The Cool Nest Yala Hotel
Location: No.137/A, Halabagaswala Road, Tissamaharama, lk
Star Rating: 9 Stars
Property Type: Holiday homes
About this Property
Luxurious Accommodation
The Cool Nest Yala Hotel offers rooms with air conditioning, free private parking, and free WiFi. Some rooms even have a fully equipped kitchen and a fireplace, providing a cozy and comfortable stay for guests.
Family-Friendly Amenities
Families with children will appreciate the indoor play area and baby safety gate at the hotel. Parents can relax knowing their little ones are entertained and safe while enjoying their holiday.
Exploration and Convenience
Guests can explore the area with cycling and walking tours arranged by the hotel. Additionally, a car rental service is available for further convenience. Don't miss the chance to visit nearby attractions like Bundala Bird Sanctuary and Situlpawwa.
Book your stay at The Cool Nest Yala Hotel for a memorable and convenient holiday experience.
Important Information
Please inform of your expected arrival time in advance. You can use the Special Requests box when booking, or contact the property directly using the contact details in your confirmation.
Policies
Check-in: 02:30 PM - 10:00 PM
Check-out: 10:00 AM
Amenities & Facilities
- Offsite parking discounted rates available
- Guest education on local ecosystems and culture
- Parking
- Non-smoking rooms
- Air conditioning
- Room service
- Terrace
- Family rooms
- BBQ facilities
- Luggage storage
- Express check-in/check-out
- Safety deposit box
- Tour desk
- Ironing service
- Car hire
- Packed lunches
- Currency exchange
- Chapel/shrine
- Non-smoking throughout
- Private check-in/check-out
- Shared lounge/TV area
- Shuttle service (additional charge)
- Grocery deliveries
- Allergy-free room
- Kid meals
- Shared kitchen
- Baby safety gates
- Outdoor furniture
- Coffee Shop on site
- Fruits
- Staff adhere to local safety protocols
- Guest rooms disinfected between stays
- Cleaning standards that are effective against Coronavirus
- Physical distancing rules followed
- Hand sanitizer in guest room and key areas
- First aid kit available
- Sanitized tableware & silverware
- Contactless check-in/check-out
- Invoice provided
- Guests can opt-out any cleaning services during stay
- Shared stationery like menus, pens are removed
- Guest room sealed after cleaning
- Property cleaned by professional cleaning companies
- Physical distancing in dining areas
- Key access
- Food delivered to guest room
- CCTV outside property
- Process in place to check health of guests
- Access to health care professionals
- Face masks for guests available
- 24-hour security
- Delivered food - securely covered
- Happy hour
- Cooking class
- Front desk (limited hours)
- Express check-in
- Free wired internet
- Self parking (surcharge)
- Offsite parking discounted rates available
- Internet access
- Housekeeping on request
- Private picnics
- Japanese garden
- Fishing nearby
- Bicycle-friendly property
- Charcoal grill
- Guest education on local ecosystems and culture
- Vegetarian menu options available
- Accessible shuttle
- No accessible shuttle
- Accessible train station shuttle
- No accessible train station shuttle
Rooms Available
-
Deluxe Villa, 2 Bedrooms, Kitchenette, Ground Floor
1 Queen Bed and 1 King Bed
2497-sq-foot room, located on the ground floor, balcony/patio with garden views
Layout - Living room, dining area, and sitting area
Internet - Free WiFi
Entertainment - Flat-screen TV with premium channels
Food & Drink - Kitchenette with refrigerator and espresso maker
Sleep - Premium bedding
Bathroom - Private bathroom, shower, free toiletries, and towels
Practical - Safe and free newspaper
Comfort - Air conditioning and daily housekeeping
Non-Smoking
Max Occupancy: 4 (4 Adults)
- Shower
- Safety deposit box
- TV
- Air conditioning
- Kitchenette
- Refrigerator
- Private bathroom
- Bottle of water
- Room service (limited hours)
- Free newspaper
- Daily housekeeping
- Ceiling fan
- Espresso maker
- Premium bedding
- Separate sitting area
- Separate dining area
- Free WiFi
- Separate living room
- Balcony or patio
- Separate bedroom
- Private or shared bathroom
- Location - ground floor
-
Villa, 3 Bedrooms
1 Queen Bed and 2 Double Beds
2500-sq-foot room with a balcony/patio
Layout - Living room, dining area, and sitting area
Internet - Free WiFi
Entertainment - Flat-screen TV with premium channels
Food & Drink - Kitchenette with refrigerator and espresso maker
Sleep - Premium bedding
Bathroom - Private bathroom, shower, free toiletries, and towels
Practical - Safe and free newspaper
Comfort - Air conditioning and daily housekeeping
Non-Smoking
Max Occupancy: 6 (6 Adults)
- Shower
- Safety deposit box
- TV
- Air conditioning
- Kitchenette
- Refrigerator
- Private bathroom
- Bottle of water
- Room service (limited hours)
- Free newspaper
- Daily housekeeping
- Ceiling fan
- Espresso maker
- Premium bedding
- Separate sitting area
- Separate dining area
- Free WiFi
- Separate living room
- Balcony or patio
- Separate bedroom
- Private or shared bathroom
-
One-Bedroom House
This holiday home's special feature is the fireplace. The air-conditioned holiday home features 1 bedroom and 1 bathroom with a bath and a shower. The holiday home provides executive lounge access, a seating area, as well as a terrace and a balcony. The unit offers 1 bed.
