Janik was an excellent host and very accommodating. He organized two fantastic safaris for us which were very good value for money. The property is very close to the National Park entrance making it an ideal base for your wildlife adventures. The food was home cooked in a communal space which was comfortable to relax in after a good day’s safari.

Stayed in March 2025

We had a really lovely stay. Great food. So welcoming. Awesome safari. Wish we could have stayed longer and had a dip in the new pool when it is finished ! It will be beautiful

Stayed in March 2025

Nothing

The Service was amazing, super friendly and really thought through. The food of the owners mum was the best food we had so far, i never had such a good mango Curry. Also the Safari was super, the Driver gave us always enough time to spot animals. In general, you gonna feel like home at this place.

Stayed in March 2025

The host is amazing! They help you with everything! Also The rooms are super. Airco and fan + multiple lights. And ofcourse a nice warm shower. We booked a safari tour with them and the driver is also The guide. He has much knowledge of the animals and has eagle eyes so he spots anything you are looking for. 10/10

Stayed in March 2025

From the moment we arrived, we felt very welcome. Janik and his mother Schwarna are lovely people who really care about their guests. Nothing is too much trouble and we were very grateful to Janik for arranging transport to and from Amba Kola for us. Schwarna is a talented cook and we really enjoyed her cookery class - and of course eating the delicious Sri Lankan food she taught us to make! We also particularly appreciated the large comfortable bed and superb pillows!

Stayed in March 2025

Comfy beds and pillows, outdoor shower, cooking class, top service, family touch

Stayed in March 2025

We had a Ulawalawe safari booked through the property but, although enjoyable, the experience was affected by the driver/ guide's lack of English although he did do his best.

Very friendly and helpful owners who run a small cafe in tandem with having overnight guests. We had a very comfortable bedroom and the food was very good. I'd sprained my ankle before arrival and the mother very kindly gave me a couple of massages on my swollen ankle.

Stayed in February 2025

Janik and the staff set a new bar for hosting that I haven't experienced before. Nothing was too much trouble and they made everything easy for us. We booked a safari through them, an excellent cooking class and transfers. Janik also gave us great recommendations for the rest of our trip. I can't say enough good things about the level of hospitality we received at Amba Kola.

Stayed in January 2025

Nothing it was fantastic

We had such a wonderful stay at Amba kola! The staff were excellent so attentive and personal❤️The food was out of this world, all homemade by the owner mother, who was so sweet. We had a great night sleep followed by a safari in the morning. I would 100% recommend!

Stayed in January 2025

This is not something dislike for us. But the lodging is in a remote village, so it may not be suitable for those who wants a lot of “actions”.

I booked this place due to the great reviews and it was beyond my expectations. We were treated so well with the family members who own the place, and the staffs. The bed was huge and comfortable. All the meals were made from the scratch with fresh ingredients. we enjoyed the Safari and cooking class during our two night stay. we would love to come back again.

Stayed in January 2025

Loved the warm welcome, hospitality was exceptional, and the food was amazing!

Stayed in December 2024

We enjoyed out stay very much. Janik and his Family have a nice house and they were wonderful hosts. The cooking class was phenomenal and Janik organized everything for us (transfers, safari, …). Highly recommended to stay there and support this local family!

Stayed in December 2024

The stay was absolutely perfect! I wouldn’t change one thing about this place. We stayed for one night and from start to finish, the service and hospitality was exceptional, we were truly treated like family. The food was cooked fresh to order and absolutely divine, and we were fed until we couldn’t eat any more! The bed was super comfy and all the bathroom facilities were really good. The safari was great too. I don’t often write reviews but this place deserves one! The owner even called to speak to us just before we left to make sure we had a good stay!

Stayed in November 2024

Jannik and his mother + stuff took care about us like we were family. Food is more than fantastic as the mother cooks everything fresh and with love. I can guarantee you - the food, the Safari, the service, the rooms and everything else is awesome and you will love it. They also care about the dogs and cats in the neighborhood - so be ready to cuddle with that lovely dogs in the Lobby.

Stayed in December 2024

Nothing

We came for only one night to go an a safari, but would have loved to stay longer. The staff were extremely welcoming and made sure we never ran out of water or had any unfulfilled wishes. They even cleaned our tuktuk and gave us ayurvedic medicine as my wife had stomach problems. The Sri Lankan food was the best we had during 3 weeks on the island. They also offer cooking classes, but we did not have the time for it. The rooms were super clean with AC and mosquito nets. They organized a safari for us with probably one of the best driverd as he had such sharp eyes, he even spotted the smallest lizards, birds and snakes on the way. Other vehicles drove past those animals, but we stopped and were able to take many photos. In addition, there are four street dogs and a cat which belong to the accomodation and are absolutely lovely. We cuddled a lot with them.

Stayed in December 2024

Nothing, everything amazing!

Everything was perfekt, the Room was amazing and Beautiful, everything very clean, the stuff, Janik and his mum were the Most increadible hosts and people, so Kind and warmhearted, we felt like home away from Home, the cooking Class with mama was amazing and the safari as well :) thanks a lot!!!

