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Reviews of The Sanctuary at Tissawewa

3 out of 5
The Sanctuary at Tissawewa
Old Puttalam road, Old Town, Anuradhapura

Reviews

8.0

Very good

Rating 10 - Excellent. 24 out of 78 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 37 out of 78 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 14 out of 78 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 1 out of 78 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 2 out of 78 reviews" "

8.0/10

Cleanliness

8.4/10

Staff & service

8.4/10

Amenities

7.8/10

Property conditions & facilities

Reviews

8/10 Good

Paul

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
Nice heritage hotel
Very quiet when we stayed so lacking atmosphere, particularly in the the restaurant. The service in the restaurant was excellent but reception was less helpful, except the lady who seemed to be the manager. Room was nice but could easily be updated to a much higher standard. Lots of monkeys, and they get up close, we quite enjoyed watching on our veranda but others might be put off by.
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2020
Response from GM on 2 Mar 2020
Many thanks for your valuable comments

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Beautiful, well maintained colonial mansion in large, tree-filled grounds, close to archaeological museum and sacred sites. No traffic noise, plenty of birdsong. Furnishings appropriate to period. Plain and simple but quite luxurious in an old-fashioned way. Very helpful staff. Good but limited menu. No alcohol. Nearest shops in new town a couple of kilometres away. If you like old-fashioned, you will love it.
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2020
Response from GM on 2 Mar 2020
appreciate your valuable comments, since we are in the Sacred city we are prohibited to bring Alcohol into the premises

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Beautiful, well maintained colonial building set in large grounds on the edge of the sacred sites. No traffic noise, lots of birdsong in the morning. Plain and simple but luxurious in an old-fashioned way. Good bathrooms, wi-if OK. Good food, set meal times. Complimentary bicycle loan. Downsides: no alcohol, service rather slow, monkeys in grounds may decide to storm unlocked bedrooms. We loved this place.
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2020
Response from GM on 2 Mar 2020
Dear Guest we value you comments as for the Alcohal we are not permitted to sell or allow Alchohal into the premises as we are the only hotel within the Sacred City

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
I chose this hotel for may last 3 days travelling in Sri Lanka. It is not cheap but the old colonial charm of a repurposed goverrners mansion in a large private park was irrisistsble. On top of that, it is about the only hotel that is actually inside the ancient Buddhist city of Anuradhapura which makes visiting the sites much easier. The rooms are of the epoch so don't expect all the facilities of a modern chain hotel. Rooms are fairly small but with pretty much all you need and of course clean. Beds are with mosquito nets. There are, for me essential, a chair and writing desk and on the wide veranda there are chairs and tables for books from which to appreciate the park with its families of monkeys, peacocks, parrots an a resident eagle. Take binoculars. WIFI is free and available seemingly everywhere even if only advertised in the WIFI Zone in the veranda lounge by the front desk. The staff are helpful and will organise trips to the sites, though I had not required that. There is of course a restaurant with good food served for breakfast, lunch and dinner. One niggle I had with the service was waiters pouring my tea. Milk is always poured first , then the tea. They couldn't get the hang of that and not pouring didn't appear to be an option. The front desk were happy to change the large denomination notes served by ATMs into the lower values needed for tipping, riding the tuc-tucs, eating in restaurants, visiting sites etc. An altogether plesent stay.
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2019
Response from GM on 2 Mar 2020
We are happy to hear that you have enjoyed you stay with us, and hope to see you once again

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Business traveller
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Very atmospheric
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2019
Response from gm on 9 Aug 2019
Hope you had a fantastic stay with us

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with family and small children
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
In the middle of a nice park with animals everywhere ! The staff is great and very helpful.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2019
Response from GM on 4 Aug 2019
Many thanks for taking your valuable time to share with us your experience at the hotel

