River shadow villa

The breakfast was a letdown: most items were cold, though the string hoppers were decent. The coconut rotis were cold and hard. A few days later, in Anuradhapura, we found out how tasty coconut roti can be, which made what we were served here even more disappointing. The listing said entire villa, but we were given just one room. We raised that with Agoda and got a poor response. They offered $7 cashback toward a future booking. I declined and am leaving this review for future travelers. The caretaker wasn't there when we arrived, so we waited about 10 minutes, which was fine. When we asked about the kitchen, he said another guest was using it. Once we showed him the listing included it as an amenity, he let us use another kitchen that he uses. The garden wasn't well kept, so the property looked different from its photos, and the amenities were bare minimum. We spent 15 days in Sri Lanka across eight places, and this was our only bad stay, and the worst experience. After hundreds of stays in 22 countries, I'd tell others to skip it.

The room and bathroom were nice and very clean. Everything felt calm and relaxed, and the place was well maintained. The owner was friendly. We'll come back.

They cancelled our booking just three hours before we were due to arrive. The manager wasn't able to help us afterward, and the way it was handled felt unprofessional. Never book here.

Janaka made me feel very comfortable in his villa. He even lent me his bicycle, took me shopping and to the beach on his scooter, and drove me to the train station in his car. Such a lovely person, thank you, Janaka! 🥰 My room was clean and beautifully furnished, and the garden was gorgeous, right by the Bentota River. Each morning he prepared a delicious breakfast with a good variety. I have nothing but positive things to say about River Shadow Villa.