Villa Blue ocean

Breakfast was fantastic, with toast, fresh fruit, yoghurt, an omelette, juice, and tea or coffee. We stayed five nights and had no problems. The older man who runs the property and his parents were absolutely lovely. It felt more like a homestay, so don't come expecting luxury. The beds could have been cleaner, and maybe could use new linen.

The price felt fair for what we got, since the lower cost matched the overall quality. The hotel seemed to be in the middle of some renovations, as many places in Sri Lanka do, but everything worked fine. Staff were very friendly and tried to make our visit pleasant. The location was handy, with all the main attractions just a short walk away.

The owner couldn't understand English. The bathrooms weren't nice, and the bedding smelled like stray dogs, as if it hadn't been washed.

The location is great, and with some new appliances, replacement rugs, and maybe a stronger lock on the room door, this place could have potential. I was shown a room at the back that was quieter than the front, but I still didn't feel comfortable enough to stay and relax, so I left after one night instead of five. The front room was incredibly noisy, with traffic and horns going until early morning, then the temple was loud in the morning. Everything is old, though functional, as some other reviews say. I wouldn't use the kettle or fridge. The fridge had mould on it, and the owner said he'd tried cleaning it with chemicals without success. Three of the four pillowcases were dirty, and the pillows themselves were even worse. The listing said there'd be a safe in the room, but there wasn't one. I had messaged ahead to confirm because it mattered to me, and they had said it was there.