Escape to Paradise: Luxury Yak City Apartments Await in Kandy, Sri Lanka!
Escape to Paradise: Luxury Yak City Apartments Await in Kandy, Sri Lanka! - A Review (With a Side of Chaos)
Okay, buckle up, buttercups, because I'm about to spill the tea, the coffee, and maybe a little bit of my own sweat over this whole "Escape to Paradise" thing in Kandy. Let's be real, who doesn't need an escape? Especially if you're juggling deadlines, kids, in-laws, and the general existential dread of another Tuesday. So, yeah, I signed up. And I have THOUGHTS. Many, many thoughts.
First Impressions & the "Getting There" Bit (Accessibility & Getting Around)
Right, so getting there. Airport transfer – a godsend. Especially after a long flight. They were waiting, which is a huge win in my book because I'm terrible at coordinating things after I travel. The car park [free of charge] and car park [on-site] also get a thumbs up. No stress about parking is a HUGE plus.
Accessibility? Okay, this is where I confess I didn't personally try out all the wheelchair-accessible features. (Sorry, still working on that level of dedication!). They say they've got Facilities for disabled guests, which is great. Elevator, so that's a plus if stairs aren't your friend. The exterior corridor thing threw me for a second: I thought, "Oh! A hostel? Like, exposed to the elements?" But nope, just means (I THINK!) you don't have to navigate a maze to get to your room. But seriously, for anyone needing detailed info, contact them directly. They'll give you the lowdown, not just my hazy, caffeine-fueled opinions.
The Room: A Sanctuary or a Trap? (Available in All Rooms)
Let's talk specifics. The rooms? They're nice. Really nice. But I'm not gonna sugarcoat the experience.
- The Good: Air conditioning? YES! Free Wi-Fi? YES, AND Wi-Fi [free]. Because let's be real, if I can't Instagram my breakfast, the trip's practically useless. Complimentary tea and Coffee/tea maker? Godsend. Oh, and the extra-long bed? It's the little things, people. I'm 6'2" and actually had room to stretch! Blackout curtains – pure genius. Helps with the jet lag. Non-smoking rooms – thank the heavens.
- The Quirks (and the Mild Panic): The bathtub was gorgeous. Absolutely Instagrammable. However, I couldn't find the drain for WAY too long. I eventually found it, after some near-tears.
Other good room benefits.
- Additional toilet, Bathrobes, Bathroom phone, Carpeting, Closet, Desk, Hair dryer, In-room safe box, Internet access – LAN, Internet access – wireless, Ironing facilities, Laptop workspace, Linens, Mini bar, Mirror, On-demand movies, Private bathroom, Reading light, Refrigerator, Safety/security feature, Satellite/cable channels, Scale, Seating area, Separate shower/bathtub, Shower, Slippers, Smoke detector, Socket near the bed, Sofa, Soundproofing, Telephone, Toiletries, Towels, Umbrella, Visual alarm, Wake-up service, Window that opens.
Cleanliness and Safety: Am I Going to Catch Something?
This is HUGE right now, right? They seem on it. They're offering:
- Anti-viral cleaning products: Okay good.
- Daily disinfection in common areas: Again, good.
- Doctor/nurse on call: (Thank goodness)
- First aid kit: (Also: Great.)
- Hand sanitizer: (Love it.)
- Hot water linen and laundry washing: (Nice!)
- Hygiene certification: (Excellent!)
- Individually-wrapped food options: (Yay for not sharing!)
- Physical distancing of at least 1 meter: (Makes sense!)
- Professional-grade sanitizing services: (Okay, I'm feeling better now.)
- Room sanitization opt-out available: (If you’re paranoid like me, this is great.)
- Rooms sanitized between stays: (I do wonder how they do this and how long this takes, but I shouldn’t care.)
- Safe dining setup: (See below.)
- Sanitized kitchen and tableware items: (More good!)
- Shared stationery removed: (Makes sense, though I love stationary)
- Staff trained in safety protocol: (Cool!)