Max Occupancy: 2 (2 Adults)
- Shower
- Safety deposit box
- Air conditioning
- Hair dryer
- Seating Area
- Fan
- Toilet
- Private bathroom
- Fireplace
- Tile/marble floor
- Hardwood or parquet floors
- Alarm clock
- Dining area
- Executive lounge access
- Mosquito net
- Cleaning products
- Terrace
- Linen
- Dining table
- Outdoor dining area
- Upper floors accessible by stairs only
- Semi-detached
- Clothes rack
- Toilet paper
- Books, DVDs, or music for children
- Bottle of water
- Trash cans
- Wine glasses
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Body soap
- Adapter
- Mobile hotspot device
- Key access
- Hand sanitiser
-
Double Room with Park View
The fireplace is the standout feature of this holiday home. The air-conditioned holiday home has 1 bedroom and 1 bathroom with a bath and a shower. The holiday home features executive lounge access, a seating area, a dining area as well as a terrace with garden views. The unit has 2 beds.
Max Occupancy: 3 (3 Adults)
- Shower
- Safety deposit box
- Air conditioning
- Hair dryer
- Seating Area
- Fan
- Toilet
- Private bathroom
- Fireplace
- Tile/marble floor
- Hardwood or parquet floors
- Alarm clock
- Dining area
- Executive lounge access
- Mosquito net
- Cleaning products
- Terrace
- Linen
- Dining table
- Outdoor dining area
- Upper floors accessible by stairs only
- Semi-detached
- Clothes rack
- Toilet paper
- Books, DVDs, or music for children
- Bottle of water
- Trash cans
- Wine glasses
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Body soap
- Adapter
- Mobile hotspot device
- Key access
- Hand sanitiser
-
Four-Bedroom House
This holiday home includes 1 living room, 4 separate bedrooms and 3 bathrooms with a shower and free toiletries. Guests can enjoy a balcony and an outdoor dining area. The unit has 6 beds.
Max Occupancy: 10 (10 Adults)
- Shower
- Hair dryer
- Desk
- Private bathroom
- Alarm clock
- Dining area
- Linen
- Dining table
- Outdoor dining area
- Bottle of water
- Wine glasses
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Key access
-
Vacation Home
This holiday home has a balcony, washing machine and kitchen. It has two bedrooms.
Max Occupancy: 6 (6 Adults)
- Coffee/tea maker
- Shower
- Safety deposit box
- TV
- Air conditioning
- Hair dryer
- Kitchenette
- Refrigerator
- Desk
- Seating Area
- Fan
- Toilet
- Dishwasher
- Private bathroom
- Shared toilet
- Kitchen
- Fireplace
- Private entrance
- Sofa
- Tile/marble floor
- Hardwood or parquet floors
- Alarm clock
- Dining area
- Electric kettle
- Executive lounge access
- Mosquito net
- Cleaning products
- Linen
- Dining table
- Outdoor dining area
- Entire unit located on ground floor
- Private apartment in building
- Clothes rack
- Drying rack for clothing
- Toilet paper
- Books, DVDs, or music for children
- Bottle of water
- Trash cans
- Wine glasses
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Body soap
- Adapter
- Mobile hotspot device
- Key access
- Hand sanitiser
-
One-Bedroom House
Offering free toiletries, this holiday home includes a shared bathroom with a bath, a shower and a hairdryer. The holiday home offers a dining area and an outdoor dining area. The unit offers 1 bed.
