Inside the entrance hall at Samadhi, you are watched over by a silk tapestry depicting seven Buddhist monks each holding a lotus blossom in their hand. Each monk is a different shade of brown. Likewise, the cultural diversity of this island is reflected in the villagers, who form the core of what makes Samadhi run smoothly. They are unspoiled and courteous - every man, woman, or boy will calmly break from sweeping the stone pathway, lighting the oil lamp, or picking fresh produce for your lunch to wish you Ayubowan! the traditional Sinhala welcome which means Let there be long life!
The inspiration for the design and architecture was born of meditation. And so you willingly leave your city husk behind at the gate with no signal for mobile phones, it is the perfect opportunity to let nothing interrupt the sounds of forest birdsong, of tree frogs and crickets, and the whisper of the breeze from the trees. The 13 pavilions, which lean out of the hillside, are veritable temples of tranquility. They are designed to make you feel you are the only person staying here. Privacy is everything. Yet there are no unnecessary walls.
This results in a truly serene environment surrounded by urns, art, and treasures dating back to a time when Kandy was a royal realm. There, everything is king-sized. The Indonesian teak bed in a double room is spacious enough to sleep three people comfortably. But even the smallest suite provides a four-poster bed to dream in.
The spacious verandahs of each suite of rooms give onto paddy fields, nearby mountains, and bench terraces filled with herb gardens or pineapples. Bamboos reach out with their four-fingered leaves to fan a breeze at you. In the surrounding natural forest, mango, toddy palm, mahogany, and jak trees rub necks with giant bamboo, avocado, and Chinese guava.
