Hotel by the Water Falls designed by Palinda Kannangara Architects, Located in a small hill town of Ramboda in central Sri Lanka, between Kandy (historic city) and Nuwereliya (tourist hill station), in a unique ecological zone (of tropical montane forests and grasslands) this 27 room, 6 story hotel building is completely integrated into the terrain of the land.

The design had to address environmental regulations that stipulated a 2 story building to the road and to avoid blocking views of the scenery to the locals and passing tourists.

The design adopts these challenges and presents a visitor-friendly 2 story facade to the road permeable to the dramatic views of Ramboda falls. Visitors and guests enter the hotel at a 4thfloor level which is also the road level.  The parking, lobby as well as the upper level allows for views of the vast valleys, dam, waterfalls and the horizon. 30 feet cantilevered open viewing deck, provides a 270? panoramic view of the surrounding nature- the Waterfalls, Kotmale reservoir, and the verdant hills.
The site helped generate the brief, initially, the client had requested building a restaurant and a few rooms however upon analyzing the terrain the possibility of additional hotel rooms was suggested. Building with the natural terrain enabled the building of two floors below the road level nestled into the topography, which became the bedroom wings of the hotel. While the 4th and 5th floor is given to public activities, lobby, gem store, ...