- Sterilizing equipment: (Okay, I'm convinced.)
The Eats: Will I Survive the Buffet? (Dining, Drinking & Snacking)
The food situation? A mixed bag, just like real life. They have:
- A la carte in restaurant, Asian breakfast, Asian cuisine in restaurant, Bar, Bottle of water, Breakfast [buffet], Breakfast service, Buffet in restaurant, Coffee/tea in restaurant, Coffee shop, Desserts in restaurant, Happy hour, International cuisine in restaurant, Poolside bar, Restaurants, Room service [24-hour], Salad in restaurant, Snack bar, Soup in restaurant, Vegetarian restaurant, Western breakfast, Western cuisine in restaurant.
The breakfast [buffet] was what you might expect. A vast array of options, some delicious, some… less so. Okay, fine, the curry was incredible. The croissants? Perfectly flaky. I may have had two… or three. No judgement. The poolside bar called my name! A little poolside siesta is worth everything.
Pool & Pampering: Time to Unwind (Things to do, ways to relax)
Okay, this is where they really got me. The Swimming pool? Absolutely beautiful. The Pool with view? Even better. The Fitness center? Well, I intended to go. Let's just say I spent more time on the Sauna and in the Spa.
- Body scrub, Body wrap, Foot bath, Gym/fitness, Massage, Sauna, Spa, Spa/sauna, Steamroom, Swimming pool, Swimming pool [outdoor].
After a hard day of doing absolutely nothing, I may have treated myself to a massage. I'm not proud, but I'm also not sorry. Heavenly. I can't even remember what problems I had before. The Steamroom? Oh my god. I want to cry thinking about it.
The Extras: Services & Conveniences
They've got the usual bells and whistles. The concierge was helpful, the daily housekeeping was flawless, and the doorman was always charming.
- Air conditioning in public area, Audio-visual equipment for special events, Business facilities, Cash withdrawal, Concierge, Contactless check-in/out, Convenience store, Currency exchange, Daily housekeeping, Doorman, Dry cleaning, Elevator, Essential condiments, Facilities for disabled guests, Food delivery, Gift/souvenir shop, Indoor venue for special events, Invoice provided, Ironing service, Laundry service, Luggage storage, Meeting/banquet facilities, Meetings, Meeting stationery, On-site event hosting, Outdoor venue for special events, Projector/LED display, Safety deposit boxes, Seminars, Shrine, Smoking area, Terrace, Wi-Fi for special events, Xerox/fax in business center.
For the Kids: A Family Escape?
Listen, I don’t have kids. But they do have a babysitting service and mention being Family/child friendly. They also have Kids facilities and a Kids meal. So, if you’re a parent, you’ll want to look into these details, if they are what you are looking for.
The Big Picture: Is It Worth It?
Overall? Yes. Absolutely, unequivocally yes. "Escape to Paradise" isn't a lie. It's real. It offers a chance to recharge, relax, and (if you're me) temporarily forget the stresses of everyday life.
But, and this is a BIG but:
- The Imperfect Perfection: It's not perfect. There's some room for the "small problems".
- Be Prepared: Do some planning. Research some things you want to do from your room.
- It’s NOT Always Easy or Convenient: Be prepared for inconveniences.
- There are a couple of things I wasn’t crazy about: Be happy with the negatives.
Final Verdict: Go. Book it. Pack your bags (and maybe some earplugs, just in case). You deserve it.
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Yak City Apartments: Kandy, Sri Lanka - A Messy, Wonderful Adventure (Buckle Up!)
Okay, so here’s the deal. I, armed with a backpack that feels heavier than my actual body weight, and a serious case of "pre-trip jitters" (I’m talking full-blown existential crisis re: the correct phrase to say when greeting people), am in Kandy. Specifically, the Yak City Apartments. And let me tell you, this isn't some perfectly curated Instagram feed. This is REAL LIFE, people. And sometimes, it’s wonderfully chaotic.
