My Village

We booked two half-day safaris through the hotel and had a great time. I’d recommend Maree as a driver. I think of myself as pretty observant, but he was on another level. It’s a lovely small hotel with just nine rooms and a shaded pool. The food was really good too. We enjoyed both dinners there, and breakfast was lovely.

Mari was the real standout on our full-day safari. He was clearly very experienced, and we noticed other drivers asking him for advice. We hoped to see a leopard but knew it was unlikely since they’re so elusive. After we’d missed one on our third attempt, more than 30 jeeps were lined up behind us and they all left. Mari thought the leopards might still be close, so he suggested waiting. He was right: while the earlier jeeps had seen one in a tree, we got to see a leopard walking along the road. We couldn’t have had that experience without him. The hotel arranged everything without any hassle, including a packed breakfast for the safari. Our park entry was organised in advance, so we didn’t have to stop for tickets. The room was large, the water pressure was good, and breakfast was generous and among the tastiest we had in Sri Lanka.

We spent two nights at My Village and had the best curry we ate in Sri Lanka. The owner is lovely and knowledgeable, runs the business with real passion, and cooks like a proper chef. The interior design was far beyond what we expected, and both the service and food were just as impressive.

The lake is nearby, so it was fun to walk around there. The staff were kind and lovely, and the food was fresh and delicious. We booked our safari with them too, and it was top notch. We saw amazing wildlife and came across a leopard several times. Chamare, our driver, was the best and made it a fantastic experience.