Very kind and helpful family! They helped us with everything regarding the safari when we got there and it was very good! Really recommend

Stayed in April 2025

Lovely homestay, great food options and the safari they organised for us was amazing!

Stayed in March 2025

Lovely stay and Yala Safari trip. Clean room.

Stayed in February 2025

Very nice host and family! So friendly and supportive, providing all the needed information. Viveka arranged our amazing Yala National Park safari. Everything went perfectly, and we even saw a leopard and many other wildlife up close!

Stayed in March 2025

Viveka and her family couldn’t have done enough for us. Her brother warmly greeted us as we arrived from our taxi and told us all about the safari, the packages they have available, and the different prices. He also told us what we could expect to see in the safari. Not only this but he gave us recommendations and advice on travelling the rest of Sri Lanka. Viveka was so kind and helpful. She knocked on our door and told us when “Bambi” was outside in her garden so we could go have a look, as well as the fireflies. She gave us tea every morning and woke up early to give us our lunch for the day of the safari. I didn’t need their mother but I think she was the one cooking us food and the food was delicious! The father also dropped us off in Ella as he is a taxi driver which was greatly appreciated. The safari itself was amazing, our driver was the first one at the gate of Yala Park at 5.15am. Highly recommend booking the safari with them! Only downside was the WiFi in the room didn’t work great but overall it was amazing!

Stayed in March 2025

Everything was good!

Viveka is an extremely welcoming and nice girl! Explained all about the tours they offer. Caught a firefly for us in the night, which was pretty cool.

Stayed in February 2025

Totally recommended. Viveka is super nice and helpful. Big room, great service.

Stayed in January 2025

We stayed here for 2 nights because of the Yala Park. I would recommend it to anyone. We were two girls and the daughter was so lovely, we talked a lot with her, cooked together and she sawed as the garden. The garden is a beautiful and peaceful place. We also did the Yala National Park tour through her, it was well organised, good price and we saw beautiful animals! Also the food is very good war her mum cooked. All in all we really enjoyed our stay!

Stayed in February 2025

Really nice Homestay close to Yala National Park. We had a lovely stay here. The rooms are spacious and have everything you need. The garden area has great views over the rice fields where lots of wildlife can be spotted. Very friendly service and they can provide lots of info and help with organising any safari tours into Yala at a good price. We had an amazing experience seeing bears, elephants and leopards with our guide. Highly Recommend 10/10.

Stayed in February 2025

An incredible stay that I will always remember. Viveka the host was more than accommodating, she made us feel at home and shared lots of stories with us. We caught fireflies in the evening and all had a laugh together. She organised the safari for us and gave us lots of information. The food was good, the views were amazing and we would definitely recommend this place.

Stayed in February 2025

N/A

Viveka and her family are delightful and made us hugely welcome. The property is a paradise with a wonderful garden; sunset over the rice fields was magical and we saw fireflies too. Breathtakingly beautiful.

Stayed in February 2025

Nothing

It was close to the bus stop. We walked to town easily. Very tidy property inside and out. It was quiet and the grounds were very pleasant to wander around. Viveka was extremely hospitable and waved down our bus to Ella. Lovely iced lime juice and nice cups tea!

Stayed in February 2025

Feels like home away from home! Viveka, the owner's daughter, was waiting to show us around this incredible little garden/paradise, with a huge smile! She made our stay unforgettable, explaining things about Sri Lanka, the birds, the lake.. This place is literally one foot away from the rice puddy, bursting with life, birds, turtles, fireflies. The room is super comfortable and colorful, and the dinner and breakfast extra yummy! Thank you Viveka for sharing so many things with us. This accommodation definitely exceeded our expectations. See you next time!

Stayed in February 2025

The room and facilities were very good but the best part about this guesthouse is the family, the food cooked was 10/10, they were very helpful and they even took us in the garden at night to catch fireflies.

Stayed in February 2025

Leaving!

We loved everything about our stay at Viveka Guesthouse - it was the highlight of our trip! The room and facilities are fantastic, especially the garden which looks out onto the rice paddy next door. The food was delicious, affordable and always available to order, the best kottu we’ve ever had but it was the hospitality that made it so special. Viveka and her family have been the perfect hosts. Viveka has amazing knowledge about local wildlife, showing us the fireflies and bats in the garden. She helped us book an exceptional safari - we were second through the gate - and we were never without tea or a treat from the garden (the best bananas ever!). We even got picked up and dropped off before and after our stay by Viveka’s dad. A total legend! If you’re coming to Yala you have to stay here!!

Stayed in February 2025

Good for one night stand if you have safari next morning. Also, they do private safari which was good 👍

Stayed in January 2025

Incredible place to stay and relax. Viveka was a great host and really showed her love for the area and the animals. The outside area is so nice to spend time in. We really enjoyed our time here and the safari with them as well. Would definitely recommend!

Stayed in January 2025

What a wonderful place and a superb garden. But above all, Viveka is the ray of sunshine of this place!

Stayed in January 2025

The view from the garden could not be better !very nice stay with and amazing host!

Stayed in January 2025

The guesthouse is basic and no frills but has everything you need. Comfortable bed, mosquito net, hot shower. Everywhere was clean and the hospitality of the family running it really blew us away. We were being brought tea and fruit on a morning and evening, and the daughter even took us to the bus stop to flag down our bus to our next destination. We booked a full day safari with them which was reasonably priced and we were one of the first jeeps in the park. Food here was also very good!

Stayed in January 2025

Showers weren't working at first but that was righted. Lights were not bright. Slow wifi. Still ok given the price paid.

The guesthouse is managed by a sister and brother duo. During our stay, some of the rooms were under renovation. Family stay at the back. There's mozzie net over the bed. Sister manages the bookings, brother manages the safari bookings. We booked our full day safari here and the driver they worked with was a cool and calm person. Sighted one leopard. They have a backyard facing padi fields and you can see fireflies at night. They also told us about the fruit bats sighting after sunset, which was highly appreciated.

Stayed in January 2025

The rooms are very clean but they do have a lot of humidity, we only stayed one night so it was ok and the value for money id excellent, but it has to be noted as they’re humid inside!

Viveka is a great host and their garden overlooking the rice fields is breathtaking

Stayed in January 2025

The garden area at this homestay is a paradise, with ponds, trees, walking areas, and views of rice paddy fields. The family are so lovely - Viweka (the daughter who is the main point of contact) is a truly kind and helpful woman, I really enjoyed sitting with her in the evening and talking about Sri Lanka, the safari, and life in general. The bedroom was a good size, there was a/c, and there was hot water in the shower. The family also arranged a safari for me. There is a bus stop at the end of the lane - ask the drivers to stop at 'Yatala Stupa' (don't go all the way into the town centre otherwise you have to come back on yourself). The price of this homestay is very reasonable.

Stayed in January 2025

Really lovely stay with very friendly and welcoming owners! The family were very helpful and kind, showing us around the beautiful property with a great sense of pride in the amazing garden they keep in which you can sit to enjoy tea watching the surrounding nature and they also cooked us a very delicious breakfast. Would highly recommend! 😊

Stayed in December 2024