Matara District hotels & places to stay

Both Agoda and Weligama deserve the biggest thanks for adjusting our non-refundable booking owing to a family emergency during the original dates. We had requested the closest villa to the beach and the closest villa is what we got despite the changes made (at no extra cost). We were three girls to one garden villa, which was rather spacious and comfortably suited to accommodate three guests. The resort, the villa and the bathrooms were tastefully with clearly much thought having gone into designing all the spaces. Not only were we steps away from the glorious pool but also the fantastic surfer beach just off the property (with surf boards available to guests)! We had fresh flowers that greeted us each morning once the room was cleaned, while we ate the included breakfast (freshly made omlets and a well stocked buffet). Tuk Tuks were always available right outside and who needs a tour guide when these guys are best equipped and in the know to hook you up with all the things to see/do!

This new hotel located on a small strip of Weligama beach is a wonderful little slice of paradise. Located just minutes from the Weligama train station by tuk tuk, it is a welcome calm after visiting the storm that is Colombo. The staff do their very best to ensure your comfort and enjoyment. Amelia, who works in guest relations, was very cordial and gave excellent advice when we asked questions about our trip. The food and drinks were absolutely delicious and we indulged here and there during our 5-day stay, but we found them to be a tad overpriced-- especially bottled water in a place unsafe for foreigners to drink tap water. Thankfully, there are many affordable local restaurants and grocery stores in walking distance. The breakfast is delicious and copious. We found it sufficient to carry us on through to dinner, with maybe a small snack in between. The infinity pool is beautiful and because there are only 10 rooms we often had it to ourselves. Another bonus is that this hotel allowed night swimming-- a beautiful experience with torches lining the pool. Other places we've been to closed their pools at 7 or 8pm. They provided many games to keep guests entertained like jumbo jenga and lawn bowling. And in true classy style, the games are left out for guests to enjoy and are not hawked by boisterous animators-- we hate that. Some previous reviewers mentioned that too many non-guests were using the pool and facilities. We didn't experience this at all. In fact, one day a group of belligerently drunk young people tried to use the loungers and tried to instigate a fight with hotel staff. The staff diffused the situation quickly and quietly, with a level of professionalism you won't see everywhere. The sleek design to the beach lounging area and the gorgeous, luxurious rooms made this a very relaxing vacation spot that was pleasing to the senses. The rooms and grounds were spotless. Cleanliness was at a 5-star level. We are already dreaming of going back!

Fabulous property on an unspoiled and practically deserted beach. There are 4 villas with spacious and well appointed suites and a small pantry area where you can make your own tea and coffee. There are also kettles in the rooms. Wonderful 40 m infinity pool looking right out to the beach, which was great because the sea was sometimes a bit too rough to swim in. Lovely dining area and bar with wonderful views - spot the giant turtle! - and a varied and delicious menu. Food was freshly cooked and beautifully presented with a different fresh juice every breakfast time and also a daily special. Loved the ‘catch of the day’ and the salads. We ate in town 1 night but decided that there was no point in going into town when we already had the best beach restaurant with the best views in Mirissa. Staff all very friendly and couldn’t do enough for you, expertly managed by the charming Marcy. This is one not to miss and was such a welcome change from all the big busy international hotels

We stayed at Imagine last August and again this year and would still definitely stay there again. the location is great, between Weligama and Matara, very close to Mirissa beach and is absolute beach front. The rooms are spacious, modern and clean. The bed was so comfy. The pool is lovely and gets cleaned daily, by a very caring pool guy. Breakfast is the best you will find. Dinner is always very good, quality food served. With well priced wine and drinks. The staff and management are always great, friendly, polite and personal. Always trying to make sure you are happy and comfortable. Highly recommend Imagine to everyone, in fact we are already planning when we'll go back.