8/10 Good

Joyce

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Lovely, relaxing place to stay
We stayed 3 nights mid April. The grounds are very impressive. The hotel is set back on a hugh front lawn with mature trees and wandering peacocks. Checkin was quick. We had a deluxe king room on the upper floor. There are only 5 rooms on the upper floor. Our room was spacious, had good AC and a decent bathroom with shower. Shower had good pressure and hot water. Towels were okay but not luxury. Bed was comfortable. Furniture dark wood style. Room lighting very good. Breakfast good but coffee was so-so. Sri Lanka is better known for its tea which we had out on the main floor verandah in the afternoon after coming back by tuk tuk from seeing the ancient ruins - just lovely. I would recommend this hotel. The staff are nice. The hotel is in a good location near to the sites. The front desk will arrange a driver or guide if you would like. They arranged for us to do a morning safari to Wilpattu N.P. We would go back.
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2019
Response from GM on 24 Apr 2019
Dear Guest, we thank you for taking the time to let us know your experience at the hotel, we are glad that you have enjoyed ever bit at the hotel and looking forward to see you once again

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2019
Response from gm on 25 May 2019
Dear Guest Many Thanks for your feed back

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Proximity to places of interest.excellent service from the staff. The old world charm maintained with a lot of effort
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2019
Response from gm on 4 Apr 2019
Thank you for taking your valuable time to share your experience with us

8/10 Good

philip

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Authentic British era rest house
We really enjoyed our stay in this old government resthouse. The building felt very authentic and had a nice atmosphere. We stayed in the deluxe rooms on the first floor that were very comfortable. For those wanting luxury and alcohol this isn’t the place to come. It is a bit spartan but in a way this makes it feel more authentic. The grounds are really nice in front of the hotel. In the evening there is often a cricket game. The hotel is well situated next to the sacred city and about 4km from the new city.. overall a memorable experience
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2019
Response from GM on 27 Mar 2019
Dear Valued guest, we are happy that you have enjoyed your stay with us and the facilities we had to offer.

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Colonial administrators dwelling now an atmospheric hotel.
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2019
Response from gm on 27 Mar 2019
Many thanks for your response

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2019
Response from gm on 4 Apr 2019
Thanks a Lot

10/10 Excellent

SusanMcCalmont, Barrington, RI

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
This is a well maintained, beautifully restored historic hotel.
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2019
Response from GM on 25 Feb 2019
We are glad that you were happy with what we offer

8/10 Good

Paul

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
This place is the Guv'nor
This old governor's house is a gem. Long verandas to chills out on and set in gorgeous gardens (with monkeys and peacocks). Food is very good and excellent warm service. Rooms and communal areas full of character and atmosphere. probably due for a refurbishment soon however. Free bike hire great for exploring the historic sites.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2019
Response from GM on 21 Jan 2019
Dear Valued guest, we thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
The hotel was quite nice as it was an converted old colonial building.
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2019
Response from GM on 13 Jan 2019
Dear Guest, many thanks for taking your time to give us feed back

6/10 Okay

ishara

Disliked: Cleanliness
Every thing was ok but just realised that I was charged twice. I was charged on my card but at checkout the reception said there was no payment. Paid cash after receiving my cred card bill noticed I was charged!! I wrote to hotels.com but no response! Very disappointed!!
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2018
Response from GM on 11 Jan 2019
Dear Ishara, Just noticed your message, I'm sure it will be sorted out today as we have communicated direct

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Liked: Staff & service
A property which has great potential. Location is great. Minor upgrades needed. Toilet door could not be locked and needs to be upgraded. Very friendly and accommodating staff. Comfortable bed.
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2018
Response from reservation on 12 Dec 2018
we thank you for sharing your comments on your recent stay with us , we will look at in to this ,

8/10 Good

Sunimal

Liked: Staff & service
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2018
Response from GM on 5 Sept 2018
Thanks for staying with us

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Liked: Staff & service, room comfort
Stay 2 nights. First night everything was great. Second night, noise neighbor, no hot water, safe box doesnt work, and bath floor mat was dirty. First night 4.5 out or 5. Second night 3 out of 5.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2018
Response from GM on 27 Aug 2018
Dear Valued guest, we have taken not of you comments of the hotel and would take all measures to put things right

