Nilambara Lake View

The online photos gave a very misleading impression. The hotel was in much worse condition in person. My room wasn't clean when I arrived, the sheets looked used, and the bathroom smelled bad. Staff weren't very helpful or friendly, and even basic things like towels and room cleaning took a long time. I was very disappointed.

We stopped here for one night on the way from polonnaruwa, and Mr Anura arranged a family room to suit our needs. It had space for 6 adults and 2 kids. The staff were super friendly, and the food was made fresh and tasted great. Try the seafood noodles and chicken fried rice. Breakfast was a filling, delicious local meal, and we could walk to the lake to enjoy the lovely evening and morning views in the cool breeze. Stunning scenery, good value, and really welcoming hospitality. Highly recommend.

A peaceful place with a spacious garden that was great for the kids to play in. All the staff were friendly and helpful, and they left us undisturbed. We had a lovely stay here and would recommend it for families.

The cancellation terms weren't clearly communicated when we booked, and we were never told in advance that the payment couldn't be refunded. We had paid an advance to reserve Nilambara Lake View in Dambulla for a family gathering, but had to cancel because of unforeseen circumstances. I promptly informed the manager, hoping we could sort it out fairly. After payment, his manner changed; he became unresponsive and dismissive compared with how he had been before booking. It took repeated efforts to get him to agree to return a small part of the advance, and that felt like a token rather than real help. The whole experience left us feeling misled and disappointed by the unprofessional handling and poor service. I'd advise others to get every term clearly stated and agreed in writing before paying.