Stayed in December 2024

We had a beautiful stay at Amba Kola, a slice of paradise in the Udawalawa jungle. We originally booked for 1 night but as soon as we arrived we were so warmly welcomed and loved the look and feel so much that we extended our stay. Janik and his family were incredible hosts, they treated us like family. Amba Kola is perfectly located on the edge of the National Park, which made it super easy to access safari tours. Tours are available to book onsite with their recommended tour guide, who we found to be so helpful, spoke very good English, and was amazing at spotting all of the wildlife on safari and relaying information. We saw many elephants as well as peacocks, deer, crocodiles, chameleons, iguanas, and so many different species of birdlife. Our room at Amba Kola was very relaxing and comfortable, we really loved the extra touch of an outdoor shower. We had the best food of our whole trip during our stay here, it truly was amazing. Janik’s mother, Mama Swarna, makes beautiful authentic home cooked meals, made from home grown and locally sourced fresh ingredients, and served with love. We have not stoped raving about it yet! Mama Swarna is a top rated cook and also offers traditional cooking classes. Janik, Greshan, and Sanju were so warm and friendly from the moment we arrived. Some of the most generous and happiest people we have met. They went out of their way to show us many of the local sights, and were always checking in on us with a smile to make sure we had everything we needed during our stay. We loved spending time petting and playing with their lovely dogs and cats, chilling in the beautiful garden, and enjoying a cool beer of an afternoon while playing a game of chess before dinner. We would not change a thing about our stay, every aspect was tastefully thought out and we enjoyed every moment, but the thing that really stood out and made our experience so special was being treated as part of this beautiful family.

Stayed in November 2024

Nothing

This place is just a dream. Extraordinary hospitality, nice rooms, amazing food, great safari. There is nothing that could be better. Thank you Yannick, we felt like at home and were treated as kings the same time

Stayed in November 2024

Nothing!

We arrived at Amba Kola to the warmest welcome, not just from Janik but from all of the staff and the many animals lying on the porch in the sun. The excellent hospitality continued throughout our stay as everyone went out of their way to ensure our time at the hotel was as comfortable and memorable as possible. Rooms were clean and spacious, coffee was great, laundry done for free - what more could you ask for?! Highlights included: - Tour of the local area, through the sugar cane fields and to the reservoir with Janik and his friend pointing out wildlife on the way. - Cooking class with Janik’s mum, learning how to make various vegetable curries and coconut roti using ingredients sourced from the garden. (Especially memorable due to a power cut and cooking by candle-light) - Excellent safari, not only did we see elephants but also crocodiles, eagles, pythons - brilliant! We have no hesitations in recommending Amba Kola to family and friends in the future, it is a memorable stay full of character and friendly faces!

Stayed in September 2024

Nothing!

We loved our stay at Amba Kola. Jannik and his family were super welcoming and friendly. The rooms are very nice. Even when I catched a cold, they gave me medicine and brought me tea. We very much enjoyed our Safari und we loved the cooking class and the food was amazing.

Stayed in September 2024

We stayed two nights at Amba Kola for doing a safari at Udawale nationalpark. Janik was an amazing, openhearted and very helpful host, the best we had in Sri Lanka. The food, wich is provided by his mother, is outstanding delicouse and is made from scratch by her using fresh local and selfmade ingredients. The cooking class was very interesting and is definetly worth it. The safari was provided by the hotel and was very cool and had a very good price in comparison to other providers in the regions. In generell the Amba Kola is a hidden gem with very fair prices, an outstanding host and beautiful rooms designed by an artist you have to expirience when you are in this region. 12/10

Stayed in September 2024

There’s really nothing to dislike. A comfy sofa in the communal area would be a nice addition but all good.

The two large rooms are lovely and spacious and the outside shower is a nice touch. Lovely surroundings and great ‘home stay’ feel.

Stayed in August 2024

Impossible to dislike anything

Wow where to start with this review. I have visited many places in the world and this has to be the experience that will stick with me forever. The hospitality I received from Janik and his mother from the moment I arrived, to the moment I left, was simply outstanding. As a solo female traveller, it is important to feel secure and the reviews for this hotel were what initially stuck out to me; I can confirm they are not wrong. In the short two days I was there, I felt like I was home. Starting with the room, it was super clean & spacious and the bed was very comfortable. The outdoor bathroom was very private and it was a real treat to shower under the stars; the accommodation is even better than the pictures! They even offered laundry service when I arrived which was much appreciated. Next onto the food: I ate all my meals at the property for two days and Janik’s mother is an outstanding cook of Sri Lankan food. Breakfast was huge and varied, great coffee (they roast their own coffee beans) and juice/smoothies too! I also took her cooking class offering and we had so much fun cooking up the biggest feast you can imagine - I would totally recommend doing this. The garden is packed full of all different sorts of organic fruits and vegetables and we picked some of these in the morning, ready to use when making dinner. Janik was also kind enough to show me the area and the sugar cane fields, which was a great insight into local life. The property is tucked off the main road which makes it very quiet and peaceful, but still it is only minutes from the national park entrance. Lastly onto the main event of the safari, which was the most wonderful experience; Janik organised everything with an experienced driver and even accompanied me which I really appreciated. We saw many elephants (absolutely beautiful), crocodiles, birds, buffalo, deer and wild boar.

Stayed in May 2024

If you are looking for a super familiar stay, good food and perfect service this is the place to be. When we arrived we got a quick tour of the village and got some free Icecream at the locals stay. The rooms are very clean and the safari is organized very well, you will get a super fair price not like other bookings. The food is 10/10 and super fresh. You can also book a cooking lesson.

Stayed in May 2024