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Our stay at the Elegant Lake House was exceptional from beginning to end. Randy, the host, is a truly wonderful person - welcoming, accommodating, and incredibly knowledgeable about the local area. Upon our arrival, he greeted us with a refreshing drink and eagerly took us on a tour of the nearby village before sunset. This experience was truly memorable; Randy's knowledge of the local nature and his passion made it all the more special. He took us to a local temple and shared his Buddhist beliefs and values, which was both touching and emotional. During our tour, we saw an array of wildlife, including water buffaloes, crocodiles, bats, rare birds, and more. We really weren’t expecting this so soon! The next day, Randy organized a safari for us, ensuring we were well supplied with food, water, and snacks. The safari was incredible—we were fortunate enough to spot two leopard cubs sleeping in a tree! Upon our return, Randy and his wife had prepared a delicious homemade meal. Their hospitality was second to none, making us feel like part of their family. Our stay at the Elegant Lake House in Sri Lanka was truly special, and we wish Randy and his family all the best with their business.

Stayed in April 2024

Nothing

This is one of the best places we've stayed ever. Randy is the most exceptional host and will go out of his way to ensure you have a great stay. From the moment we arrived we were welcomed into his family with a welcome drink, and the hospitality didn't stop. He showed us around the local area on our first evening, taking us to see the birds, bats, and other highlights of his village. The next day he organised an excellent 12hr safari for a good price. On our last morning he showed us around his garden and after finding out we are keen garderners, gave us leaves to take home to propagate. The rooms themselves were clean and spacious with glass fronted walls allowing for views across the garden and beyond to the lake. The food throughout our stay was incredible, some of the best we've had in Sri Lanka. We would recommend this place to anyone coming to the area and would love to come back ourselves one day.

Stayed in May 2024

Seriously nothing at all, price cost ratio is amazing

I rarely give 10 stars, but Randy and his family definitely deserve it. Incredibly friendly and nice people. It felt more like visiting friends than a hotel. Also the rooms are completely new and comfortable. Highly recommended for families with small kids.

Stayed in March 2024

As many others have commented what really makes this place so special is the incredible kindness and generosity of Randi and his family. His pride in his home area is evident in all that he shares, and we loved that he showed us around his village and surrounding area. When we first arrived he asked what we were interested in and then suggested a program that met those interests. The room was spotlessly clean, the meals were delicious and plentiful, and the location by the lake is lovely - you can take a leisurely stroll and enjoy the many beautiful birds. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay here!

Stayed in February 2024

Literally everything! Our stay was perfect! The room is spacious, pretty and extremely clean. The location is great. Randy and his family go above and beyond! We were greeting with a drink and snacks, he gave us a free tour around the area (his knowledge about the area is impressive), he organized a safari for us and when we returned from the safari, we were again greeted with a cool drink and snacks. When we left he even gave us a farewell gift. We can’t recommend this accommodation enough! It’s not just a beautiful place but the warm welcome and hospitality were unique

Stayed in February 2024

NOTHING!!!!!. it was a perfect stay

The Elegant Lake House is an amazing find. The rooms are clean, modern and extremely comfortable. The residence is located on a beautiful treed allotment with many birds, and it is also located directly opposite Debarawewa Lake. All of this offers an ideal tranquil getaway. However, the real wow factor to The Elegant Lake House is the owner, Randy. He has poured his heart and soul into this business, and he is determined to ensure that you will have the best stay possible. On our first night, he took us on a walking tour around the lake, showing us all the birds and animals. He clearly has a passion for his hometown and is keen to share it with everyone who stays. On our second night, he took us to the local museum and yala beach for sunset. All of this he did because he wants you to have a memorable experience when you stay. I wholeheartedly recommend this accommodation. It was by far the best place we stayed in our 2 week trip. Randy also organised for us the best safari tour of Yala National Park that we could have hoped for. His local knowledge for finding the right people was invaluable to us. Just look at all his reviews and this review and book your accommodation with Randy at The Elegant Lake House, knowing that you have made a fantastic choice. Oh, and I forgot to mention the food is amazing local Sri Lankan food prepared with care, just another highlight, one of many.

Stayed in February 2024

Literally everything was perfect from the very beginning till the end. Super friendly and caring host about guests, every moment of your stay you feel so calm and comfortable. Host also loves the place where he lives, about history, culture of his village and about nature, he was talking about all things so enthusiastically - for me it means a lot and shows host from the best side. Price was super reasonable - house was nice, clean and comfortable. Every meal from his family was exceptionally nice and tasty. I totally recommend this property, if you choose this house - you will never regret of it, please come and try this experience for yourself!

