-

Our stay at Lake Front Yala Safari will definitely remain in our memories for a long time, thanks to the warmth and kindness of the family who runs this place. The atmosphere was genuinely homely and welcoming. The rooms were clean, and the food they served was absolutely delicious and fresh. The safari was professionally organized, and it was clear that our driver was very experienced. We saw a wide variety of animals, and we were lucky enough to spot leopards several times – once from a very close distance. We highly recommend this place and truly regret that we couldn’t stay longer.

Stayed in August 2025

This homestay was such a delight! The room was spotless – truly the cleanest we found in Sri Lanka. The lovely family made us feel so welcome, even offering fresh juice from their own trees (the mother literally climbed up to pick the fruit!). We enjoyed great conversations and were especially impressed by their 16-year-old daughter: bright, kind, fluent in English, and full of curiosity about the world. They also arrange safaris, making it the perfect mix of comfort, warmth, and adventure.

Stayed in August 2025

Note that the walk to the city/sacred city is 20 minutes.

Lovely hosts, who also organize the safari. (and brought us to the bus station). Highly recommended! Beautiful, clean place. Great beds. Basic but good eatery: 100 meters.

Stayed in August 2025

This property is located in a lovely atmosphere with a lake in sight and a couple of kilometers away from center of the Kataragama city which was convenient. The room was comfortable, air-conditioned and equipped with adequate amenities. Both the room and bathroom were spotlessly clean. I was able to explore local attractions in Kataragama including the Kiri Vehera Temple, Ruhunu Maha Kataragama Dewalaya and Wadasiti Kanda during the Esala Festival while staying here. The property is managed by a friendly and hospitable family who were quick to accommodate any requests.

Stayed in July 2025

The wifi does not really work - just bear it in mind if you are relying on wifi to book things / download tickets, etc We only had one large towel between two people, no soaps etc (this is fairly standard within Sri Lanka but would be an added bonus)

Lovely and very helpful family, property very clean, the full day safari organised through the hosts was great, location walkable to Kataragama. There was an issue with the lock which was sorted out immediately once we pointed it out

Stayed in July 2025

No bar fridge in room to keep drinking water cold,

Great location for visiting Yala National Park. Also a tasty restaurant 2 doors down.

Stayed in April 2025

Perfect place to stay if you are looking for a comfortable place near Yala Park. The Family are excellent hosts and will offer everything that you need, including Safari Tours, delicious food and tips for travelling around.

Stayed in April 2025

Very friendly and helpful family, the room was clean and spacious, they helped organise the Yala safari and was great. The food was authentic and delicious! Defo recommend.

Stayed in May 2025

n/a

Everything was super clean! A spacious room with AC and bathroom with hot water. The family running the guest house is very friendly and accommodating:) Thank you so much!

Stayed in May 2025

Though we arrived during the stated check-in time, need to wait for check-in as the previous occupants were out of the property and yet to arrive back from their yala-safari arranged by the property. So we handed over the luggage to the owner and proceeded with our planned visits (without refreshing).

Caretaker / owner was very courteous.

Stayed in May 2025

We stayed with this lovely family for two nights in February as part of our honeymoon. They were so friendly and welcoming and made our stay so comfortable. We had beautiful homemade food and the room was perfect. They organised a full day safari for us in Yala national park which we really enjoyed. We cannot recommend staying with them enough ❤️

Stayed in February 2025

we stayed here for two nights and also did the safari with them. it was a lovely place to stay, very clean room and bathroom with good air con! we were given passion fruit juice when we arrived, my first time having it, and it was delicious! we were cooked dinner both nights which was very yummy, and I was invited to help shape and cook the coconut roti, a lovely memory. for the safari the host also made us packed up breakfast and lunch! which she got up at 2am to do, so grateful and it was delicious. the safari was very good, we saw three leopards, solo elephants and an elephant family! plus crocodiles, many amazing birds, deer and water buffalo! we enjoyed our lunch by the coast. they also collected us from Ella and drove us onto hiriketiya, stopping to get us chai tea which was very sweet! for the final breakfast I requested the coconut sugar pancakes from the mum as they were my favourite!! she made lots and they were delicious and the last time I had them in Sri Lanka, so I was very happy! she also showed us their puppy and kittens which were adorable!! just before we were setting off the host called my partner over and whizzed him off on his moped to show him a giant squirrel that he had spotted, my partner had been wanting to see one the whole trip and we'd let him know on the safari, so he was beyond happy that the host enabled this! thank you so much, we had an amazing stay :)

Stayed in March 2025

Very authentic place with great atmosphere. Staff were extremely kind, we felt like at home. Dinner was delicious. We had to get up very early and they provided us with fresh fruit for our trip.

Stayed in March 2025

If you want an all inclusive experience, free of any hassle in Yala area, that’s the place. From breakfast to dinner with obviously a safari between. They are nice people.

Stayed in March 2025

Nothing

This property has got to be the best homestay in Sri Lanka. The family are extremely kind and supportive, especially Nithya their daughter, who speaks excellent English. The family will organise a safari trip for you at a very reasonable price. Dinosha the mother is a first class chef and her food is exceptional. The room was extremely clean with A/C , and lovely hot water. The property is very good value for money. I certainly recommend this property.

Stayed in March 2025

If you are looking to do the Yala Safari, this is the place to be! The accommodation is very clean, right by the big lake. We did the safari through our hosts and also did one cooking class which we really enjoyed!! (Food was sooo good). They also help with everything you need! Can only recommend

Stayed in March 2025

The host and his family were super kind! Location is amazing by the lake. The room was very clean and comfortable. We also did a safari tour and our host went above and beyond for us. We saw many animals and had a blast. We loved our stay with them!

Stayed in February 2025

The room was very spacious, clean and well presented. We felt it offered very good value for money. We thought the dinners were excellent. The owner who drove us on safari went the extra mile to make sure we had an excellent experience.

Stayed in March 2025

The main issue we encountered was that the heating system for the shower water didn’t work, which was a bit uncomfortable.

The room was nice and spacious, providing a comfortable stay. The family running the hotel was very welcoming and kind. A big plus was the location—it was close to the safari, making it a convenient choice for visitors. If you're planning a safari, it might be a good idea to check with the hotel about arrangements and compare prices. Since we only spent a few hours there, it's hard to say more, but our short experience was positive!

Stayed in February 2025

The room is clean and the host family is super nice! It is 5 min by tuktuk from the city centre

Stayed in March 2025

- The water heater was broken + amazing diner + Yala safari + Very kind family

Stayed in February 2025

Location is a little away from everything. But we had our tuk tuk so it was not a problem for us to drive to resturaunt for dinner.

Host is very kind and welcoming. She gave us tea on arrival and bananas from her own garden which tasted amazing. Immaculatley clean room and bathroom. Room is very big and spacious Also had drying racks which was very handy, also had drying racks which was very handy. Very good air conditioning in room. Organised our safari ar Yala National Park before arrival. Great value for money. Would highy recommend.

Stayed in February 2025

Only cold shower but it was so hot we were okay with it. Also lots of mosquitoes and there wasn't a mess over the ventilation in the bathroom where they seemed to be coming in. A net over the bed would have fixed that

The family that run the place are so lovely, they really made our stay! Beautiful spacious room with AC, great breakfast, and a stunning garden with monkeys! We booked a safari through them and it was absolutely incredible. The guide has an incredible eye for wildlife and we saw loads! Highly recommend for a place in Kataragama.

Stayed in February 2025

Nothing

Very nice room , with AC Fantastic people who run the place , they do anything to make this a place to remember Perfect safari tours organised by accomodation Overall experience 10+

Stayed in February 2025