Villa Atulya at Ocean's edge

The Sri Lankan breakfast was one of the best I've had on this trip, and the staff were both capable and really friendly. We hadn't planned to stay here, but a booking mistake at another hotel brought us here, and it worked out very well. The place has a relaxed feel and a great ocean view. Only letdown was the packed breakfast for our early whale-watching trip, which wasn't very good. Otherwise, we had a very good stay.

Breakfast outside the room felt nicely private, and the rest of the menu was pretty good too. I liked being a little away from the city centre, since it made for a calmer, more relaxing holiday. The WiFi was down on our first day, but I mentioned it and they got it fixed. The AC had an issue too, and they sorted that out as well. The rooms weren't spotless by my clean-freak standards, though I think most people would find them perfectly acceptable.

The mouldy, musty smell was strongest in the bathroom, and spraying air freshener after I reported it did nothing to fix the problem. We were out for a while and got back late, with no realistic chance to switch rooms, so we had to endure one of the most uncomfortable nights I've had. I didn't want to argue with staff in the middle of the night. I brought it up again the next morning and showed photos. For the premium price, this condition wasn't acceptable. They offered LKR 7,000 off, but that felt like a stopgap, and a room like this shouldn't have been sold at all. I had booked for my birthday, which made the experience especially disappointing. The property looks beautiful from a distance, but up close the cleanliness and maintenance seem lacking. A discount can't make a mould-infested room acceptable. Until the problems are properly dealt with, I wouldn't recommend staying here.

The Sri Lankan breakfast each morning was the best part of our stay. We booked two rooms and had a big section of the place nearly to ourselves, plus a huge balcony overlooking the beach. The villa is right on the beachfront, with very spacious rooms and great facilities. It's a little far from central Mirissa, though there are plenty of rickshaws to flag down. If you're staying here, try the pizzas at nearby Smith's Kitchen. They're delicious!