What a lovely place to stay. Just four rooms and the most generous and welcoming staff. Everything was clean and comfortable in this authentic Jaffna boutique stay. The clean and clear pool helped to beat the heat after days out exploring. Breakfast was amazing each day and the team had great restaurant recommendations. The range of options was fabulous! We took two days of personalised tour’s with the wonderful Prasath who was recommended by the hotel staff. Ask specifically for him and you’re guaranteed to see Jaffna through local eyes. He was a wonderful guide and truly lovely guy. Make sure to book him!

We loved everything.

The staff were so helpful and kind . Madhu (the manager) was extremely helpful, welcoming and friendly . The other staff were super polite and helpful as well . Note there is no restaurant onsite so breakfast and other meals are arranged by the staff and served at a nice table with china etc . The food was good, plentiful and very low cost so this is not an issue. The rooms were large and very authentic and comfortable . This is a traditional house with 4rooms to rent set around an open inner courtyard . Gorgeous ! You are 5 mins from central jaffna in tuctuc (300 rupees). Overall an excellent authentic house type hotel experience , the staff were superb and we would definitely return

As the house is traditional the rooms are not soundproofed but this is not really an issue but there is some traffic/ bird noise. It would be a nice touch to have a washing machine for guests to use .

We loved everything about our stay. The room was so nice and clean. The breakfast was delicious and we could choose exactly what we wanted to eat the day before. The staff was kind and helpful. It's an old house with a gentle renovation so the spirit of the history was preserved in a beautiful way. All in all we had a wonderful time at Thambu Illam.

None

Lovely boutique hotel in a central Jaffna location. We were the only guests staying at the time so had the whole property to ourselves, and the staff went out of their way to make us comfortable. Breakfast and dinner were delicious and the pool was great.

This is a lovely, tastefully decorated small hotel, with excellent facilities and staff. Mr Sutha and his nice colleagues made our staying wonderful. Both breakfast, of our choice, and dinner, were very tasty and well prepared and served. We received advice on sightseeing and were facilitated by local transport by Mr Prasath. The location is in a quiet leafy green area of the town. Lots of traditional architecture to be seen. The swimming pool in the garden is nice and clean.

We liked everything.

We had a lovely stay here, it was an ideal base to explore Jaffna - cool, calm, comfortable. The staff are very attentive and lovely. We enjoyed the pool and sitting in the porch in the evening, it's a really beautiful home. The welcome was really warm and we felt well looked after. Breakfast was nice and really reasonably priced.

There is no onsite restaurant or bar so you need to know what you want in advance - but this expected and explained in the booking, and there is a menu provided for food.

A gorgeous traditional home converted into a boutique hotel with four rooms - perfect for a group or solo/couple travellers. Beautifully styled and managed by a delightful and attentive staff team ready to cater to any request or give local guidance. The swimming pool was the perfect oasis after a day of exploring steamy Jaffna. Special thanks to Mathci, Sutha and Niranjan. Oh and great food too - but please be aware most food is prepared off site which makes total sense - so just relax go with the flow. It’s worth the wait.

We loved everything about the place. If we were going to be picky but constructive we’d suggest having less bulky chairs in the dining area as they blocked the view of the beautiful garden and pool.

Thambu Ilam is very beautiful colonial house, renovated decorated with style, located near main Jaffna attractions. Rooms are large, well equipped and sparkling clean. Pool is welcome plus helped to beat the heat in the evening. Property does not have own restaurant or bar, but friendly staff and prepare to fulfill all your needs from delicious breakfast, tasteful dinner or drink. Always on your disposal for recommendations.

Nothing

Thambu illam was one of my favourite stays in Sri Lanka! I felt at home and comfortable. The staff were amazing including the night time security, Joseph, who kept us company and shared his story while we stayed up past midnight. Mathu the manager checked in with us when we didn’t arrive on time for our booking and he responded quickly to messages. The supervisor was exceptionally helpful and got us almost anything we requested for our meals. Thambu illam brings you a feeling of being in your ancestral home and the little details they paid attention makes it even magical. We will definitely come back here to stay with our family on our next trip.

Nothing to say here!

Best hotel we booked during our trip to Sri Lanka. Our room was spacious and the AC and a fan worked wonders during the hot nights. Swimming pool is not huge but is enough to sit in and relax in the afternoon. Believe there are only 4 rooms on the property so it’s a perfectly quiet place away from busy and/or touristy areas. Staff was on point, very helpful and welcoming. Breakfast was very good quality and cheap! We were able to walk anywhere in Jaffna city in around 30min. A true hidden gem. 100% worth the money! Do yourself a favour and stay here while in Jaffna!