Hotel Clover Grange

At Rp.3025 for a double, this property offered excellent value. We came by well patronised train from Colombo, changing to the busy branch line train to Matale, the latter offering a bargain fare of R25 single per adult. Sri Lankan Railways are excellent. It is 100 metres off King Street and extends much further back. It is stylish: in Australia we would call it bordering in Art Deco. There is a grand entrance with small circular driveway, a porch that has WiFi access, a large but gloomy dining room and bar and four rooms. Ours was up 15 stairs with a table and chairs outside. The room had a double bed with a green bottom sheet and two separate make your own top sheets. There was a long cabinet and more upper shelves. A mosquito net, good overhead fan, excellent curtains and a bedside table with lamp were in the bedroom. The bathroom was almost fully tiled in black with some green and yellow, a colour scheme also used throughout. The roomy shower had reliable hot water. The vanity basin and toilet were clean with nice period windows in both rooms. It was great waking to the sound of beautiful forest birds. Breakfast was served adjacent to the well maintained huge garden and included banana, papaya plus papaya juice, watermelon and pineapple, toast with woodapple jam and excellent bacon and egg plus a large pot of tea for R620 extra per person. Staff were great. Tuk tuk drivers were courteous.