Short answer — here are hotels in Kandy that consistently get the best reviews on major travel sites (TripAdvisor / Booking / Expedia / travel press), grouped by type with a one-line note about why travellers like them:

• The Kandy House — small, highly rated boutique manor with excellent food, service and gardens. (tripadvisor.com)
• Mahaweli Reach Hotel — five‑star riverfront hotel, frequently highly rated for location and service. (tripadvisor.in)
• Cinnamon Citadel Kandy — well‑reviewed riverside hotel popular with couples and families. (tripadvisor.com)
• Radisson Hotel Kandy — modern, high‑rated hotel with a rooftop bar/pool and strong TripAdvisor scores. (tripadvisor.com)
• The Summit (Hanthana area) — singled out by TripAdvisor’s 2025 Travelers’ Choice recognition as one of the top properties in the area. (newswire.lk)
• The Radh Hotel — luxury boutique option in the old city, earning consistently good guest reviews. (tripadvisor.co.uk)
• Helga’s Folly — iconic, very distinctive boutique hotel (polarising but famous — many travellers love the experience). (tripadvisor.com)
• Earl’s Regency (Kundasale) — large resort with many reviews and generally positive scores for facilities and grounds. (tripadvisor.com)
• Hotel Suisse & Queen’s Hotel — historic/heritage hotels by the lake that get solid, mixed-to-good reviews depending on expectations. (tripadvisor.com)

Notes:

• “Best” depends on what you care about (luxury vs boutique vs location vs value). The list above pulls from TripAdvisor/Booking/Expedia and recent travel coverage. (tripadvisor.com)
• Reviews and rankings change over time — if you want, I can look up current average ratings, recent guest comments or live availability/prices for any of these hotels on the dates you plan to travel.