Hotel Birds View

The bathroom was filthy, with a bad smell and mold in every corner, and even the sheets smelled unpleasant. For me, a clean bathroom and fresh sheets are basic expectations. The rooms were dirty and completely outdated, so I can’t see how they’re called “luxury rooms.” It’s hard to understand the positive reviews, unless other guests don’t mind this level of cleanliness. At this price, it just wasn’t worth it.

It’s a lovely house right in front of a lake, with a huge garden and a really nice atmosphere. The owners added to that feeling by being so helpful and friendly. They welcomed us with fresh juice made from fruit in their garden, then prepared a nice lunch for us. Town is walkable, about 20-25 minutes through nature.

We spent a lot of time watching birds in the guest house garden and around the neighboring lake, which was great. The town center, with its restaurants and shops, is a bit of a walk, so we took a tuktuk. The balcony or terrace was a lovely spot for breakfast, and we used the kitchen to make dinner for ourselves one night. The guest house and rooms are beautiful, and everything worked well. The manager seemed reserved at first, but turned out to be very friendly and made us feel welcome. He even made fresh papaya juice for us twice. We enjoyed our three nights here and would definitely stay again if I return to Tissa.

After our safari, the staff were waiting outside with a Paw Paw drink. They’d arranged the tour at a great price, and later booked our taxi for us too. Everyone was so friendly, helpful, and kind. Birds View Hotel was lovely. The room was clean and just right, with hot water and air-conditioning. We ordered dinner and breakfast through the staff ahead of time, and both were ready when promised. The food was amazing. We were welcomed with delicious coconut water when we arrived. There’s a little waterway about 200 metres up the road where you can swim with locals and watch the sunset. I definitely recommend staying here.