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Atmospheric and pleasant
Lovely atmospheric rooms - we were on the first floor which has just a few rooms. This was the British Governor's house. The hotel is perhaps the only one located in the old city in the middle of the ruins and many sites are just a walk/cycle ride away. The hotel offers old but complimentary bicycles to ride around Anuradhapura. It's a pity there's no swimming pool. The restaurant has a limited selection which is nice for a couple of meals but gets tiring thereafter.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2018
Response from GM on 15 Aug 2018
Dear Guest thank you very much for sharing your experiance at our Hotel

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
It really is a sanctuary
Lovely, calm setting and a delight to return after a day in the sun touring around the historical sights. Beautiful grounds. Helpful staff. Great food. Wifi doesn't work in Annex rooms, but no hardship to sit on the gracious balcony drinking mocktails and checking emails.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2018
Response from GM on 16 Jul 2018
Many thanks for your valuable comments, we are in the process of upgrading the wifi which will be compleated soon

10/10 Excellent

Corinna, Perth

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Staff very interested and informative. Free bike hire. Close to ancient temples etc. Close to the lake. Good dinner and very good breakfast. A lot of wildlife. Spacious grounds
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2018
Response from GM on 21 Jun 2018
Dear Corinna, Appreciate very much your valuable comments, looking forward to serve you once again.

6/10 Okay

Gareth

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Lovely hotel in a great location but no alcohol.
This is a lovely hotel in a great location for exploring the Sacred City and ruins. Staff are attentive and very helpful. The only reason for the lower rating is the hotel’s inability to serve alcohol. The reasons are understandable but this is not mentioned anywhere on this site or the hotel’s website. The guest should have the information in order to make an informed decision. Nothing like a cold beer after a day of cycling!
Stayed 2 nights in May 2018
Response from GM on 21 Jun 2018
Dear Gareth, tank you very much for your valuable comments, hope to see you once again in Sri Lanka

4/10 Poor

John, Melbourne

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
Faded charm
The Sanctuary is an old style hotel that has seen better days. The staff generally wee keen to please, but communication was sometimes a problem. Food was OK, but we were disappointed we couldn't have wine with dinner there. While understanding it is in a sacred precinct, guide books had lead us to believe we could BYO. Drinking in one's room is not much fun. Anuradhapura is very hot at times and a pool would have been welcome. The best feature is the beautiful gardens.
Stayed 3 nights in May 2018
Response from GM on 9 May 2018
Dear Guest, we highly appreciate your valuable comments, as far as the Pool and liquor it just beyond our control as being in the sacred city we do not have permission to have both of the as we are in the center of the sacred.

8/10 Good

Sarath, New Zealand

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Nice, convenient location within the sacred area. An old government rest house, not a modern hotel, but clean and spacious rooms, good food and very friendly and helpful staff. Colonial style building in spacious and tranquil grounds. Highly recommended for a relaxing stay. We enjoyed exploring the area using bicycles provided free of charge. Call hotel for directions as Google maps doesn't show the correct location.
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2018
Response from GM on 9 May 2018
Dear Guest, thank you for your time in sharing your experience at our hotel, and we are happy that you have enjoyed the stay in our hotel

10/10 Excellent

Rob

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
A Relaxing Hotel
Probably a luxury hotel by Sri Lankan standards, it was a perfect way to spend our last couple of days in Sri Lanka. The spacious grounds had langurs and macaques playing, hornbills in the trees and many other birds. The whole place had a very relaxed vibe. My wife and daughter used the onsite spa facilities and were very impressed. Bikes are available to ride around the historic sites. The room was large with a modern bathroom. The food was delicious. A special thank you to the manager who gave us great advice, helped with some transportation issues, and allowed us a little longer in our room. We would definitely stay here again.
Response from GM on 2 May 2018
Dear Guest, We thank you for sharing your experience at the hotel and hope to see you once again

10/10 Excellent

Oliver, New York

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
everything perfect
wonderful place, great location, great rooms, veranda, very friendly staff
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2018
Response from GM on 29 Mar 2018
We are happy that you have enjoyed our hospitality and looking forward to see you once again

10/10 Excellent

Matthew

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Response from gm on 29 Mar 2018
Thanks

6/10 Okay

Lynette

Liked: Staff & service, room comfort
Not as good as expected
A three wheeler, car or bike is needed to go anywhere. Lovely place but it lacked atmosphere. Dining room completely silent, no ambience and slow service.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2018
Response from GM on 6 Feb 2018
Dear Lynette, we thank you for taking the time to share your experience at the hotel, we have taken note of your comment of the restaurant slow service and would take remedial measures in putting things right

6/10 Okay

Kate, Sydney Aust.

