The Notary’s House

Serene boutique ▪️ Makandura
Sri Lanka
Everything we do is custom made by real Asia experts...

The Notary’s House is a welcoming oasis just a short drive from Colombo airport, making it a natural place to bookend your trip.

With a contemporary, homely feel which encourages you to unwind, along with bright interiors, shady terraces and heritage details, the ambiance is definitely one of relaxation and respite. The open layout invites you to amble languidly through the gardens, or find a soft, cushioned corner to curl up in. Despite its generous proportions, this secluded boutique hosts only a handful of guests, so it never feels crowded.

Wander beneath the coconut trees to the edge of the lake, allowing your mind to gently unwind. Take tea on the terrace, lay back on a lounger, or cool off with a dip in the inviting pool, before heading indoors for a beautifully cooked dinner of fragrant Sri Lankan specialities as the sun sets.

Start planning your journey here...

Give us a call 9am-5pm UK time Monday to Friday, or make an enquiry online at any time.

Location & Highlights

Makandura is nestled neatly between Colombo and the Cultural Triangle, making it great for your first night or two in the country, or as a convenient stop on your journey east.
  • Close to Colombo airport
  • Garden & sun terrace
  • Outdoor pool
  • Home-cooked Sri Lankan cuisine
a room with a large bowl of water

Why we love it

“The perfect place for our first two nights in Sri Lanka - we really felt that we had arrived somewhere special and immediately began to discover the local culture.”

Convenient and calming

great Sri Lanka food served at Notary's House

There are many properties within convenient reach of Colombo airport, but few with such a genuine sense of welcoming tranquillity, which is just what you crave post arrival or pre-departure. The clever layout means that each guest is granted a true sense of space and privacy, whilst at the same time being made to feel at home within moments of arrival – a difficult balance to get right, and the Notary’s House nails it.

great Sri Lanka food served at Notary's House

A sense of cultural connection

tranquil setting of notarys house, Sri Lanka

The Notary’s House has a real sense of place, allowing you to connect with Sri Lanka straight away. The bright rooms are accented with heritage-style pieces which evoke the country’s diverse history, from regal kingdoms to European influence. The wildly-planted gardens bring a sense of the country’s spice-growing heritage, which culminates in the superb local dinners served in style on the terrace.

tranquil setting of notarys house, Sri Lanka

What can you do there?

Notary's House exterior

The team at Notary’s house are keen to get you into the surrounding countryside and forest, as well as introducing you to the local temple and the community and spreading the benefit of some of your spend. Bikes are complimentary during your stay, as are guided bird watching walks around the lake and a cooking demonstration. Further afield, Dambadeniya Ancient Kingdom is a truly fascinating site. It’s a short drive away, and great for those staying two nights or more who are interested in a more remote experience than they will get in the Cultural Triangle.

Notary's House exterior
The Notary's House  verandah
Veranda at The Notary's House
Notary's House swimming pool
Pool at The Notary's House
Notary's House deluxe bedroom
Deluxe room at The Notary's House
Notary's House ground floor
Bright spaces at The Notary's House

Highly Recommend Selective Asia

Have been to Asia with Selective Asia twice now, and we can't fault them. We had the most amazing holiday staying in 6 different locations throughout Thailand. Selective Asia did us proud by giving us a well thought out itinerary. The accommodations were first class. Our private guide called James was very knowledgable and made our holiday very memorable.

Susan Bartlett, Thailand

Personalised and spot on journey

Personalised service all the way up to departure and then throughout via on the ground help and advice in country as well. Ideal.

Ann B, India

Another fantastic trip with Selective Asia

We’ve been on 5 trips to the Far East with Selective Asia over 17 years with the same consultant (Lionel). They take the time to tailor the holiday individually with invaluable local knowledge and once again got it spot on. Wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them.

Rob Clarkson, Vietnam

Our trip to Japan was outstanding

We had had several discussions with Andrew, our agent, before booking the trip and he incorporated all the activities we were interested in plus recommending other activities that he knew we would be interested in. Much of our trip was self guided and SA provide an excellent app to help with this. It was intuitive, easy to use and had the option to be able to contact someone locally if necessary. The whole trip was seamless and managed at a thoroughly professional yet friendly level. I would travel with this company again (we have travelled with them before.)

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Fantastic holiday

Using Selective Asia took all the stress out of booking and organising the trip ourselves as we were travelling around the country. Selective Asia were really responsive to our needs and created our perfect honeymoon holiday. They were available whenever we had questions or needed some help. I would highly recommend using their service!

Alice, Sri Lanka

Great planning and organisation, coupled with an amazing experience with the local guide and driver. Everything about the holiday was magical.

Trusted Customer, Bhutan trip, 2024 (Feefo)

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Give us a call 9am-5pm UK time Monday to Friday, or make an enquiry online at any time.

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