From the very first moment, our stay at Nisala Arana was a total success – and became the absolute highlight of our Sri Lanka journey. This hotel was far more than just a place to stay; it felt like a true home full of soul, nestled within a lush, peaceful garden paradise. The expansive garden is a tranquil oasis right in the heart of vibrant, rural Bentota. We loved exploring the quiet backstreets by bike (freely available), observing local life and reaching the serene, uncrowded beach in just minutes – perfect for swimming and surfing. A fantastic Ayurveda centre was also nearby. The accommodation is stylish, immaculately kept, and yet wonderfully welcoming – it immediately gave us a sense of belonging. Special thanks go to General Manager Conrad, who hosted us with incredible warmth, attentiveness, and insight. He was not only a perfect host, but also a cultural guide and a true friend – making everything possible, from a fresh seafood BBQ to tracking down a lost phone. Even the owner went above and beyond – including sourcing a guitar for us! We actually stayed at Nisala Arana twice – once at the beginning of our trip, and again at the end. That’s how much we loved it. The second time we brought friends and enjoyed an almost private guesthouse experience, complete with a talented chef who prepared amazing curries and menus tailored to our tastes. In short: a place with true heart, deep respect for its guests, and a very personal level of service. Perfect for families, couples, and anyone seeking a stylish yet relaxed atmosphere – not about Instagram hype, but about real soul.

Absolutely nothing to complain about.

It is difficult to adequately put into words how wonderful our 6-star experience at Nisala Arana was. As soon as you enter the gate, you step into another world. The serenity and beauty of the place is incredible. It is definitely one of those, 'OMG! How amazing is this place!', type of places. My husband & I have travelled a lot and Nisala Arana is definitely up there as one of our best stays. The buildings on the property are beautiful and the attention to detail in their design, decoration and furnishing is incredible. It was also the best sleep we had in our 10 day trip around Sri Lanka - comfortable beds, soft bed linen and in a very peaceful environment as the property is away from any large roads and it backs onto jungle. The only sound we could hear in the morning were the twitters of the birds and the distant sound of the baker's tuktuk playing Für Elise. The staff were also very professional and extremely helpful. Conrad, the manager, was always on site if there was anything we needed - we missed the baker's tuktuk, so he had one of the staff go to the bakery to get our boys some sugar buns. In his down-time, it was really nice to have a chat to him about this and that. We also liked that there was a restaurant on-site. Having two young kids and being out all day, it was great not to have to go out for dinner. We had a wonderful crab curry in the open-air pool pavillion and the chef was more than accommodating to our two fussy eaters - making them pasta and fried rice. In all, we had an excellent two-night stay at Nisala Arana. We felt as though we were thoroughly welcome guests at a friend's house, rather than plain guest in a hotel. We would definitely recommend Nisala Arana to anyone travelling along the southern west coast of Sri Lanka,

A beautiful place, peaceful and stylish