Day 1: Arrival & The Great Colombo Carb-Overload &… A Snake?!
Morning (6:00 AM - 10:00 AM): COLOMBOOOOOO! Finally. After a flight that felt like a never-ending episode of "Airplane Mode," I’ve landed. The Colombo airport is a blur of tuk-tuks and the scent of something vaguely spicy. The air… thick. The heat… oppressive (in the best possible way). Grabbed a cab to the apartments, fighting off the urge to nap the entire way. The cab driver, bless his soul, spoke almost no English, but somehow we managed to communicate the basic necessities like “airport,” “Kandy,” and “please don’t run over any of those stray dogs (which, by the looks of things, is a common occurrence)"
- Anecdote: The Colombo airport cafe? A masterpiece of carb-loading. I swear, I inadvertently consumed an entire bakery's worth of pastries before even getting to my actual destination. My insides are currently a sugar-fueled party.
Afternoon (10:00 AM - 2:00 PM): Yak City Apartments! Finally! Checking in was… interesting. The receptionist, a sweet woman with a smile as bright as the Sri Lankan sun, didn’t seem to speak English (or understand me, I'm not sure). Lots of pointing, pantomiming, and the occasional desperate Google translate. But hey, We're in! The apartment is… adequate. Cleanish. The view is… a lot of buildings. But the balcony! The balcony is a winner.
Afternoon (2:00 PM - 5:00 PM): Attempted to venture out. Failed. The heat is truly something else. Spent an hour trying to navigate the local grocery store (it's like exploring another planet!), and ended up buying a mango that's bigger than my head.
Evening (5:00 PM - 7:00 PM): On the balcony, enjoying the giant mango. And then… a snake. A small, green, possibly venomous snake, slithering across the railing. I screamed. A lot. It slithered off. Possibly into the neighbor's apartment. I'm now too traumatized to step back outside. Send gin. And a safari suit.
Evening (7:00 PM - onwards): Dinner. Ordered room service. Chicken curry. Possibly the most delicious thing I’ve ever eaten. The fact that I didn’t have to leave the apartment to obtain this culinary wonder is a definite win. The day is a mix bag but overall, I'd say I'm embracing the chaos.
Day 2: Kandy Lake, Temples & The (Possibly) Haunted Apartment (I Swear I Saw Something)
- Morning (9:00 AM - 12:00 PM): Okay, brave face time. Decided to embrace the Kandy Lake. It's beautiful, serene… and filled with ducks that seem to want to peck your ankles. Walked around the lake, got slightly lost, sweated profusely, and took approximately 500 photos.
- Opinion: The temples surrounding the lake are stunning. Truly breathtaking. But the crowds! The sheer mass of people… It's a sensory overload of colors, sounds, and smells. Still, soak it in
- Afternoon (12:00 PM - 3:00 PM): Checked out the Temple of the Tooth. The building is stunning, the vibes are interesting and the crowds… well, they aren’t bad as I have seen before! The heat is intense. I’m pretty sure I saw a monk wink at me. Either that, or I was severely sunstroked.
- Impression: The details! The craftsmanship! The sheer historical weight of the place… It's enough to make you feel both humbled and utterly overwhelmed.
- Afternoon (3:00 PM - 6:00 PM): Back to apartment. Trying to recover from the heat and the crowds and the fact that, I swear I saw something out of the corner of my eye in the apartment. A shadow. A whisper. Maybe it was the heat. Maybe it’s leftover fatigue from the long adventure, but… I won't even mention it.
- Evening (6:00 PM - Onwards): Dinner at a local restaurant (finally braved leaving the apartment!). Ate way too much rice and curry, had a conversation with a local about cricket (I know nothing about cricket), and made a friend. Feeling… cautiously optimistic. The apartment might have a ghost, but Kandy is starting to charm me.
Day 3: Spice Gardens, Botanical Bliss &… Meltdown?