Max Occupancy: 2 (2 Adults)
- Shower
- Hair dryer
- Fan
- Toilet
- Alarm clock
- Dining area
- Mosquito net
- Linen
- Dining table
- Outdoor dining area
- Toilet paper
- Bottle of water
- Wine glasses
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Body soap
- Key access
Guest Reviews
- Tatiana D. Weber (9/5): - Close to bus station and restaurants, the room was big and comfortable, shower was good, the owner was very friendly and helpful and he helped me book my safari trip!
- salim (10/5): best at yala - what a nice adventure at yala national park. we had breakfast at the jungle. the hotel arranged the pickup and also the drop. thanks mr.
- Lanny (9/5): highly recommended - good service compared to other hotels at that city. foods arranged at the time and i didn't much interested about the safari. overall its a good stay.
- Riya (9/5): - all in good recommended.
- Gladys (10/5): - Simple and comfortable place. helpful host. Great view. i must recommend their safari services which is divided into 3 category and i did the full day safari with 2 meals and more snacks. enjoyed that day.
- Stephen (10/5): - People are very friendly. Supper breakfast. Great AC and fan. Nothing.
- Hunnem (10/5): - It was a great safari experience with anu. did everything to make us happy, also gave us a most suitable room in his hotel.
- Rima (8/5): Viešnagės tikslas Yalos nacionalinis parkas. - Labai paslaugus personalas, labai gera komunikacija, o ypač labai paslaugus ir nuoširdus vadybininkas, kuris mus vežė į Yalos nacionalinį parką. Didelis Ačiū Jam ir jo kolegai. Rekomenduojame vykti į Yalą iš šio viešbučio.
- Eun (10/5): -
- zakariya (9/5): - expert in arranging safaris
- MASANORI (10/5): - まず、ここのオーナーに対して、心からお礼を言わなければなりません。 残念なことに、私が申し込んだサファリツアーは実は悪徳業者によるもので、当日の朝になっても迎えのクルマが来ず、既に前金として払っていた5000ルピーを持ち逃げされるという被害に会いました。 たまたま、その朝、こちらのホテルを介してツアーに申し込んだ別の客の対応のためホテルの外に出てきたオーナーが私を見つけ、何時に迎えに来る約束なのか、などを聞いてくださいました。 しかし待ち合わせ時間を大きく過ぎても業者が現れないことが分かり、もはや詐欺であったことが分かると、ツアー開始時刻直前であるにも関わらず、ツアードライバーをしているというご自分の友人にまだ当日の空きがあるかを確認してくれただけでなく、わざわざ集合場所までご自分のクルマで連れて行ってくださったお陰で、なんとかツアーに参加することができました。 本当にお礼の言いようがないくらい、感謝の気持ちでいっぱいです。 どうもありがとうございました。
- Rene (7/5): Leuk verblijf voor als je niet te kritisch bent. - Locatie en het vriendelijke personeel. De neef vd eigenaar verzorgt een prima safari. Slecht bed op onze kamer, erg dun matras. Het toilet en douche moet echt opgeknapt worden. Deur gaat bv niet op slot.
- Manuel (8/5): Hotel in Tissa - The host is really friendly and recommended some places we could check out in Tissa which we really liked. He gave us packed breakfast for the safari and let us keep our backpacks at the hotel until 13:00 which was really nice. The location is close to the city centre and the shared rooms are great The bathroom has 3 different types of locks but none of them work. We found many small ants in the room close to the balcony. The place could be wonderful but needs a bit of a restorantion in my opinion
- Mark (10/5): The Cool Nest - Anu was a great host, breakfast was good, and even made me a packed breakfast when I had to catch an early bus. The safari he booked for me was amazing, seeing all Yala has to offer, including 3 Leopards. Shared bathroom, unable to lock. Although I was the only person staying in the rooms with shared kitchen and bathroom
- Keith (10/5): - The location is just a few minutes away from shopping, historic landmarks, and restaurants. On our last day they were even kind enough to prepare us box breakfast as we had to leave early into to jungle for safari. with the host; it was affordable and a lot of fun. We had breakfast inside the park,
- Mike (10/5): - Very helpful caretaker at the property. Best view in tissamaharama. Peaceful stay. anyone considering a safari to yala national park, I recommend this hotel for comfortable jeep service to a safari.