Stayed in February 2024

That we couldn't stay longer on this occasion

The warmest hospitality, beautiful setting, very comfortable rooms, great authentic food. Fantastic safari recommendations, the host will exceed all your expectations - highly recommend.

Stayed in February 2024

Randy was a great host. We arrived close to 9pm and he stayed in touch with my driver. He welcomed us with a delicious drink and fruits. We had to go to a safari tour at 6am the next morning and he also prepared a snack pack for us. Very delicious and everything at no cost! Very professional and attentive service. I wish I could stayed longer.

Stayed in January 2024

It was a great stay at Randy’s place. He and his wife was very welcoming and we had very homey feel. Breakfast was so delicious and he took us on a two hours trip along the lake bank and watched many species of bird’s, visited the museum. Randy’s place is one of the best and safest places to stay in Tissamaharama.

Stayed in January 2024

We had a truly amazing experience staying at Randys place. First of all, the rooms are very spacious and the view to the lake and especially the garden is really nice. The room was clean and even had a fridge. The dinner was really nice as well and the hosts were so accommodating and always brought us tea, juice and some snacks. The host Randy gave us two tours - one to a mountain temple and one around the lake, which were amazing and unique experiences. Without him we probably wouldn’t have seen these beautiful surroundings - he told us so many interesting facts about birds, history and Buddhism and we really learnt a lot from him. Overall, we had an amazing stay especially due to the kindness of Randy and his family and we would absolutely recommend his place to everyone if you want to have a once in a lifetime experience and really dive into the culture.

Stayed in January 2024

Nothing

Randy was a fantastic host who went out of his was to make the experience of staying at the Elegant Lake House really memorable. We would definitely return and recommend it if you are looking for somewhere in the area.

Stayed in January 2024

None! Except we stayed too short.... but we will definitely come back

A hidden Treasure that is perfect for: -Bird Lovers, Wildlife and Bird watchers/photographers -kids and family who love space, nature, good food, clean accommodation etc -people who want to have peace and quiet, place to meditate, reflect and unplug -people looking for affordable accommodation that exceeds way more than what you expect The family was the biggest bonus to this accommodation. We have been to so many countries and types of accommodations, we have never met anyone who loved what they are doing as much as Randy and his family. They made sure our stay was beyond perfect. Bonus to this accommodation: -birds right in front of your doorstep -birding and photography from your terrace or even bed (full glass front walls) -property is sorrounded by trees that is home to at least 20 bird species (for sure there was more) -Tissa lake is right outside which also hosts a huge variety of waterbirds, both local and migratory Randy the owner doubles as birding guide and found us 2 types of owls ( i told him i have not seen an owl ever in my life and asked him if there is a possibility to see one, he said yes, i will show you tomorrow, we have 3 types for sure) , the third one (Fish Owl) unfortunately temporarily moved due to the heavy rains and went to hunt food somewhere else, maybe. He also double as a tour guide showing us his village, its history, the bat habitat, temples...etc Last but not the least, food was 5stars! Deliciously home cooked by the wife. You would never go hungry. The rooms and buildings? perfect! exactly how you see on the pictures, even up to the cleanliness. location is perfect base for the Yala National Park and other National parks in the area.

Stayed in January 2024

The owner Randy is amazingly friendly and willing to do his very best to serve his guests. The room is great - spacious, clean and comfortable. The food is fabulous - the best Sri Lankan breakfast we got during our entire journey in Sri Lanka! If you have time Randy will show you around - something you should consider doing. You will enjoy the nice surroundings and learn about Randy's village. This is absolutely great value for money.

Stayed in December 2023

Can’t think of anything

This place was such a great find! The family that owns the place are the nicest, most genuine people, did so much to make make our stay wonderful. We had delicious meals and village tours (amazing bird watching in the area as well as ancient temples). It was very comfortable place to stay in a beautiful part of Sri Lanka, our two children loved it too. We saw a lot of wildlife like buffalos, peacocks, mongoose, squirrels etc right from our bedroom too! We will be recommending this place to all our friends and family.

Stayed in January 2024

Nothing. Everything perfect! Our stay was too short.

Our stay with Randy and his Family felt very special. The whole family is so kind and welcoming, from the first moment we arrived with this delicious pancakes and fruit juice as a welcome. Unfortunately we haven’t had so much time and just booked one night there after our Safari. That was definitely too less time. During our stay it did rain the whole time but Randy anyway wanted to show us around his hometown.So, he went and organized a Tuktuk and we went around the lake and through the village before breakfast on the day we left. We saw crocodiles, lizards, bats and thousands of birds. The area around the hotel is truly wonderful, even though we had heavy rain and we really felt how he loves his hometown and how much he knows and cares about the nature and animals. The rooms are really nice with wonderful big windows and the bed sheets and curtains all handmade with a lot love for details by his wife. The room was super clean and it was really quiet. And we had warm water which is not for granted in Sri Lanka. Also our dinner and breakfast which was prepared especially for us was really tasty!

