TEMBO Cottage Wilpattu

Close to Wilpattu national park, friendly people

English communication was difficult, the male owner was away so it was difficult to communicate what we were asking for in food, activities etc. Even when he was on the phone he still didn’t understand as I was asking for the village tour that he sent me small information on but no cost times etc. No cafes near by so had to eat at the accommodation, dinner was only passable. Breakfast good.

Had a lovely stay here , ideally placed for safari which we organised through these guys . Super friendly people and there's a swimming pool . Highly recommended.

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The location was very close to the national park and safaris could be arranged with the hotel.

Neither the staff at the hotel nor the safari guide could speak any English. Direct communication was therefore impossible. The only way of communication were phone calls with the owner. Also the safari was fairly pricy for not getting an actual guide but only a driver inkl. the jeep.

Didn't realise there was going to be a pool - what a surprise! We jumped in after our afternoon safari. Speaking of which, the hotel were incredibly helpful at helping us organise our safari last minute. The people here are so kind. We were greeted with drinks when we arrived, when we came back from safari. It's all felt very luxurious! Dinner was really tasty, as was breakfast and the room is really nice.

Relaxed atmosphere and super hospitable people. Perfect base for a Safari.

The owner and his wive are very friendly and helpful. The place is in the jungle and is very beautiful. We really loved staying there.

The bed was a bit hard and there were many cockroaches in the bathroom; however, this might be normal in the jungle. Only cold showers.

The service we experienced in Tembo was by far the best we experienced in the whole of Sri Lanka. We were welcomed to the property with tasty juice and shown to our spacious room with en-suite. For breakfast and dinner we were asked what we would like to served and our needs were more than met with delicious meals throughout our stay. They packed us “breakfast” to eat during our Safari in nearby Wilpattu (less than 5 mins away) and it was so much food we couldn’t finish it! Thank you 🙏

If you aren’t a fan of nature (frogs and insects) than maybe not for you. We have a frog or two make their way into our room but we didn’t mind at all!

Location, mosquito net, friendly host, parking

No wifi (it wasn't that it wasn't working, they just don't have it despite it being listed) No fridge (not important for us but it was listed) Lighting was a bit wonky (lights would turn off randomly, whilst other lights remaining on) Breakfasts were very average One dinner was nice, the second one pretty average Currently a building site (didn't affect us as we were away on safari but if you just do half a day safari you're in a construction zone) Dining table listed for the room isn't there (again didn't bother us but the owner just lists things on booking that just aren't there)

The hospitality was excellent. It was home away from home.. Typical country side living and the room was great.

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From the moment we arrived, we were greeted with warm hospitality and exceptional service. The staff at Tembo Cottage were friendly, attentive, and responsive to our needs throughout our stay. They went above and beyond to ensure our comfort and satisfaction. Whether it was providing recommendations for local attractions or promptly addressing any requests we had, their genuine care and professionalism were evident. The quality of the food was outstanding, and we were particularly impressed with the portion sizes. The breakfasts, in particular, were a standout. The fact that they were prepared and packed for us before our early morning safari was a thoughtful touch that allowed us to start our day with a delicious meal and saved us time. The location of Tembo Cottage is truly unbeatable. Situated next to the national park, it provided us with easy access to the park for our early morning safari. Being able to enter the park early and beat the crowds was a game-changer.

During my recent stay at Tembo Cottage, I found a few aspects that fell short of my expectations. Firstly, the rooms were considerably smaller than anticipated, making it a challenge for even a couple to move around comfortably. While the property itself was clean and well-maintained, it lacked the fancy amenities typically associated with hotels. This may not be an issue for those seeking a more rustic and simple experience, but for guests expecting certain luxuries, it might leave something to be desired. One major inconvenience was the absence of mobile service and Wi-Fi at the property. This lack of connectivity made it difficult to stay connected with the outside world and caused some inconvenience when it came to making necessary arrangements or accessing online information. However, it is worth noting that the lovely couple who owns Tembo Cottage did offer a solution by providing a SIM card with internet access. Guests had the option to swap out their own SIM card for the provided one to access the internet.