I could not recommend this place any higher. The staff were outstanding- were quick to assist and were extremely friendly. It was evident that the staff really care about your stay and want you to enjoy it. T, the butler, spoke outstanding English and was extremely friendly and knowledgable. He had the perfect balance in his service for us to fully enjoy our stay. The breakfast included was great and included in the price with other food being some of the best we had in Sri-Lanka at a great price. Our rooms were always kept in immaculate condition with staff cleaning them as we ate or relaxed on the beach so that they didn't impede on our privacy. The only criticism we had was that there is no alcohol served by the hotel- it would have been amazing to order a cocktail and for us to drink it on our own private beach. Despite this, there is an alcohol store 100m away so no issues We wish we stayed longer & is extremely worth it if you are looking to spoil yourself and can afford it.

It was a short but perfect stay. The hotel only has 6 rooms, but over 10 staff, their services are excellent. The private beach with white sand and palm tree is just outside the hotel, the best beach I have been in the west coast. There is only one restaurant but the chef is a star - best lobster I have ever had. It is a surprise given its size that the hotel has a nice pool, well maintained and clean. Any visit to the west coast without lodging in the Lantern is a big mistake.

No1 Mirissa is a new, stylish and upmarket boutique hotel/guest house perched on the rocks at the end of Marissa Beach. The location is fantastic with lovely views along the palm trees and down to the surfers in the water. We stayed there after moving on early from the very disappointing Talalla Retreat. The design of the rooms is comfortable and elegant, with lots of billowing white fabric, nice shower rooms and hand made beds. Very comfortable. The food in the restaurant is tasty, well cooked and remarkably reasonably priced; breakfast is great and the coffee (Nespresso to order) is by far the best we had in coffee-ruining Sri Lanka! However, the standout feature of the place is the customer service and drive to get things right. The owner Scott and manager Su are a constant presence in the background, unobtrusively anticipating and attending every guest need. They are friendly and approachable, full of both useful information and enjoyable conversation. The other front of house staff are a little inexperienced, as we found with many of Sri Lanka's resorts, but invariably charming, friendly and really keen to make a guest welcome. To finish icing this lovely cake, No1 could make access to the beach more convenient, add a little more privacy across the balconies and perhaps provide sofas in the rooms to allow sitting in the air-conned coolness during the midday heat. A couple of small things like cotton robes and coffee in the bedrooms would sugar the cherry on top. As it stands No1, while by no means cheap, is a wonderfully relaxed, luxurious and friendly place to spend a few days; we highly recommend it as the best place we enjoyed in a month in Sri Lanka, and really wish we'd had more than 2 nights there.

Location - Twenty Two is roughly a 30 sec walk from the beach. Bang in the centre of Weligama. Perfect location to visit Mirissa and Galle. Rooms - Amazing ocean facing rooms ! Since tourism has taken a hit, some of the premium rooms were available at lesser prices. We took a chance and had a magnificent room booked. Spacious, balcony, overlooking the pool and the ocean. Service - Par excellence ! As Indians, we were treated with the utmost respect and highest levels of hospitality. Food - In 2 nights, we had 2 breakfasts and 1 dinner. Great sea-food and local cuisines were served. We had an unforgettable experience to say the least ! Tip - The staff had suggested a restaurant by the name of W15 within walking distance from the hotel. It was one of the best restaurants I have been to ( location, ambiance, Bar, Decor, Food, Pool, Garden and on the beach !!)

This counts as one of the best Villas I’ve ever stayed at. Often the pictures are an exaggeration of the beauty of a location, but not on this occasion. The place is sublime. An absolute perfect location just ½ mile from Weligama. There are only 8 villas and we stayed in Samaya on the first floor. A large villa for 2 persons. The views across the bay were amazing and perfect for the adventurous surfer (Not me). For the beginner Weligama had it all to offer. Gentle waves with a sandy bottom. Meals are presented at your balcony, there is no restaurant as promoted on some sites, just wonderful food delivered right to your room. Yes there are cheaper villas available and cheaper meals too, but don’t be fooled, this is up there with the very best. Add to this, a wonderful infinity pool and a private beach and you have found paradise. If I’m critical then the wifi is poor and the spa is very expensive compared to others, but these are minor compared to the positives.

