We stayed at Waterland after landing at Colombo airport and wanted a place to rewind from the long flight, and we were not disappointed!. From the moment we arrived, we were given such amazing hospitality from the staff there. And had such a lovely room in the Peacock Villa. Everything from the Sri Lankan cooking experience to the boat safari was fantastic, and we were so surprised with the special treatment we had on our anniversary! A beautiful heart display in the pool, as well as a personalised mug with a picture of our family! We were so grateful for all that they did for us! And we wouldn't hesitate to recommend Waterland to anyone who may be visiting Sri Lanka!

It was all fabulous!

The private pool and location close by the river are awesome. Yes, you have to be aware of mosquitos, but it was actually alright. The floating breakfast for 2 was dreamy. A great way to end our travels in Sri Lanka, and I'd definitely recommend two nights to fully enjoy everything the accommodation is offering and truly relax.

While everything was clean, it was not spotless (some hair was in the bathroom, but easily removed). Still, everything was wonderful, just not 'exceptional' - rating it a 9 instead of a 10.

We were consistently impressed by the kind, caring, and bright staff who provided truly wonderful service throughout our stay. Every meal was a delight; the food was simply delicious. Our room was not just clean, but thoughtfully equipped with a selection of games, which was a fantastic touch for entertainment. A particular highlight was meeting Mark, the owner, who is an absolutely wonderful person. We also have to commend Methsara, whose exceptional efforts genuinely made our stay brilliant. Our lovely peacock villa with a pool offered serene views overlooking the Dutch Canal, and the property's beautiful garden, brimming with a variety of plants, was a joy to explore. And speaking of highlights, the blue pea tea at breakfast was an absolute standout!

Everything was great

Very quiet. Staff were lovely. They couldn’t do enough to help you. It was lovely to have a view over my own pool & a view over the river & the boat trip on the river was very interesting. Nice choice of food.

Disappointed that there was no floating spa. Apparently it was damaged due to rising levels in the river this year, but they are hoping to build another one at the front of the hotel by next year.

We stayed at the beautiful Peacock Villa, which overlooks the river—a truly stunning setting. One of the highlights was having two separate floors, giving our family plenty of space. Each bedroom had its own bathroom, both featuring stylish rain showers. However, we did notice the drainage in the first-floor bathroom wasn’t as effective as the ground floor’s; after a shower, the entire bathroom floor would become wet. That said, both bathrooms were stocked with complimentary shower gel, shampoo, and conditioner—all of which smelled amazing. The beds were very comfortable, with ample storage space, a safe, and effective air conditioning. The AC in the bedrooms made a noticeable difference compared to the living room, which was cooled only by two ceiling fans. There were ants around the villa, but this was expected given the climate and didn’t bother us. The ground floor had a large wooden dining table with comfy chairs, while the upper floor featured a cozy lounge set overlooking the river—a perfect spot to relax. We often had visits from a friendly grey cat, which my kids absolutely loved. Towels were plentiful, including separate ones for the pool. The infinity pool was lovely and not too deep, making it ideal for our children. The villa was clean and well-maintained throughout. We only had breakfast once during our stay, and it was delightful. While the portions were smaller than what we’ve had at other hotels, they were still sufficient. Breakfast orders were taken the night before. On the day of our early departure, the staff kindly packed a takeaway breakfast for us, which included fresh juice, thick cheese sandwiches, and bananas. We didn’t dine at the hotel in the evening but instead took tuk-tuks via the Grab Me app into the city center. One highlight of our stay was the river cruise offered by the hotel.

We loved the villa, and the staff were wonderful—no complaints there. Just to add (and not the hotel’s fault), the early morning music from the church across the river can be quite loud. An additional drying rack for wet towels would have been a great addition.

