What People are saying

Wonderful hotel and amazing service- also perfect wedding location

zahramadgwick1on 03/05/2017 14:55

We stayed at Nisala Arana in February for 8 days on a Yoga holiday and just happened to get married whilst we were there!!! The property and the location are beautiful-quiet and peaceful but only a 10 minute bike ride to the beach. The garden was perfect for group yoga every morning and also our wedding. The food was fresh and delicious and we could not fault it. The staff were just lovely and attentive and nothing was too much trouble for them. We had forgotten our yoga mats and on the first day they took us to town to buy some. Ben and his team worked tirelessly to decorate the garden for our wedding and the setting was breath-taking. The jasmine garlands, coconut lights and the wedding arch were gorgeous and the staff were so kind and helpful. I have to say that it was the most stress-free, relaxed wedding ever as everything was done for us and we didn't need to worry about anything. If you're thinking of getting married I recommend Nisala Arana as the perfect venue. I can not thank Ben and everyone at the hotel for making our stay and our wedding perfect.

Beautiful hideaway with stunning gardens

hw4395on 16/04/2017 16:11

The setting of this property is spectacular, with a breathtaking garden which must take hours of work each day to maintain. The plot is vast and there are plenty of shady corners to read in as well as lots of space for garden games (provided) such as croquet, badminton, boules etc. The pool is refreshing and very clean. We stayed in the Coconut Wing which had a brilliant outdoor 'jungle' bathroom - adding to the experience! We enjoyed sipping tea and coffee on our veranda. The service from the hotel manger (Travis) was exemplary as he catered to our every need, and all staff were very friendly and attentive. We made great use of the free bicycles - the beach (beautiful, vast!) was a lovely 15 minute ride from the hotel - such fun!

Our only gripe was that breakfast is not included in the room rate and there are no other options nearby so we were tied in to this supplementary charge. Similarly, the dinner main course was overpriced, but the Pavilion restaurant was a beautiful spot to dine.

Overall, a stunning spot and great service. Very relaxing and felt very special.

Escape the crowds for peace, tranquility and great service

dendixon 13/04/2017 21:24

Superb boutique hotel. As a family with a 4 year old daughter we stayed 3 nights for our first stop on a Sri Lanka tour.

The hotel has 2 suites, 2 double bedrooms and 2 villas (one with 3 bedrooms, one with 7). People often book the whole place for yoga retreats and weddings, and I can see why. It's beautiful.

We booked a suite which had 2 double four poster beds, plus an extra single bed for our daughter (on request). Inside it had all the things you'd expect, air con, ceiling fans, TV, Internet, plus some really nice flavoured teas and a Nespresso machine. The room was above the garage block which houses the hotel's vintage Morris Minor and free bicycles that are there for guests to use. There's a terrace at the front that overlooked the pristine, meticulously kept gardens and pool, and grounds at the back of the room was a semi-outdoor shower room overlooking jungle.

The food was fantastic. They've obviously listened to feedback from other reviewers because breakfasts are huge with fruit platters followed by yoghurt and honey, then eggs how you want them or Sri Lankan curry. Evening meals also good plus they gave us fruit platters during the day and went out especially to get apples for our daughter who loves apple juice.

Staff were very attentive and so friendly too which was great for our daughter.
We were also there during a quiet week, so only two rooms were occupied by users, including ours.

Approx. 10 minutes tuk-tuk ride to the beautiful Bentota beach. The hotel arranged the tuk-tuk for us and they only billed us about $3, unlike the $10 other reviewers have stated previously.

Definitely recommended if you want something a bit more secluded and relaxing than the busy modern hotels on the seafront.

Quiet beautiful setting and exceptional service

ZphilippeZon 13/04/2017 06:02

Just few minutes from Bentota beach and the village, Nisala Arana is a little piece of paradise. The hotel is a converted and beautifully restored colonial property in the middle of a perfectly kept lush garden. Rooms are good sized and very comfortable. The bathrooms are at the back in a semi-open space with their own tiny garden. You can spend hours just relaxing in the garden or by the pool, reading, having refreshments or snacks. The service is exceptional, professional yet very discreet. A particular note also for the chef and the staff of the restaurant whose cooking is really nice and extremely varied (something not very common in the country where dishes may seem a bit repetitive. Overall, a super experience and a place I definitely recommend!

Perfect Stay

beverley19742017on 10/04/2017 06:16

After many days of travelling we arrived at Nisala Arana and greeted by the lovely staff, and we were not disappointed at all with what was to come. The room was beautiful and clean, and the food was exceptional. Our three day stay was made so comfortable primarily by the friendly and caring staff. Thank you to the owners for sharing their home with us, it's a lovely place.