Great hotel, very clean, large room with windows that brighten the room. Bathroom is large and very nice. Bed was large and had a firmer matress. Hotel equipped with Hot and cold showers, mini fridge, pool, and good air con. hotel staff was helpful, and very polite. breakfast was basic, but plentiful. The location of the hotel was fantastic especially for families. The hotels location is across the road from mirissa beach right at the opening of the beach. Takes Less Than 30 seconds walk to be on the beach. The bonus to be across the street is mirissa beach has large parties and staying right on the beach would make for a bad sleep. The only downside of the hotel is the wifi is slower. We found it worked better in the mornings for booking other hotels. The hotel also arranged a driver for our next stop. Would definitely stay here again.

This was the best two nights we had in Sri Lanka. It is so tucked away from the beaches and tourists. We thoroughly enjoyed the privacy and exclusiveness this hotel had to offer. We also appreciate the architecture of the building and those tasteful art pieces around the place. The bungalow would be a bit awkward in terms of location and of course the main house has the best view and what not on top of the hill. But we think the cinnamon museum rooms are the best as there s an infinety pool just outside of the hall and not too far away from the main house. It s a shame that the museum wasn't open when we were there and the towels aren't best quality ones. But other than that, we are so happy we stayed there for two nights. BTW, the juice for breakfast is excellent. We highly recommend it.

Booked a large bed room but ended up with a luxe category with twin beds For a family with an infant we were looking for a larger bed and we have never wanted a twin bedroom anyways I found this agoda booking to be of all things wrong The hotel was perfect and I’m glad I booked for 3days Staff in particular was the highlight here Anique and Kamanthi was two of the most amazing staff we came across there Of course 99% of them were super nice The staff who checked us in was pretentious and didn’t even accommodate our small requests like the possibility of having the dinner in the room as we couldn’t leave the 9month old when he’s asleep in the room for dinner But we were pleasantly taken by the gesture of anique at the main restaurant who helped us get our food in its best condition to the room and made the dinner even more memorable Food was great with its variety The facilities like Kids club added to the enjoyment And the pools available are just fantastic and the times of opening are a great plus point Food buffet is also open from early morning to late 11am which is great and it is a new facility that we have not experienced anywhere before Can’t wait to return to this place again Looking forward 💕

A soon as we arrived the Manager (Kanal) was awesome, so friendly & helping us by keeping us cool ( due to the heat) by offering drinks & letting us sit in his office to cool down until our room was ready. They let us check in early you wont find many hotels that you let you do this. The rooms are specious & very clean the wifi works fantastically.Couldn't fault the rooms They have a fantastic kitchen & breakfast was fast & great.. Kanal even secured a lounge for us on the beach. he went out of his way to make our experience great & made us feel so welcome We wanted to stay extra night but they were fully booked even after we left they wanted to help us find additional accommodation & said we can come by anytime we need anything. I recommend this resort anyone who wants staff who go out of there way to please you.. exceptional work & customer service. A fantastic affordable accommodation/resort **** 5 Stars

Friendliest, kindest, and best staff in Sri Lanka. Check-in and check-out was very swift, and the staff knew our names when they welcomed us. The room was very clean and it was as the picture that was posted on the website. The price was very affordable. Brizo's location is right across from Marriott Hotel. We will definitely come back. There is a railroad right next to the building, but there was no training during the night time. We slept well. Thank you Brizo ^^.

Amazing location, great value for money and very good facilities. Staff were very good and polite.. Overall a very satisfying stay. The breakfast was very filling. They helped us arrange a whale watching experience as well and helped us out when the original trip was cancelled due to bad weather even after getting on the boat. They made re-booking the same service (without extra charge) a hassle free experience. Highly recommended to stay. Will definitely come back.

we travel by car around srilanka for over two weeks staying in many hotels but this one was without the doubt the best one in every aspect. when we arrived we couldn't believed that there is no mistake and it`s the place we booked, we thought that it should have cost double we paid. enormous size, design and cleanness of the room deserve 5 stars, food in their restaurant was much better then anywhere around and cost half of the price, this please should be highly recommended

First we came here for couple days. Now we've been here for a week and not hurry to leave yet. Hotel is right next to the beach which is great place to learn surfing. The hotel itself is quite new with simple clean rooms with air-con (if you want to pay little extra). Customer service is excellent which makes you feel safe and comfortable. Hotel has also new swimming pool which is good place to relax after surf day. Breakfast is also good. We highly recommend this hotel if you are looking for a relaxing and quite cheap place to stay in Weligama.