We, one adult and two teenagers, stayed three nights at Monsoon Villa and we absolutely loved it! An essential part of the experience is the extremely attentive and helpful hotel staff! We spent a lot of time enjoying the private plunge pool. Two of the bedrooms have attached bathrooms, AC and are luxurious. The third one is also beautiful and cozy but can’t be cooled down as well as the two others. Breakfast was delicious and there are different options to choose from. Some things that are good to note: 1) There are no restaurants or bars nearby but there’s no need for them since the hotel restaurant serves excellent food. They often ask you to book lunch and dinner in advance. If you wish to try some other restaurants in Negombo, Pick Me app works well and also the hotel staff helps to book tuktuks, taxis, and any other trips. 2) The nearby beach is not suitable for swimming. However, we walked there and watched birds and saw some local fishermen drying fish. We also found the walk through the local neighborhood interesting. 3) There is a church on the other side of the river and some religious music can be heard in the villa but we liked it. The atmosphere of Waterland is fascinating in many ways and we already miss that. We will definitely be back if we ever have the chance to visit Sri Lanka again!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Waterland Villa is an absolute dream! From the moment we arrived, we were surrounded by tranquility, stunning river views, and exceptional service. We stayed in the Elephant Villa, which offered breathtaking views of the river—waking up to the serene water and lush greenery was simply magical. The private villas are beautifully designed, offering the perfect blend of luxury and nature. Having our own plunge pool made the stay even more special, but the highlight was undoubtedly the floating breakfast—a truly unforgettable experience! Enjoying a delicious, beautifully arranged breakfast while relaxing in our private pool was pure paradise. Another wonderful touch was the herb garden, where we got to see cinnamon trees, lemongrass, and pepper plants up close. It was amazing to learn about these fresh, local ingredients and see how they grow in such a peaceful setting. A special thanks to the incredibly friendly staff, who made our stay even more memorable. Their warm hospitality and attention to detail made us feel truly welcome, and they went above and beyond to ensure we had the perfect experience. If you’re looking for a peaceful yet luxurious getaway near Negombo, Waterland Villa is the place to be! We enjoyed 2 nights in tranquility after a 14 hours flight at their villa. It was a 35 minutes drive by car from the airport. They offer a pick up service, but you can also easily access the place via Uber and it cost us ca. 8 €. As the place is located in a beautiful but small river village, we would recommend staying ca. 2 nights as there is not that much to do around. But it’s the perfect place to relax after or before a long flight. We visited a Negombo beach and enjoyed some seafood there, it was a 10 minutes drive by Tuk Tuk (ordered by Uber). The staff is also helpful finding transportation for you. We can’t wait to come back!

The wifi was okay at Fire Villa, but not too well :) But that was just a minor point for us.

A unique Villa style hotel with only 5 villas of different sizes with private pools. We stayed in Elephant Villa which stands alone with river frontage. All the staff are exceptionally friendly and helpful without being intrusive. We had breakfast included which consisted of juice, fresh fruit, tea/coffee and a choice of hot dishes. Lunch and dinner is also available. We had one lunch served on our pool deck and ate twice in the restaurant for dinner. Food is plentiful and tasty. Wine and local beer available. It should be noted that prices are in US$ and that 10% service charge is added to all items including activities, but this is totally transparent. We settled on Mastercard in LKR. We took the late afternoon river safari with excellent guide, had a cycle around the local area on the hotel bikes. We hotel have four Tuk Tuk drivers on call that operate on hotel agreed prices. We had one to Negombo strip for meal one evening and another to Negombo Fish Market which is an experience not to be missed. Elephant Villa had every amenity including a fish pedicure!

Can’t think of anything!

Wow! What a hidden gem! I love it when I stay somewhere that totally exceeds my expectations, and this place ticks every box and more. The MOST comfortable bed I have ever slept on (in over 30yrs of travel), stunning views, rooms, service and attention to detail. My friends and I stayed in The Peacock Villa, a split level two bed, with a triangular private pool (deceptively large) overlooking the river, for two nights after a long journey out to Sri Lanka from the UK. It was the perfect spot to decompress for a couple of days. Nothing was too much effort for the staff, from getting our room ready early after a long journey, to organising tuk tuks (big shout out to Nicolas and Sunni who ferried us around multiple times!) to arranging a rover boat cruise (a must) and talking us through the breakfast menu! The local resteraunts are great value and catered well for our less spicy European taste buds. I'd recommend a resteraunt called Toro for a good all rounder, and some great live music. The fish market in negombo is worth a visit (via tuk tuk, which are plentiful and inexpensive, however I would recommend using the same drivers and contacting them by WhatsApp, or being firm on the rate prior to the journey if flagged down). We had no issue paying US dollars or rupees, but found the gold shops gave the best rate changing GBP into local currency. Wouldn't hesitate to stay again, was really quite spectacular. And watching the fireflies dance over the pool on the last evening was something I will cherish. If you follow the road from the hotel to the right, a 10 min walk will take you down to the beach/estuary where you will get a wonderful sunset/sunrise view.

There is nothing you could dislike here.

This was one of the best hotels we’ve ever stayed in in Sri Lanka- and it was my 6th visit. What an incredible hotel to start our trip- just stayed in Heritance Kandalama (5* hotel 3 times the price) and my kids preferred this. Wow! Private pool, super attentive staff, delicious and beautifully presented food including a once-in a lifetime floating breakfast with the best French toast ever, and to top it all off- an amazing boat ride seeing water monitor lizards, fruit bats, peacocks, herons, king fishers, water hens, dragonflies and eagles! Will 100% be back!!

Absolutely nothing