- Morning (9:00 AM - 12:00 PM): Spice Garden tour! Learned way too much about the uses of cinnamon (it's apparently good for everything! Except maybe the aforementioned ghost). Got accosted by a salesman. Bought some spices. Expensive spices.
- Afternoon (12:00 PM - 3:00 PM): Peradeniya Royal Botanical Garden. Holy. Freaking. Moly. This place!! The sheer scale! The variety of plants! Took a million more photos. Almost got trampled by a herd of overly excited children. It was worth it. The beauty is undeniable.
- Rant: Why are people so obsessed with taking selfies with every goddamn flower?! Can we just appreciate the beauty without needing to prove we were there?! Ugh. (Deep breaths.)
- Afternoon (3:00 PM - 6:00 PM): Total and utter mental breakdown. (Just kidding… kind of.) The heat, the spice gardens, the botanical garden… It's all a bit much. Needed a nap. Two naps. Ate a chocolate bar. Cried slightly. Realized I hadn't called anyone in days. Called my Mom and asked if she could send chocolate via mail, so here's hoping for the best.
- Evening (6:00 PM - onwards): Trying to be a responsible human! Ate dinner, tried to plan the next day, and is deciding whether I want to stay out of the apartment or not, since I have the feeling that the ghost might be back.
Day 4: Departure (With a Dash of Drama)
- Morning (8:00 AM - 10:00 AM): Woke up. Ate the last of the mango. Packed. Briefly considered staying in Kandy forever. Then remembered I have responsibilities (ugh).
- Morning (10:00 AM - 12:00 PM): Check-out. The receptionist, bless her heart, seemed genuinely sad to see me go. I think we’d reached a sort of silent understanding.
- Afternoon (12:00 PM - 2:00 PM): The Tuk-tuk ride to the train station. A whirlwind of horns, near-misses, and the pervasive smell of exhaust fumes. I love it.
- Afternoon (2:00 PM - onwards): Headed out of the city.
Final Thoughts:
Kandy, you wonderfully chaotic, beautiful, and slightly unnerving city. Yak City Apartments… well, you were a place. A place with a questionable snake and possibly a resident ghost. But I wouldn’t trade the experience. At least, not yet. There you have it. It was raw, it was messy, and it was definitely me. And that, my friends, is what traveling (and life) is all about. Farewell Kandy! Let's hope I can enjoy a long, relaxing, and uneventful flight home.
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Escape to Paradise: Luxury Yak City Apartments - Kandy FAQ (Because Let's Be Real, You Have Questions... and So Do I!)
Okay, Seriously... Is it REALLY Luxury? Like, Actual Luxury or Just Sri Lankan Luxury (which, let’s be honest, sometimes means slightly less than advertised)?
Alright, deep breath. "Luxury" is thrown around like confetti, isn’t it? Let me lay it on you straight. Yak City Apartments? They've got the *potential* for luxury. Think sleek, modern design, big windows, probably a decent view (depending on which apartment you snag). The *actual* feeling of luxury hinges on a few things. First, the details. Do the taps drip? (Mine didn't, HUGE win!). Are the towels fluffy and not, like, threadbare? (Mine were blessedly fluffy). Is the AC blasting Arctic air, or wheezing like a chain-smoker? (Good AC is a LIFE SAVER in Kandy heat!).
The biggest luxury, for me, was the space. Coming from a tiny hostel room... the apartment felt like a mansion! I felt like I could breathe, you know? But look, perfection is a myth. There might be a tiny crack in the tile, a slightly wonky doorframe. That's Sri Lanka. Roll with it. Embrace the *character*! (Translation: Lower your expectations just a smidge, and enjoy the amazingness where it shines).
Kandy? Is it actually convenient to the main sights? Because I HATE being stuck miles from everything, especially in a strange city.
Convenience? Well, "convenient" is also a sliding scale. Yak City isn't *right* in the middle of everything. But it's not the middle of nowhere either. Think of it like this: you can walk to the Temple of the Tooth Relic (the most important thing, basically), but it's a bit of a hike. And by "hike" I mean you'll probably be sweating buckets in the Kandy heat (seriously, bring deodorant!).
