Visit Historical Olde Empire Hotel and the Temple of Tooth Relic

Year and Month	Hotel – Fourth visit – September 2020
Number of Days	Two
Crew	06
Accommodation	Olde Empire
Transport	AAT Office Van
Activities	Photography, Sightseeing, Nature Exploring, Pilgrimage
Weather	Little misty and no sunshine
Route	Colombo -> Hatton by Train -> Nallathanniya by Van
Tips, Notes and Special remark	Carry enough water Book prior to your visit Be mindful at the temple area Do not disturb the foreigners Do not litter Leave only footprints
Related Resources	Temple of the Tooth Relic Olde Empire
Author	Ranshan Fernando
Comments	Discuss this trip report, provide feedback or make suggestions at Lakdasun Forum on the thread Visit Historical Olde Empire Hotel and the Temple of Tooth Relic

The ‘Empire’ as is popularly referred to in Kandy, is a well-known landmark situated in the city center, in front of the Garden of the sacred Temple of the Tooth of Lord Buddha [earlier Square with the Horse Statue], next to Queens Hotel & the old courts complex. Form its upstairs Verandah it commands an excellent view of the Kandy Lake!

Olde Empire has been in the PC Fernando family from 27/December/1898 which is around 110 years. The building has been used as a Coffee factory [Kopi kale] before being converted to a Hotel. It is now an UN designated Conserved Building in the World Heritage City of Kandy. The entire upstairs floor is of wooden planks on timber beams!

It used to be a Drinking Bar/Pub in the good old days, till the current owner converted it to a Guest House Hotel [Budget] in the 1970s! It is famous for local food, such as Rice & Curry, with sliced spicy Roast Beef and Fried Seer Fish as its signature dishes. Every Friday normally is Lamprais day with this Ceylon Dutch specialty available for lunch.

There are 14 bedrooms [No.13 was missing due to bad luck] upstairs, with a long verandah overlooking the scenic Kandy Lake. The old bar/pub with marble top counters was downstairs with an entrance from the Colombo Road at the back of the building. These have been converted to bed rooms. There are two dining halls downstairs with an entrance from Temple Street in front.

The bath rooms and toilets are mixed, common for males and females. The room clientele is generally budget foreign tourists and traveling salesmen. The dining clientele were lawyers & litigants of the nearby court complex [not now as the courts have been shifted elsewhere], pilgrims of the famous Temple of Lord Buddha’s Tooth and the holi poli [common man] of Kandy.

The Empire is mentioned in the Lonely Planet Guide Book on Sri Lanka; and it appeared in the Discovery Channel TV Program on Sri Lanka.

Address:
21 Temple St, Kandy, Sri Lanka
For Bookings Please Call
94 (0) 776 321 867
94 (0) 777 619 637

The Hotel

Old Nameboard

Protected by the Archaeology dept

The view

The entrance

Construction method

Old one

The Balcony

One of our main area to enjoy the beauty

The view

Flower sellers

Made by Wood

The corridor

Near the rooms

Still strong

Some facts

Old facts

The Dinning room

There are more rooms

Ground floor

Key board

Collection

Staircase to the Ground floor

Another view

Calm	Ground floor backside

Another view

The closed entrance of the ground floor the other side

Designs

This is the ceiling as well as the ground of the 2nd floor

Old Fashion

Key Board

Staircase of the front side

The ceiling of the 2nd floor

Outer view

The roof

P;d but Gold

Old rack

Interior

More rooms there

Its seperated

Old Movie Poster

Entrance gate

Side view

It’s a heritage

Temple of Tooth Relic

I think this might be my 15th or above visit to the temple of tooth relic. When we came here for 2 or more days sometimes I visit here in the evening and then in the dawn of the next day morning. Altogether I think I have visited there over 15 times in my life. But it’s always giving me a fresh view which is never expiring. That is why I always visit the Temple of Tooth Relic when I am at Kandy.