Amba Kola Udawalawa

Amba Kola bills itself as a gem in the jungle and it certainly is. It is a little rustic but very comfortable. Each room has character and the common area has a lovely pool. They provide a small menu of delicious food and regularly arrange safaris for the guests (just 5+ minutes away). We had a wonderful safari guide who let us sit and watch the elephants as long as we wanted and was great at spotting other animals. The owner, Janik, could not have been more helpful, providing everything we asked for and more. We gave him some feedback and he immediately took action to improve the place. As a bonus, we met several other travelers whom we really liked and had some great conversations, as this place seems to attract lovely people. We will remember this place fondly and highly recommended it to others.

Janik has already addressed the suggestions we had so we have no complains.

Kind staff, idyllic atmosphere, and close to the national park. The host offers various services, such as safari, cooking class, boat safari, etc. The swimming pool is a nice way to cool yourself down on a hot day.

So glad we decided to stop here for one night on our way to Tangalle from Ella. This was a phenomenal stay. The room was clean and thoughtfully decorated. The outdoor shower was great and the homemade soap and shampoo were a nice touch. The best part of this place is the family that took care of us with kindness. Highly recommend the cooking class. Everything was made from scratch and grown from the garden.

The staff is extremely kind, they look out for your comfort far and beyond. The garden and pool area are very well taken care of and the food at the restaurant is delicious.

Janik & his mum are such lovely people - they are really attentive, so friendly & helpful. As has been mentioned before, the food here is delicious from the homemade granola & fruit, omelettes, pancakes at breakfast (you won’t need lunch!) to the great curries in the evening, all made freshly to order. We took one of their evening (starts at 2pm!) safaris which was great value - the National Park is very close to the property.

Nothing - we were sad to leave

We loved our stay, Janik was a great host, he toured us around the area and to a temple, our morning drive was great, a little too exciting when we were charged by a bull elephant,almost tipping us over, a good story to tell, very comfortable room, loved the outside shower and the pool, dinner and breakfasts were very good, strongly recommend this place

Fantastic staff and place to stay and eat. Great pool. Organic foods, breakfast included. Made to order lunch and dinner. Convenient sarfari using vehicle right at the hotel. New rooms, super cold air-conditioning. Best place to stay right across from the national park to see 100s of elephants. Very reasonable prices. Would stay here again if we ever return to Sri Lanka.

Didn't stay long enough ! Just 3 nights.

Udawalawe was a great stopover during our Sri Lanka trip. We visited many parks but this one was exceptional for the close elephant encounters. They literally walk so close to the jeeps you *could* touch them (obviously don't!) Amba Kola was the perfect choice while visiting the area. Its Best to stay close by so you can visit when the animals are most active (in the early morning and late afternoon). We were shown amazing hospitality from Janik and his wonderful and talented chef mother. We organised an in house cooking class and safari with them and both were excellent. The bed and pillows were the most comfortable in all our trip... And breakfast was also the best we have had. This hotel is fantastic value for money - the room was incredible. I would love to stay here again and make some more Sri Lankan curries. Thanks Janik for a lovely stay. :)

Perfect stay for your Safari. The Homestay is only 5 minutes away from the Udawalewe National Park entry.The host family was so welcoming and caring. It almost felt like home. We can totally recommend this homestay. Dinner was the best we had on our entire trip in Sri Lanka. The rice and curry was really fantastic!

Everything was absolutely perfect.

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.

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

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.

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

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!

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

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.

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.

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.

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!

Nothing it was fantastic

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.

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”.

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!