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Excellent location for visiting ancient city
The Sanctuary @ Tissawewa was originally one of the many government ‘Rest Houses’ that dotted the island. Always fairly basic but clean and well run they provided authentic Sri Lankan cuisine and ‘a nice hot cup of tea’. The Sanctuary, set in large grounds, has good sized rooms that are comfortable and clean and still provides good food. In the grounds you see any amount of peacocks and monkeys of course. There are also push bikes to help get you around the area if you’re feeling energetic! From there it is easy to access the shrines and ancient ruins of Anuradhapura. During our stay we experienced obliging, helpful friendly staff. The Sanctuary is not a ‘resort’ experience but rather more simple and a taste of bygone days.
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2017
Response from gm on 24 Jan 2018
Many Thanks Kate for taking the time to share your experience with us we are happy that you have enjoyed our hospitality and hope you will return again

10/10 Excellent

Laura, London

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
The only place to stay in town.
Truly authentic colonial house. The property is not perfect, but the location is wonderful. Antique feeling, comfortable amd spacius room. Worth thw money if you are tired of meaningless home stays without personality. Immersed in nature and right in the middle of the archeological site. Lovely monkeys around the hotel.
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2018
Response from GM on 24 Jan 2018
We are pleased to note that you have enjoyed your stay at the hotel and looking forward to see you once agin

8/10 Good

Catryn

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2017
Response from gm on 24 Jan 2018
Thanks

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Pretty hotel in good location
This is a relatively good hotel but you want a little bit more for your money. Breakfast was good and the vegetable curries are nice for dinner, but stay away from the reformed chicken sandwiches and burgers. Dessert is also best avoided as the ice cream was probably thawed and refrozen many times. They do not serve alcohol at the hotel but have some really good mocktails. The staff is friendly and really want to please but they could use some more hospitality training. The front desk was good and quick with safaris, tuktuk and taxis. The hotel is in a garden where you can spot langurs and macaques in the morning. It is also close to paddy fields and two lakes where you can spot lots of different birds of prey, kingfishers, waders, cormorants etc.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2017
Dear Guest, we highly appreciate your comments and make sure that we look into the suggestions of yours in making this place more hospitable for the guest at The sanctuary at Tissawewa. Regards Jan

8/10 Good

Howard

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Great service here. The premises are a little dated and there are a fair bit of mosquitoes. Staff is super friendly and helpful.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2017
Dear Mr. Haward, we are happy to note that you have enjoyed our hospitality which we are committed in giving the best of our services to all those who visit us we have taken note of the mosquitoes and will be taking measures to eradicate the mosquitoes. Warm Regards JAN

10/10 Excellent

Judith

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Colonial style haven with the sacred grounds
tranquil and in beautiful park setting, including monkeys, lizards, birds etc. ideal for building the Buddhist Temple and ruins
Thank you Judith for your feed back and we are happy that you enjoyed staying at our hotel and its location

8/10 Good

mike and nanett, UK

Wonderful building and setting
The colonial period building set in a large Arboretum is a delight and you should go here just to experience that. Our room was OK but dated and had clearly been sprayed with DDT before our Arrival. There is no alcohol and unfortunately although they had a mock tail menu none were available...so lime soda. We ate standard Sri Lankan curry there one night, it was OK, but the delightful dining room is badly furnished and the staff seemed inexperienced at dealing with foreigners. Breakfast took half an hour to deliver some awful boiled fatty bacon with an egg. Overall this hotel has a wonderful asset in its building but requires some investment but perhaps more important some improved management to create a great experience in this wonderful setting.

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

8/10 Good

William

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Historic, warm and perfectly located
Excellent service, very welcoming spa and beautiful building. Very atmospheric and perfectly located for the old city. Don't expect international slickness but if you want an atmospheric experience with genuine warmth, this is your place.

