Reviews from guests who stayed at this hotel, shared by our hotel supplier. Score based on the latest 25 reviews.
Udaya
United States · Family · July 2026
“Hidden Gem middle of No where”
+Everything is great here. Friendly staff. Dinner and breakfast were delicious. Owner himself attends our matters. Went above and beyond to help us. Spacious room.
−Water pressure at shower can improve little. but it is minor detail
Alex
United Kingdom · Solo · June 2026
“Beautiful place for a safari”
+The place is stunning! The night safari was a lovely touch! And they took us on the safari the next day to Wilpattu which was great. The food cooked was really nice! We did have a few bugs BUT you can see the amount of effort that has gone into eliminating this as best as possible! There was a plug in to stop mosquitos either side of the bed and we didnt get any in our room as we kept lights to a minimal and didn't open the windows/doors to the outside. We got a cockroach but they got rid of it straight away and a few little beetles but nothing that affected our stay or sleep!
−A fridge would of been great. The wifi wasn't great either. We did struggle to get hold of them for a while as we had messaged via booking.com and WhatsApp'ed with no response but as soon as we emailed they contacted straight away and was very apologetic. The staff were very nice but they left us more to our own devices than our other stays, so we didn't get to no them on a personal level.
Lennart
Germany · Solo · March 2026
“The hosts were amazing and helped us with everything that’s possible. Also the food was super delicious!”
+The house is really beautiful
Connor
Ireland · Couple · February 2026
+Room was nice and large. Food was good
−The property is unfinished, large upstairs area has tools all over the place. Also we organized a safari and specifically asked for an English guide. We spoke maybe 10 words of English during the entire safari which was disappointing. Overall it felt like bad value for money paying 215 euro for a nights stay and safari for 2 people
Harendra
Sri Lanka · Solo · January 2026
“Amazing bird watching excursion”
+I am a return guest and on this brief visit I chose to take a bird watching excursion to Nelum Vila (a local water hole) with Appe Kale Adventures which is an arm of the Sanctuary. The excursion was led by Suraj who is a qualified wildlife expert and the bird sightings were amazing. Binoculars are provided and really enhance the bird watching experience. Suraj has a wealth of knowledge which he is very happy to share.
Marion
Sri Lanka · Group of friends · January 2026
“Excellent stay and great value for money.”
+This is the second time we have stayed at The Sanctuary. It is amazing how successful the re-wilding project at the property has come on in the last 10 months and the small animal sightings were amazing. On the complimentary night safari, we saw several rare Loris and otters, the mouse deer, porcupine, several owls and any small reptiles. The guides Achini and Dula are very good at spotting animals and were able to share lots of interesting facts about the animals we saw. The accommodation is very spacious and clean and the food prepared by Dinesha was excellent. Unfortunately, on this occasion our stay was a short one, but we will definitely return for a longer stay. We will promote The Sanctuary to our friends and family on our return to the UK.
Robert
United Kingdom · Group of friends · January 2026
+The staff are friendly and the food delicious. Nice big rooms in a very pleasant environment.
−No hot water in one of the rooms. It didn’t bother me but some people will be annoyed. Hopefully it’s just a temporary thing.
Balakumar
United Kingdom · Solo · December 2025
“Beautiful sanctuary that is a hidden gem in Wanathivillu.”
+Attention to detail in building this property is amazing. Quirky furnitures and high ceiling rooms are very welcoming. The landscaping is accommodating wildlife. Staff are very friendly and helpful
−Somehow, few mosquitoes seemed to have got into my room. And they disturbed my sleep. Mosquito net would have been ideal. Shower pressure wasn’t that great. That would have been part of the conservation ethos to save water.
Miroslav
Slovakia · Couple · December 2025
“Unique vibe with large room and cool design.”
+Completelly new, authentic, extremelly clean, generious staff, totally unique vibe, delicious dinner and brekfast, large rooms… everything was excellent
−The location is on the other less used entrance to the park but it was worth staying a bit further.
Agnieszka
Poland · Solo · November 2025
“#WORTH”
++ Almost everything. Achini and Dula are amazing, we also had a Safari trip together, half day. + The residence looks fabulous. + They handle mosquitos very well. + Beautiful and clean glass. + Really felt taken care of and welcome!
−- This isn't the place for people who have insect phobia. Thankfully, NO cockroaches, but many other flying and buzzing beetles, as well as the light bugs made quite a show at night!