- Simone (7/5): Great staff & customer service - Our host Anu and the staff were super friendly and helpful. A hot shower and air conditioning was most appreciated. Staff were kind enough to allow us to leave our bags in the room & then shower and change on our return from a safari.
- Joni (10/5): - Fantastic family hotel. They helped organize our safari, took us to see the baby elephants feed and prepared the most fabulous evening meal. This was better than staying in a five star hotel. Highly recommended for your stay and for your safari needs.
- Marianna (9/5): - A reggeli finom volt bőséges. A személyzet is segítőkész. Az apartman stílusú szobát kaptunk 2 nagy különálló szobával de a konyhában nem volt semmi a hűtőn kívül. Se teaforraló tea vagy kávé bent az apartmanban. Ha kértünk kint a recepción természetesen kaptunk. Összességében a vezető a tulaj a család nagyon kedves volt segítőkész
- Jimmy (10/5): - cool nest yala . Wonderful location with full of natural surrounding. Environment is soothing and calm. This place is healing your soul. We only ordered breakfast and it was rotti with dhal and lunu miris. We ordered tempered potato dish and it was one of the best dishes iv had. next day we drove to national park for the safari which was arrange by hotel. The Safari was great, we saw a lot of animals. The host is very professional and serious.
- Nina (10/5): - Exceptional! This little gem is perfect for a one night stop over with family. Excellent and friendly service (very accommodating to all requests incl. strong tea and coffee - thank you). Easy access to all southern tourist attraction place from here. specially yala safari park and more Thank u Mr. anu
- Fia (10/5): - Amazing stay in tissamaharama. Clean, comfy rooms, Icey cold AC, , nice breakfast and and smiling staff who were happy to help with anything we needed. close to many restaurant options and main attraction sites around. organizing the safari to yala national park. they supplied a small snack and water during the safari, then on return we were supplied with an awesome breakfast, no shortage of great food. All in all, highly recommended, everything you need for your time in yala.
- Lisa (10/5): - Awesome place to stay for family. We had a good time. Good food and great service. highly recommends
- Annie (8/5): Aanrader voor bezoek aan Yala NP - Goede ligging, perfecte gastheer die goed Engels spreekt, professionele en hartelijke ontvangst, comfortabel, hulp bij het zoeken naar plaats om te eten en bij de safari
- Fox (10/5): - For what you pay, its amazing.. if you are a group of people this would be optimal choice as its a house with living area and kitchen. it gives off a nice vibe, they bring the ingredients for breakfast and you sort of make yourself at home. all rounders at tours & safaris.
- Marven (10/5): great in all the way - Amazing place, tons to do and see around the area, great hosts. We went on the safari and had a brilliant day in yala national park. our driver. He was very careful around the elephants and very knowledgeable.
- Maite (10/5): -
- chris (10/5): - liked everything from start to end. room, food and service. If you need a pick up or drop contact the hotel, they will arrange one for you as well.
- Matt (10/5): - beautifully appointed inside and lovely gardens outside. The staff was professional, friendly. It’s peaceful, service is perfect. you can arrange safari from them. we were about to leave urgently so we left. anyway thanks
- LegendaryRick (9/5): Besides the bathroom, everything was excellent - The service from the host was outstanding he helped us with everything we needed. Highly recommended, such a good person. The room was clean but our bathroom was probably forgotten to be cleaned I guess, there were still traces from previous guests.
- Ashley (10/5): - Cozy comfortable rooms. Well maintained wash rooms. Safari can be arranged from the hotel.... nice service, driver was really nice and informing. enjoyed the ride a lot!
- ALBERTO (8/5): - Anu, el encargado, fue muy atento con nosotros. Nos ayudó para contratar un safari y con todo lo relacionado con atracciones turísticas. Las instalaciones están bien, aunque una renovación no estaría mal.
- Jomart (10/5): Big Journey - Unforgettable journey Great place and great Host anu He helped to arrange safari tour it was nice Even he took us to Arugambey with a car it was really nice I forgot my drone in his car and i realized it after 2 days on the way back to Colombo he bring my drone i was really happy Highly recommended
- Liya (10/5): - We really enjoyed our night in cool nest Hotel, the rooms were so comfortable, Nothing was too much trouble, he organized a transfer from yala to Udawalawe. that was very nice.
