Agmend Apartments

A really good place for families.

My large family and I came to Sri Lanka for three weeks. We had booked a different apartment three months ahead, but when we arrived at night and woke at 6 a.m., it sounded like a plane had crashed into the house. We were right beside the railway, literally 2-3 meters from the balcony, and the rooms didn't look like the Booking photos. The owner wouldn't move us to a more comfortable room farther from the tracks, so we frantically searched for something else. Finding an affordable place that was available took luck, and we got lucky with Agmend Holidays. We packed up and went to see it, and found a large three-story house. The owners lived on the ground floor and were wonderful, always ready to help. There are security cameras around the perimeter, which made us feel safer. Our apartment was two stories, with two lockable bedrooms. Upstairs there was a shared kitchen with all the appliances we needed, plus a bathroom with a washing machine. On our second day, both room air conditioners were replaced with brand new ones. We gathered that the owners had renovation plans and we caught them a little off guard, but we reached an agreement and they happily welcomed us into their home. They're very easy to talk things through with, and we've never met such warm-hearted people. A road runs 15 meters from the house, but it wasn't especially busy at night and didn't disturb our sleep. The courtyard is green, with monkeys jumping through the palm trees. The house felt cozy and homey for our vacation. There's a public transportation stop right beside it, and the train station is a little farther but still within walking distance. Vegetable and fruit stalls and a farm egg stall are nearby too. Our favorite surfing beach for swimming is a 15-minute walk away, with a gentle ocean entry and soft sand. If we return to Sri Lanka, we'll definitely stay at Agmend Holidays. Thanks to the owners for having us at this wonderful villa ❤️

We had booked a room meant for two families, and we arrived as two families. The hosts had only recently started in the hotel business, but were very polite. They responded quickly to our requests, including replacing the expensive air conditioners, and were also happy to clean when asked. The place was as clean as possible.

I stayed with these hosts for two weeks and spent that whole time trying to get rid of giant cockroaches. On our last day, the kitchen roof collapsed, apparently because of a monitor lizard and because the roof is made of cardboard. I left a long, detailed review on Booking.com. The hosts replied that they understood and were very sorry, then asked me to delete it. When I refused, they argued in the comments and said the cockroaches and rats were because we didn't clean up after ourselves, even though free maid service was included in the room rate. They were upset that the kitchen was dirty when we left and took longer than usual to clean. This was the same kitchen where the ceiling had fallen during the night.))) They didn't address the leaking roof when it rains or the bathroom drain backing up over the floor. Instead, they wrote that it was OUR OWN FAULT!! We left the key in the door and went because the last day was genuinely frightening, with a rat running around the house and no kitchen ceiling lol. The landlords said we broke their rules and put them in a difficult position by leaving so quickly 😂 I thought at least the landlords were nice, but the house itself was so-so. Turns out the owners also like to lie and can't admit when they're at fault. P.S. I went back and read old reviews where other guests complained about loud road noise. In the comments, the owners said they'd definitely fix it. Spoiler, nothing was fixed, and the street is still just as loud. There aren't even glass windows to let in light while keeping the noise out. P.S. The owners wrote both here and on Booking.com that we had payment issues. To clarify, we paid the FULL amount on the second day rather than the first because we needed to exchange dollars for rupees. They told us, "Okay, it's not a problem." You can read their comments here. 😂 Instead of apologizing for the inconvenience and fixing the place, the owners called us. Unbalanced. Read their response to this review and you'll understand. I wouldn't wish on anyone a villa where the roof falls onto the floor and rats and cockroaches run wild. If the owners asked me to delete my review, they may well have done the same many times with other guests, since they haven't fixed their mistakes.