8/10 Good

Una, London

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Much more than the sum of its parts
There are many simple things that this ex-Governor's Residence can do that would make it so much better, but I for one would be happy that it remained untouched. Granted the staff don't quite know how to meet the expectations of travellers used to the standards of modern resort-style hotels - indeed one American guest told us at breakfast that she absolutely hated the hotel! And the food too isn't worth writing home about, although you'd have more than enough time to do so while waiting for it to arrive at your table. Nevertheless, at the end of our wonderful two week trip to Sri Lanka we voted the Sanctuary our favourite hotel. It has a dishevelled elegance that isn't found in soulless modern resorts, bags of character and a nostalgic authenticity that could never be created by designers. So perhaps even the Fawlty Towers level of service just adds to the overall charm of this grand old house. It's a long way from being perfect which could be why it nearly is.

8/10 Good

Alex, New York, NY

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great location to visit Anuradhapura
Fantastic location to visit Anuradhapura, but the hotel was pretty simple. The restaurant served a decent dinner, but service was extremely slow. There was wifi, but it barely worked even in the lobby. Overall, a solid hotel if guests manage their expectations.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Peaceful location
The Hotel is beautiful and in such a great location. The gardens and wildlife are wonderful.The rooms are clean and very comfortable and the food, particularly the rice and curry, was superb. We had a great stay.

8/10 Good

Shawn, Canada

Liked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Hotel well located near historic sites
The hotel was well located, in a natural setting near all the historic sites. Hotel staff was very helpful, getting us bikes to go to the sites, fixed wifi when it wasn't working, etc. The breakfast in the restaurant was good, but the 1 dinner we had there was a disappointment. The rooms were not as luxurious as we hoped for, based on the cost vs other options in the area, but it was functional.

8/10 Good

KAO, UK

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Tranquil hotel, helpful staff, large gardens. Bike
The Sanctuary is on the edge of architectural areas some 2.5Km from main town. Very peaceful location, good restaurant and verandas for chilling. Hotel quite laid back & doesn't try to upsell. Religious services at nearby temple can be heard in distance at 5am. Bike hire available 500 rupees per day highly recommended to explore sights. You need $US25 ticket to enter historic zones are this is strictly enforced and valid single day only so plan where to visit & in what order - bikes or tuktuk. The Tissa Wewa reservoir begin hotel worth a visit with bike.

10/10 Excellent

Tony, London

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Superb location
Great hotel as a base for sightseeing. Superb location. Wifi doesn't work in the rooms. Make sure you get a room on the first floor.

8/10 Good

Mary, Atlanta, GA USA

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
A chance to step back in time...
The Sanctuary is in a historic building and that gives it its amazing charm but accounts for its lack of creature comforts that Americans in particular are accustomed to. The rooms are tastefully renovated including air conditioning. I love that the lobby and dining room are open to the outdoors, with ceiling fans whirring to keep a breeze going. Some may miss air conditioning there, but I suspect that people who are not interested in the history will not be visiting this part of Sri Lanka anyway. The accommodating staff made up for any lack of modern conveniences. The dining room is nice with local tradition on the menu, but BYOB because it's alcohol free. Read Village in the Jungle by Leonard Woolf to get a real look at colonial Sri Lanka before you go and have a great trip!

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2020

6/10 Okay

Dr. Wolfgang

Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2020
Response from GM on 2 Mar 2020
Thank you Dr. for your rating

8/10 Good

Michel

Liked: Staff & service, room comfort
L'hôtel est situé dans un grand parc près des principaux sites. Accueil chaleureux. La chambre était propre, mais la salle de bain un peu vieillote. Peu de choix pour le dinner, mais correct. Petit déjeuner copieux.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2019
Response from gm on 30 Jan 2019
Dear Guest, your comments are highly appreciated

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
歴史があり落ち着いた雰囲気。 リゾート感覚を味わえます。
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2018
Response from GM on 7 Jan 2019
Dear Guest many thanks for your valuable feed back

10/10 Excellent

Sascha

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2018
Response from GM on 26 Dec 2018
Merry Christmas