Lilac by Seclusion

The price is hard to beat, from $10, and the staff are lovely and helpful. This is a hostel, not a hotel, set in an old villa, so it has a homely feel. I liked relaxing on the couches in either of the two living rooms. Rooms sleep 2-4 people in twin or bunk beds, and all have AC. There’s some wear and tear, but it didn’t bother me, especially at this price. I ended up liking this part of Colombo more than other areas. It may look far from things on a map, but a lot is walkable: The green cabin, Barefoot, the garden cafe, the Sri Lanka tea board shop, The Body Shop, Nike shop, MANGO, and several supermarkets for everyday needs. I’d happily recommend it to friends and family.

The common kitchen is great, and there’s a cozy rooftop terrace to unwind on after a busy day. We stayed two nights in a double ensuite room. It was simple, clean, really nice and had a/c. Everything was kept tidy, and the staff were friendly and very helpful. The Google Maps address is right, despite what some other comments say. There’s a sign on the street, then you walk into a backyard and you’re there. Great value, thanks.

When we got there, nobody else was around and the guard didn't know what was going on. The front part looked like it might be under renovation. The room from my booking on booking.com looked different from what I expected and was dim, so I had to go elsewhere and lost money both ways. The manager later offered a better room over the phone, but at a higher rate, in a completely vacant hotel.

Clean place, great location and good value for an upstairs dorm. Farouq and Atif were great staff. The main problem was the air con in the room, broken, dripping and clanging loudly. Once that's fixed, this would be the best value dorm in central Colombo.