- Emily (10/5): Excellente nuit, superbe accueil - Super accueil de l'équipe sur place qui nous ont fait nous sentir comme à la maison. Très serviable, ils nous ont proposé de préparer le déjeuner à emporter avant notre journée safari. Les chambres étaient très bien et propres. Rien à redire ! Nous aurions aimé y séjourner plus longuement
- H (5/5): Be careful when booking a safari through the hotel - Be careful when booking a safari through the hotel. I arranged a safari via the hotel, and during the trip the guide tried to scam me. In the end everything worked out, but I didn’t find it right that the hotel works with such guides. Apart from that, there is nothing wrong with the hotel: it’s a very nice place to stay and the rooms have air conditioning.
- Elizabeth (6/5): Avoid this place to save yourself unnecessary stress - - I do not recommend this hotel. The door of the shared bathroom was broken, the air conditioning in the room was very old and extremely noisy, the windows had no mosquito nets, so staying inside felt like being in the middle of the jungle. Breakfast? I didn’t see any and nobody propose to me neither. The worst part was the check-out, I had informed the manager in advance that I needed to leave at 6:00 a.m. to catch a bus to Ella. Two employees even came to collect the payment beforehand, so everyone was aware. However, in the morning all the doors were locked, nobody answered my calls, and I was trapped inside. In the end, I had to climb over the wall, risking injury, just to get out on time. A very disappointing experience.
- Alexis (10/5): - Tres bon sejour, Noys avons fait le safari aux meilleur prix grace a note hote. Je recommande vivement .
- dishad (10/5): - Super friendly host, arranged everything we needed, car. and a great safari at yala park. enjoyed it. safely drop us where we wanted.
- Corentin (10/5): - Chambre spacieuse et très propre. Petit déjeuner exceptionnel et très complet. Anu et son collègue qui vous accueillent sont extrêmement gentils, serviables, et intéressants. Anu a pris le temps de nous expliquer beaucoup de choses sur le safari. Je recommande cet endroit les yeux fermés !!
- Sergei (9/5): Warm hospitality & delicious breakfast - The host was incredibly friendly, helpful and attentive - he arranged a safari for us, gave us great recommendations for the rest of our trip making our adventure more memorable. The breakfast was delicious and filling - a perfect way to start the day. Highly recommend this. The area for improvement is cleanliness- the rooms could have been tidier. With a bit more attention to this the house would be absolutely great.
- Max (8/5): Goede plek om te slapen als je op safari wil gaan, aardig personeel, airco in elke kamer. -
- Tonra (10/5): Exceptional - A wonderful place to visit - full of great views, birds and a lovely garden hotel. prepared our all travel arrangements in a single call. thanks
- Hildan (10/5): Exceptional - Nice place with very good employers - always around to help, serve coffee or tea. Is not straight on main road but very close to center so not very busy at night.
- Abdul (7/5): Good -
- Saif (10/5): Exceptional - Wow! We enjoyed a breathtaking morning safari trip at yala! Firstly, we contacted RANDU through WhatsApp after reading such wonderful reviews. Nothing was too much trouble, he organized a transfer from Ella to his place, overnight
- Warren (10/5): Exceptional - Excellent service and staff are very good. Stay was good. they also give the transport around the country and safari service at yala for a reasonable price.
- Muhammad (6/5): Pleasant - Staff very good Cleaning is not good and the washroom light is not working
- Lorraine (9/5): Superb - Hospitality was great, parking very convenient, location central. Good room with balcony Good breakfast Highly recommend for stays in Yala Nothing
- Hamsalojan (10/5): Exceptional -
- Fasman (10/5): Exceptional - The Home stay was great! The room was nice and clean and the staff very nice. dinner cooked by them is very tasty with very big portions.
- Peytonra (10/5): Exceptional - liked the host, super friendly. The food was OK. They keep the shared facilities very clean and the beds were comfortable. Hot water was a plus and the WiFi worked well.
- Amandine (10/5): Very nice hotel, I recommand it for a lovely days in Tissa - L’accueil, la chambre, le petit dej, la prise en charge du safari, proche d’un restaurant super bon ! /
- Salama (10/5): Exceptional - Great place...Nice People working there And great service. His efforts and information are valuable. Thank you very much!
