean into that. Our kitchen is happy to adjust for vegetarian preferences or spice tolerance, but the food remains Sri Lankan. Guests often discover that what they expected to feel unfamiliar turns out to be surprisingly close to home, just with new flavours to explore.
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The house was built by Sir J. Cuda Ratwatte Instagram/kandy.taruvillas
What do you believe sets Taru Villas – Kandy apart in a city rich with history and heritage?
The house itself carries history. It was built by Sir J. Cuda Ratwatte, a name that holds significance in this region. You’re not staying in a new structure designed to look old. You’re staying in a home that has watched Kandy evolve over generations. That sense of continuity is difficult to recreate. Guests feel it without it needing to be explained.
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