Stayed in December 2023

We didn't stay long enough!

Genuine highlight of our trip. Randy and his family not only made us feel incredibly welcome, but went out of their way to ensure our stay was perfect. Randy took us on a tour of the local area. His enthusiasm for the area and the wildlife was infectious and really made it an incredible experience!!

Stayed in November 2023

The one thing that I think could improve guest experience (and I’m really clutching at straws here - pun intended) would be to reduce plastic waste by using bamboo/metal straws and perhaps a water refill station to cut back on bottles. Other than this I really cannot fault our stay here.

Randy is the warmest and most hospitable host. He collected us from the bus stop and insisted on seeing us off and making sure we got on the right bus. He let us borrow his scooter to shoot into town and even took us on a tour of his village at no expense. He’s very knowledgeable and went above and beyond to assure we were comfortable and relaxed during the entirety of our stay. Randy’s wife is an amazing cook and we were spoilt with food and complimentary refreshments throughout the days we were here. Additionally, the company that Randy uses for the Safari tour were also brilliant and our guide informative and ethical about the way he conducted the tour. The property is set in a beautiful garden overlooking the lake. We chose not to leave on our first day as it was so relaxing just soaking up the serene atmosphere and watching all the wildlife. We saw peacocks, parakeets and even a turtle wandering about the garden. The room was spotless and the big glass window looking to the garden was amazing for bird watching. I would recommend this place in a heartbeat to anyone considering it - you will not be disappointed I can assure you of it. Thanks for everything Randy, we will never forget our stay with you and your family.

Stayed in December 2023

One of the kindest hosts we’ve had the pleasure to meet, in a beautiful home with comfortable accommodations

Stayed in December 2023

Nil

Randy and his family made you welcome from the first minute you arrived. The place is beautiful in a majestic setting with lake, birds and bats on your doorstep. The room is lovely with great decor and good A/C. The food is delicious and home cooked. Randy showed us around his village and his fantastic garden. Randy organised a safari to Yala for us and taxi to next destination Definitely recommend to book here - can not recommend enough

Stayed in November 2023

We had an amazing stay at Elegant Lake House! Randi and his family were incredibly welcoming, ensuring every detail was perfect. From delightful meals to bird-watching tours, the location near Yala National Park for safaris, impeccable and spacious rooms with AC, very good and comfortable bed to a delicious breakfast – everything exceeded expectations. Their assistance in arranging a visit to the Ratnapura sapphire mines through their friend was truly incredible. Highly recommend this cozy retreat! 😊

Stayed in November 2023

The hosts are the nicest people that will make you feel at home immediately. They took the time to make a small tour through the village and showing and explaining the wildlife that surrounds the house. The rooms are modern and clean and the garden not only invites guest to relax there but also provides many of the fresh ingredients for cooking. Therefore also breakfast and dinner were very delicious. We can highly recommend staying here and we would love to come back.

Stayed in November 2023

I don’t know where to begin telling everyone about this beautiful family and location. It was the best stay I have ever had in all my experiences of travelling around the world. Randy and his family go above and beyond, and are so extremely friendly and beautiful people. The location is superb, with a beautiful garden where you can sit in front of your room and look at all the plants, trees and birds like parrots that fly around you. Randy gives you a big tour of his garden where you can learn everything about the different plants, spices, smells and tastes. He also takes you on a tour for free around his town and beautiful surroundings and lakes and tells you everything you want to know. He has so much passion in giving you the best experience and is extremely grateful for your visit. He gets his happiness and fulfilment from other peoples happiness, and that is one of a kind in this world. His beautiful children bright up your day with the best smiles, his wife cooks amazing meals where you can taste the love and effort she put in it, and the grandmother with her beautiful soul and lovingly smile makes you feel right at home within yourself. Randy can arrange an amazing safari tour (we saw two leopards and many elephants!) Oh and for the digital nomads amongst us who need wifi to work, the wifi is also 10/10! If you are thinking of staying here, please do. You will leave this place as a happier and more grateful person then when you arrived. I would recommend staying at least 2 nights so you have enough time to do all the tours and also deep-rest in their beautiful garden with view on the lake. If i could give 100/10 stars, I would.

Stayed in October 2023

There is nothing to like about this place.

We liked everything. It's a quiet and calm place. The building is surrounded by lots of trees. The host was very kind and friendly. We got to eat home made food. This is one of the best place I have ever stayed. The price is reasonable and the rooms are spot clean. The host made sure we are well taken care of.

Stayed in October 2023