Kodigahawewa Forest Resort

The gardens were pleasant, but the resort felt run down, with things faulty throughout. We left after one night because we felt so uncomfortable. The price was higher than competing hotels nearby, including one we’d stayed at a few months earlier that was much nicer. They wanted to charge for checking out early, but waived the fee after we complained. I wouldn’t recommend this place. The entire resort needs substantial refurbishment to meet modern standards, and it feels like they’re using money from unsuspecting guests to fund the work as they go. Several things advertised on booking.com weren’t available: the hot tub bathrooms, restaurant service, WiFi, room service, minibar, soundproofing, and being 15 minutes from Yalla National Park. The bathrooms were grimy; the tubs had no hot water, and the only hot water came from a rusty old shower beside a retrofitted power shower. One room had faulty AC. The restaurant couldn’t serve most of its menu, leaving us penne pasta, garden salad or fried rice for dinner. I couldn’t find a fridge or minibar, though tea and coffee were provided. WiFi didn’t work, and they couldn’t take card payments, so we had to go into town separately to use an ATM. The rooms weren’t soundproof. When we complained about the AC, my parents were moved to the honeymoon suite, which they found dingy and cave-like. It still had no hot water. The pool looked nice from a distance, but we didn’t use it, and there were no loungers, seats or nearby shade. The breakfast pack was extremely basic: two white-bread sandwiches with a tiny sliver of egg, one banana, one apple and a vanilla milk. We asked for a vegan option at least five times. They managed it for the first trip but not the next day, so my father had very little to eat for most of the day. The manager was hospitable and tried his best to accommodate us. Since we arrived late, he arranged a last-minute safari on the first day. Unfortunately, he’d inherited a dilapidated hotel that seemed to have been in its prime in the 80s. He insisted Yalla was 15 minutes away, but we timed the drive at 35 minutes. He also advised us to leave at 5.30am for the safari, which meant we missed a lot of good safari time queuing at the entrance. The unaffiliated driver from the previous day had said 4.30am would be better.

I wouldn’t recommend staying here. The rooms are large, but the bathrooms need renovating, and there weren’t any clean towels. Dinner didn’t arrive until around 10pm, and meals are expensive for buffet food. The area around the rooms looks forested, as you might expect, but it felt scary with animals about.

A lovely stay by a blue lake, with beautiful views and excellent food, both local and Western. The whole staff were so hospitable. It’s one of the best places I’ve ever visited, and the stay was unforgettable ♥️♥️

The food was awesome, and the staff were friendly and looked after us well. My stay was memorable, and I’d definitely recommend a visit to Kodigahawewa Forest Resort.