The upside? Tuk-tuks are *everywhere*. You can flag one down in seconds and zip around for ridiculously cheap. Bonus points for the tuk-tuk drivers who know all the shortcuts through the crazy Kandy traffic. Just be prepared to haggle a bit. It's part of the fun (that, or the aggressive bargaining makes you want to hide in your apartment and order room service - which, by the way, is *totally* an option).
The pool. Is it a watery paradise, or a disappointing puddle? Because pools can make or break a holiday for me.
The pool... Ah, the pool. Alright, so *this* is where things get fun, because I've got a *story*. First, let me set the scene: I arrive, exhausted from traveling, dreaming of a refreshing dip in the advertised "infinity pool." Picture this: the sun is beating down, the air is thick, and all I want is cold water against my skin. I get to the pool, and... IT'S CLOSED. Closed! For "maintenance." My face must have said it all, because the receptionist just kind of shrugged sympathetically.
Now, this is where the "messy, honest, funny" part kicks in. Internally, I was raging. I'd pictured myself having a cocktail by the pool, feeling all glamorous and relaxed. Instead, I was facing a potentially disastrous lack of pool. (First world problems, I know, but still!). I ended up going on a VERY long walk to cool off that day.
The pool eventually re-opened. It was lovely. The view was great. It was clean. But that initial disappointment? It was a defining moment of my stay! So… check before you book if the pool is open! But seriously, even if it's closed, Kandy has other options. Just don't make *my* mistake. Always double-check beforehand.
What about the FOOD? Is there anywhere decent to eat nearby, or am I doomed to ordering delivery every night?
Food is crucial, people! And Kandy has some gems. You're not doomed to room service (though, as I mentioned... the option is there, and sometimes you just need a night in with a movie and a plate of fries). There are some amazing local restaurants nearby. Do your research, ask the staff for recommendations. Don't be afraid to try the street food! (Just maybe choose a place with a busy crowd, to ensure turnover). The local curries are phenomenal. I am STILL dreaming about the Kothu Roti I had one night.
Then, there's the cafe culture. Kandy's got some seriously cute cafes, perfect for a coffee and a pastry in the morning. (Or, like, three pastries. No judgment here!). So yeah, you'll eat well. Very well. Prepare to loosen your belt. I know I did.
Are the apartments noisy? I can't deal with constant traffic or construction!
Noise is a valid concern. Kandy can be... lively. The good news is that the apartments are generally well-insulated. The bad news? You're in Kandy. There's always a chance of a stray dog barking, a vehicle blaring its horn, or some kind of celebration going on nearby involving loud music. Embrace the chaos, or bring earplugs. They're your best friend.
What's the Wi-Fi like? I'm working remotely, and a stable internet connection is non-negotiable. Also, does it work properly in the bathroom? Asking for a friend...
Wi-Fi is crucial for remote workers! The Wi-Fi at Yak City Apartments is generally pretty decent. I was able to get work done – video calls, email, the whole shebang. It wasn't lightning-fast fiber optic, but it was reliable enough for my needs. And it did, praise the internet gods, work in the bathroom (necessary for those *important* work-related chats, of course!).
However, expect some glitches. There were occasional dropouts. Bring a backup hotspot or be prepared to tether to your phone, just in case. And remember, this is Sri Lanka. Patience is your friend. Embrace the occasional internet outage as a chance to meditate, read a book, or just stare out the window and enjoy the beautiful surroundings. (Okay, I might not have been able to do that, given my workload, but the option was there!).
Is it safe? I'm traveling solo and always worried about that.
Kandy felt safe to me. I felt comfortable walking around during the day. At night, I'd stick to tuk-tuks for getting around, especially if I was alone. The staff at the apartments were friendly and helpful, and I felt like they were looking out for the guests. Always be aware of your surroundings,Nomad Hotel Search