This was the best hotel we had during our 3 weeks trip. It is quite new and in fantastic condition. The room and the hotel overall is very clean. The staff is extraordinarily friendly. We did enjoy the great infinity pool with the nice view to the countryside. Hotel offers food during fixed time slots otherwise nice places in walking distance. We enjoyed Papa Mango very much which is just done the road at the beach. Do not miss this great place.

My room was absolutely spotless, which is always a good sign, the air con was v. efficient (I had to turn it off at times because it was so good at combatting the heat) and, my personal benchmark, the shower, was brilliant. The staff and owners were all very friendly and quickly made me feel comfortable. The food was simple - but I enjoyed it and ate there on each of my four nights stay. I thought that the Esprit was excellent value for money and would have no hesitation in recommending it if your budget is around £30/night. The main beach at Mirissa is only 1km away and I see that other reviewers mention having to walk along the road. I didn't find this a problem and anyway on the second day found a cut-through halfway along (just past the Glass House restaurant as you head towards the beach). This brings you out on a beautiful small crescent of sand which was virtually deserted when I visited - though if you want the main beach, just keep walking In the direction of Mirissa for another half kilometre. I travelled from Colombo on the train. Tip 1: try and get a seat on the right-hand side of the carridge (as you face the direction of travel) to get the best views of the sea. Tip 2: in Colombo I got on at Fort, however the train originates from Maradana, one stop away, and this would have given a better chance of finding a seat. The train was already crowded when it arrived at Fort so I, and the hundred(s) of other passengers waiting had to fight our way on. Tip 3: Weligama is the closest station to Esprit and that is where I got off. Returning to Colombo it is better to get on at Matara for the same reason as tip 2.

Loved our stay at Sea Star and Mirissa. The room was spacious and the view was incredible, spotting turtles below in the water. Great place to snorkel out the front, but visibility was poor when we went. The room was good but the ac and tv didnt work when we got there. The staff quickly and efficiently made sure everything worked before they let us settle in. A great place to base yourselves while in Mirissa.

The room didn't have air con and no pool but we still thought it was a great place to stay - the balcony and view into the fields was amazing. It's a short walk to the beach and we enjoyed being a little away from the busy beach/street area. Really helpful in booking a whale watching tour, massages and tuk tuk to Matara for us, which was perfect! Breakfast was great and our welcome drink was the best welcome drink we had during our 3 weeks in Sri Lanka.

We absolutely loved D Canal. The house is beautifully appointed and set in stunning tropical gardens. There are regular visits from wildlife including peacocks, monkeys, mongoose and kingfishers. Breakfast is fabulous and the free tuk tuk transfers to the main road is a great touch. We had such a relaxing stay at D Canal. I could move in! Would highly recommend to other travellers.

This place was one if the most memorable. The location is literally next to the jungle. The facilitues were clean and modern, the pool a wonderful experience after a long hike in the forrest. Make sure you book the long hike and you will get their killer guide which also works for the Wildlife Conservatory department. A truly superb day with a lot of reptiles, birds, monkeys etc. A quite strenious walk as the humidity can reach up to 85% - bring lots of water if you are like me on the bigger size. Food in the hotel was also very Food and not too costly. Overall I highly recommend this place.

We had a lovely 2 nights at the boutique hotel at the end of our trip. The hotel is quite new (only 6 months old when we stayed) with a new wing about to open before December. We stayed with another young family so together we occupied 4 of the then 5 rooms. The hotel is lovely, rooms are extra large with lots of space. They had satellite TV and air con, which was necessary given hot weather at the time. Our kids loved playing in the pool and strolling along the beach. It was clean and relaxing. We were given welcoming fruit cocktails upon arrival. ordered western lunches which were just delicious. Breakfast was ample and fresh. The chef offers to buy fresh seafood at the markets to cook for us. I guess that was because our group was the only guests at the time. I would highly recommend this boutique hotel to anyway wanting a luxury get away near Marissa.