- Jilbert (10/5): Exceptional - one of the best accomodations around the tissamaharama. quick drive from the main road . clean and peaceful place. arranged a car transfer to our next destination. helpful.
- Hammadi (10/5): Exceptional - absolutely amazing! This place has the most comfortable beds, the most comfortable pillows, amazing coffee and excellent wifi. It has amazing antiques and Great family.
- Dionn (10/5): Exceptional - place was well furnished/equipped, clean and very comfortable. . We had a smoothie bowl and avocado toast, which we really enjoyed.
- Chinka (10/5): Exceptional - Greatly located hotel, right in the centre of busy town of tissamaharama, if u like to feel local vibe. Very friendly staff, always there to help. Food was amazing. recommended
- Jt (9/5): Superb - Anu and co were lovely and were very helpful in organising a safari tour in Yala with a great guide. Nice rooms and good aircon too!
- Špela (10/5): Exceptional - A lovely accommodation close to the center of this small town. The room was clean, and the air conditioning worked perfectly. The owner speaks English very well, organized a safari for us, and gave great advice on walks in the area. He also prepared a takeaway breakfast for our safari. Highly recommended.
- Merlin (10/5): Great place with good value for money and an exceptionally nice host. - Anu the host is a wonderful person. The safari we booked online was canceled in the morning and helped us more than we would ever expect from a host. I can highly recommend to book the tour in the hotel and not on fake park websites. (Yes yalasrilanka.lk is run by a private person)
- Ikram (8/5): Very good - The owner is incredibly friendly and helpful, always going out of his way to assist guests. He personally dropped us off at the bus station and provided detailed, accurate information about the area. The hotel is in a convenient location, and the atmosphere is quiet and peaceful—ideal for relaxing after a day of exploring. Unfortunately, the owner couldn’t organize a safari tour, which was the main reason we chose this hotel based on previous reviews. The rooms are a bit old, and we noticed some cockroaches, though this seems to be common in Sri Lanka. Be cautious when booking, as some rooms have shared bathrooms, which might not suit everyone.
- Sai (1/5): Bad -
- Ina (9/5): Friendly place near the bus station - Nice house for the five of us. We had plenty of room and could use the whole house. We booked the Yala safari with them and had a great experience as our host travelled with us and acted as a guide. We were offered a cooking class for free when we opted for the rice and curry diner. Millions of mosquitoes in the yard unfortunately made the use impossible. But that is of course not the fault of the hosts.
- Marcel (10/5): Exceptional - It was a pleasure to stay in this hotel for a safari tour. The owner was very helpful. Gave me information what to see in Tissa. He was extremely kind and honest. Not only did he prepare breakfast at 4 a.m., before jeep picked me up, he also let me store my big bag during safari in my hotel room for entire day! He also informed me that I paid much higher price for half day safari on TripAdvisor, so when I complained, they gave me not half day, but full day for free. Furthermore, he arranged a cheap transport for me after safari to Hiriketiya. The room was clean with AC. I am very happy and can't recommend this a accommodation and owner more.
- Aarya (10/5): Exceptional - One of the best properties we stayed at during our trip to Sri Lanka. The value for money is amazing, and the host family were incredible. Anu and his family took great care of us and made sure we were comfortable. Their kid was very cute and so friendly with our group that it made our stay even better. The rooms were nice and had A/C and hot water (not always a given in Sri Lanka), it wasn’t amazing but it was comfortable and exactly what we needed and was great value. Anu organised a safari for us where we luckily saw a leopard and multiple bears, which are not always common! I would highly recommend this place for those wanting to come to a Yala Safari- the hospitality was the best we experienced in the country, and the rooms were comfortable and breakfast was delicious.
- Jayawarna (10/5): Exceptional -
- Greta (9/5): Amazing host and great base for safari! - Great little hotel close to Tissa station. The host was very friendly and gave us some great recommendations. He also woke up at 4:30am to make sure all was well with our Safari tour. Beds were quite short and room quite warm
- Kavindu (10/5): Exceptional -
- Buddhika (10/5): Exceptional -
- James (7/5): Good - The host was great, super helpful and attentive. We went the night before our visit to the Yala National Park. He helped us organised a tour and made breakfasts for us on the day. He also gave us binoculars and spoke to us about what to expect at the Park - he was very knowledgable. The tour guide was also good but I would recommend considering other options too if you want.
