Waterland

Beautiful and Relaxing Stay! I had a wonderful experience at Waterland Hotel! The place is peaceful, beautifully designed, and surrounded by nature, making it the perfect getaway. The rooms were clean, spacious, and well-decorated, with a very comfortable bed. The staff was friendly and welcoming, always ready to help with anything we needed. The location is great, offering a relaxing atmosphere with stunning views. The pool and outdoor seating areas were perfect for unwinding. I highly recommend this hotel for anyone looking for a relaxing and enjoyable stay. Would definitely return!

We stayed at the beautiful Peacock Villa, which overlooks the river—a truly stunning setting. One of the highlights was having two separate floors, giving our family plenty of space. Each bedroom had its own bathroom, both featuring stylish rain showers. However, we did notice the drainage in the first-floor bathroom wasn’t as effective as the ground floor’s; after a shower, the entire bathroom floor would become wet. That said, both bathrooms were stocked with complimentary shower gel, shampoo, and conditioner—all of which smelled amazing. The beds were very comfortable, with ample storage space, a safe, and effective air conditioning. The AC in the bedrooms made a noticeable difference compared to the living room, which was cooled only by two ceiling fans. There were ants around the villa, but this was expected given the climate and didn’t bother us. The ground floor had a large wooden dining table with comfy chairs, while the upper floor featured a cozy lounge set overlooking the river—a perfect spot to relax. We often had visits from a friendly grey cat, which my kids absolutely loved. Towels were plentiful, including separate ones for the pool. The infinity pool was lovely and not too deep, making it ideal for our children. The villa was clean and well-maintained throughout. We only had breakfast once during our stay, and it was delightful. While the portions were smaller than what we’ve had at other hotels, they were still sufficient. Breakfast orders were taken the night before. On the day of our early departure, the staff kindly packed a takeaway breakfast for us, which included fresh juice, thick cheese sandwiches, and bananas. We didn’t dine at the hotel in the evening but instead took tuk-tuks via the Grab Me app into the city center. One highlight of our stay was the river cruise offered by the hotel. Hosted by a staff member, the trip was a great way to explore the local wildlife—we saw kingfishers and various birds, an eagle, fruit bats and a few water monitors, and even stopped for a refreshing king coconut drink. The cruise is weather-dependent, but we highly recommend it if you get the chance. A quick note for light sleepers: you may be woken around 5:30 AM by loud music from the church across the river. This didn’t disturb our kids, but it’s worth mentioning. Overall, we had a wonderful stay and would happily return.

My partner and I spent my last night in Sri Lanka at Waterland and we were amazed by the service, the staff and the breakfast! We stayed at the Fire Room, they wrote our names outside our little villa which made it even more romantic and personal. The room has a private pool and a patio where you can have your lunch or dinner on request. You can go around the property and see the beautiful lagoon and the spice garden. The staff is great, and they accomodate our requests, including having breakfast to go due to an early flight. If you want a relaxing and unique luxury experience, this is the place to be!