- Nanna (8/5): Very good - We stayed for two nights and really enjoyed ourselves - the staff was very friendly and helpful! They were great with our baby and so nice to our 9 year old as well, playing both badminton and dart with him. We booked a Safari with the hotel, which was amazing! We did not see any leopards, but water buffalos, crocodiles, monkeys and elephants!!
- Hannah (7/5): Good -
- Krzysztof (3/5): Disappointing - The localisation is quite good, and coffee at check-in,but that's all. They charge extra for remote control to a/c. No breakfast eventho it was supposed to be included. You can hear any noise made by your neighbor (heard people vomit during the night)
- Sophia (10/5): Very nice and clean property with helpful and knowledgeable staff - Friendly and helpful staff Clean room Nice interior Close to city centre and bus station Delicious breakfast Air condition and fan -
- Robert (10/5): Exceptional - Great staff really nice friendly people who helped me with my travel plans buses. Great location. Spacious bedroom with comfortable bed and balcony. Good air conditioning with fan as well. Beautiful relaxing garden. Had great two days staying there. Would recommend. Everything was good
- Jake (8/5): Lovely hotel and staff - Hotel and staff: The hotel was really nice and the staff were super helpful and assisted us with booking our safari for the following day. We had tea at the hotel on the evening and it was amazing, the portion sizes are HUGE. They make you feel very welcome. Safari: The safari overall was a success as we managed to see elephants, a leopard and crocodiles and more. Safari: If you are lucky enough to see animals at the start of the tour I did feel like the guide switched off a bit and stopped looking for animals. He was sat on his phone playing on a game for parts of the safari (see photo).My partner and I seemed to be the ones spotting animals and we had to ask them to stop, rather than them spotting them and showing them to us. Often when we asked them to stop we had already passed the animals. We were told there would be water included, this meant we didn’t have any water for the full day in the heat which was not ideal - once we told the staff back at the hotel about this he was very apologetic. We were also told that the service charge was included but at the end of the tour the guide asked us to tip which made us feel slightly uncomfortable as we felt we had already tipped in the price.
- Isabel (9/5): Superb - The staff of the hotel was really nice. They gave us some tips to do/see and it were really nice places. The rooms are as on the pictures There were a lott of mosquitoes. This is a problem in the whole city. But be aware when you come to this area.
- Marton (9/5): Superb -
- Martina (10/5): Exceptional -
- Bella (9/5): Superb -
- Andrew (8/5): Very good - Wifi working decently. Had fridge. Accommodation was able to assist with tour to Yala. Confusing side entrance, which requires pressing a doorbell is not consistently answered.
- Martina (10/5): Exceptional - We only stayed one night and appreciated both the 2-bedroom apartment and especially the very attentive host. He organised a last minute safari to Yala for us and personally accompanied us. We were grateful for that as he was able to point out many birds and other animals, knew all the names and many interesting facts. Also, the packed breakfast was nice.
- Tobin (10/5): Attentive Host and Comfort - We had a great stay at Cool Nest Yala. Anu, the host, went above and beyond to make sure we had everything we needed, and more. When we arrived, he showed us around the apartment and gave us a detailed explanation of where everything was. The included breakfast was one of the best we had in Sri Lanka, and the dhal was THE best in our whole 2.5 week stay. The apartment had two comfortable bedrooms with great beds and AC. The living space was comfortable and we spent an entire rainy day lounging inside with ease. The mosquitos stayed out of the bedrooms but we had nets just in case. We appreciated the extras, like drinking water, coffee and tea ingredients, and toiletries. We got to spend time with his adorable daughter! Anu gave our kids a keepsake to take home and we will always remember this stay! The wifi was affected by the heavy rainfall and went out periodically. We arranged a safari with Anu's brother, Sudu, however the morning of the safari our plans were changed without notifying us. We ended up having a great safari with another guide, but were put off by the lack of communication and clarity about what actually happened. In the end, we had a good talk with Sudu who was keen to right the situation and would recommend using Cool Nest to arrange your safaris in Yala NP.
- Chloe (10/5): The best place to stay!! We had an amazing experience staying here and would 100% come again in the future :) - Amazing!! In the perfect location, close to the restaurant and supermarket & bus station. Big, clean rooms and super safe :) our host was extremely helpful and talked us through everything! Organised our safari at a great price and found us a great driver to make our experience the best! Also made us breakfast to have on the safari! Couldn’t recommend coming here enough! We loved our stay. Thank you 🙏🏽
- Kate (8/5): Great for Yala national park - Good location near town and the bus station. Let me borrow their bike to cycle round the tanks and watch the bird life. They helped me organise a shared Yala safari so it made it more affordable as a solo traveller. Great Sri Lankan breakfast too! Nothing
- Doris (10/5): Great and nice. - The cool nest is very close to the bus terminal. It was quiet and relaxed and the AC was very good. If you like you have a kitchen and cook. They offer filtered water for free. Annu is a very nice Host and very helpful in all things. Everything was fine.
- Scott (7/5): Good -
- Nagesh (8/5): Very good -
- Victoria (9/5): Superb - Great breakfast, they even prepared a breakfast box for us to take on the Safari. Very kind and helpful staff. No mosquito nets on the windows which were open at the top, so mosquitos kept coming in.
- Benjamin (10/5): Thank you - Very accommodating hosts, family owned business. They helped us with our trip and instantly fixed any issue we had. They also prepared a breakfast for us when we went to the morning safari. Few bugs in the house, but not surprising, it's Sri Lanka after all. Host came and put some bug spray to fix the issue.
- Jo (9/5): Good base for Yala, great stay - Super friendly host who organised breakfast when we came back from safari and even a taxi to our next destination the day after. Room was spacious and air con was lovely, we even had a kitchen! Good base point for Yala, only about 35mins drive away, highly recommend. Bit noisy at night with barking dogs which woke both of us up but this seems to be fairly regular around Sri Lanka
- Hughes (5/5): Passable -
- Malinda (9/5): Great value for money - Great place and value for money! The staff was super helpful. They also organized a safari for us in Yala.
- Agnieszka (10/5): We really enjoyed our stay in The Cool Nest. The host was amazingly friendly and helpful. He arranged a safari for us an - clean room and bathroom, amazing host -
- Rafaela (7/5): Ok for one night stay, spacious villa - Spacious accommodation with two bedrooms (each has a double as well as a single bed, ideal for families), a kitchen, bathroom, and a lounge. Mosquito nets, kettle, tea, sugar, plates, knife, cups and spoons. Recommendations for safari options from owners and driver accommodation available *The location - unfortunately there is not much around (restaurants etc.) and we really did not like walking around the town area. We were at this property for 1 night. There is no restaurant at the villa - so we went out for dinner shortly after arriving (and after a very long drive with two young children). The highest-rated restaurant in the area served us overly expensive crunchy white rice - we didn't order anything else after seeing the rice. *On the way to the property our driver called for location instructions and was told that our reservation has been canceled. I checked on booking and there was no cancellation but a greeting message from the property. Upon arrival we waited for a good 10 min for someone to open the gate, we got greeted by two friendly teenage boys. The rooms were made up but the windows, kitchen and bathroom could do with a good scrub. *All windows have wooden vents on top - these cannot be closed! Great idea for ventilation, not so much for shutting out insects (and other large creepy crawlers!) *The internet was not working, the owners then paid the bill and we connected but unfortunately there was still no internet. *We booked a room with breakfast, having read that a picnic for the next day safari is prepared. That came as a surprise to the lady, but nevertheless, she sent a picnic of hoppers and sambol, coconut pancakes, bananas, buns and flavored milk, which was much appreciated. *It felt a bit like we were intruding and creating additional work for the owners (the lady had a little baby and I'd imagine she had her hands full already). This might have been due to the fact that it is a low season (October 2022), not many tourists are around so a lot of the accommodations are empty until they get a surprise booking from someone like us!
- James-cad (10/5): Excellent !!! - The hotel was clean and the room was in level of my expectation. the host was very friendly and arrange safari tour for us in reasonable price . i just say because i compared the prices with different places before i get them. the hotel prepared packed breakfast for me to take safari. during the safari specially i saw two leoperds. safari was amazing with them and they help us more...
- Kristella (10/5): Perfect place for staying with a fantastic host - Nice spacious apartment l, amazing host The mosquito nets were a bit uncomfortable since they didn’t have a closing. So it was a bit hard to get in and out the bed at night
- Mirajini (9/5): would recommend and return - very friendly host, packed breakfast and made us tea when we left; very clean place with working appliances
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