Tara Watergate

Hotels
8.5 (476 reviews)
Court Road, Suduwella Punchi Akurugoda , Tissamaharama , lk

listing image 1
Show all photos
Free
Children allowed

Facilities

Offsite parking discounted rates available
Guest education on local ecosystems and culture
Non-smoking rooms
Air conditioning
Swimming pool
Restaurant
Room service
Terrace
Family rooms
BBQ facilities
See all facilities

Review Highlights

Pros:
Friendly staff
Large rooms
Great pool area
Good breakfast
Cons:
Pest issues
Difficult access road
Limited Wi-Fi
Occasional noise in rooms

Categories

Cleanliness
7.58
Multiple reviews mentioned cleanliness but also indicated issues with pests in the room.
Service
9.05
The staff was frequently described as friendly and helpful, enhancing the overall service quality.
Location
8.09
Generally good location but access was sometimes noted as difficult due to the road conditions.
Room Quality
8.54
Rooms are described as large and comfortable overall, but some people had minor issues with the beds.
Amenities
9.07
Great pool and breakfast options were highlighted positively.
Value for Money
8.53
Guests felt it was a good price-quality ratio, particularly for the amenities offered.
Food and Beverage
8.58
Food quality received positive remarks, though some mentioned a limited selection.
Overall Experience
8.55
The experience was generally positive, with some noted inconveniences but many positives.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2025-12-22 11:07

Property Description

Luxurious Accommodation with Spectacular Views

1. Premium Amenities: Tara Watergate offers a range of premium amenities including an outdoor swimming pool, free bikes, and a beautiful garden for guests to enjoy. The shared lounge and terrace provide the perfect spots to unwind and take in the serene surroundings.

2. Elegant Rooms: Each room at this 3-star hotel is thoughtfully designed with modern comforts such as air conditioning, flat-screen TV, and a private bathroom. The pool views from every room add an extra touch of luxury to your stay.

3. Culinary Delights: Indulge in a culinary journey at the on-site restaurant serving Chinese, Seafood, and local cuisine. With options for vegetarians and gluten-free guests, there is something to satisfy every palate.

Experience the epitome of comfort and relaxation at Tara Watergate. Book your stay now to create unforgettable memories in Tissamaharama!

Important information:

Guests are required to show a photo ID and credit card upon check-in. Please note that all Special Requests are subject to availability and additional charges may apply.

Check-in and check-out hours:
Check-out: 12:00 PM

Property Policies

  • Parking

    Free private parking is possible on site (reservation is not needed).

  • Children and extra bed policy

    Children of any age are allowed.
    Children up to and including 3 years old stay for free when using an available cot.
    Children up to and including 5 years old stay for free when using an existing bed.
    You haven't added any extra beds.
    Any type of extra bed or child's cot/crib is upon request and needs to be confirmed by management.

  • Internet

    WiFi is available in public areas and is free of charge.

  • Pets

    Pets are not allowed.

Location

Guest Reviews

8.5
Based on 476 reviews
Cleanliness: 7.58
Service: 9.05
Location: 8.09
Room Quality: 8.54
Amenities: 9.07
Value for Money: 8.53
Food and Beverage: 8.58
Overall Experience: 8.55
E
Erna88 • family_with_children • nl
8
Pros:

Hele ruime en nette kamer. Via het hotel hadden we een safari voor yala geboekt, de chauffeur was heel goed en wilde ons ook wel eerder ophalen, blij mee. Personeel was vriendelijk en behulpzaam.

Cons:

Foto's op booking waren heel erg verouderd. Er zat nu een hek tussen het zwembad en het meer, dus geen mooi looppad. En er was achterstallig onderhoud: verzakte tegels bij zwembad en gaten, dus net onze kleine kinderen niet heel fijn.

2026-02-13 • via Nuitee
A
Alexandra Sabina • solo_traveller • nl
10
Pros:

Amazing big rooms! Beautiful location and swimming pool. The restaurant also has some of the best food we had. They also organised a private safari at a very competitive price (almost same as some other offers we got for shared safaris). They could also receive us very fast as we have booked the room 10 minutes prior to arriving.

Cons:

We had our own tuktuk so it was fine, but the hotel is a little bit of the beaten track. However, as mentioned food was delicious and you do not necessarily need to leave for a restaurant.

2026-02-12 • via Nuitee
T
Tess • couple • nl
8
Good stay
Pros:

Big room, friendly staff, comfy bed, nice pool

Cons:

We missed a mini fridge, there is plenty of space to add it to the room. Also, would recommend to clean the ceiling of the bathroom as it is quite mossy

2026-02-10 • via Nuitee
R
Rahul • family_with_children • in
10
2026-01-29 • via Nuitee
K
Karim • couple • eg
10
1 night stay at yala
Pros:

The room was spacious and clean, very nice staff, cannot ask for more for 1 night stay.

Cons:

Nothing

2026-01-27 • via Nuitee
S
Simone • couple • it
10
Semplicemente fantastico
Pros:

Camere stupende e pulite, ottima vista su piscina e lago, buono anche il ristorante. cortesia del personale incredibile, lo consiglio vivamente !

2026-01-26 • via Nuitee
E
Elian • solo_traveller • fr
10
Parfait
Pros:

Personnel très agréable et arrangeant, très jolie vue et piscine bienvenue avec des temperatures élevées. La chambre était immense et très propre. Le restaurant est très bon et abordable.

Cons:

L’eau de la piscine était très trouble (pas sale pour autant).

2026-01-24 • via Nuitee
A
Ana • couple • rs
9
Peaceful Stay Close to Yala with Spacious Rooms and Nature All Around
Pros:

This hotel has a lovely location next to the lake, offering a calm and relaxing atmosphere, perfect before or after a Yala safari. The last 500 meters of the road leading to the property were a bit damaged due to recent heavy rains, so the drive is slightly bumpy, but once you arrive, it’s absolutely worth it.

The rooms were very spacious, clean, and comfortable, providing plenty of space to relax. The swimming pool is large and well maintained, and the overall surroundings feel very peaceful and close to nature. Breakfast at the restaurant was tasty and enjoyable.

The staff were very kind, friendly, and helpful throughout our stay, which made us feel welcome from the beginning.

A fun highlight was a local “poolside friend” — a large monitor lizard that occasionally relaxed near the pool. It didn’t bother us at all; on the contrary, we found it quite amusing and a reminder that we were guests in nature, not the other way around.

The location is very convenient for visiting Yala National Park and Kataragama, making this hotel a great base for exploring the area. We truly enjoyed our stay and would recommend it to travelers who appreciate space, nature, and a peaceful environment.

2026-01-23 • via Nuitee
S
Sankalpa • family_with_children • lk
8
Nice and pleasant stay adjoining the lake.
Pros:

Nice location adjoining the lake. Last 500m to the property road was bit damaged due to recent heavy rains. Road is bit bumpy. Spacious and clean room. Tasty breakfast at the restaurant. Good location for Yala Safari and to visit Katharagama.

2026-01-17 • via Nuitee
S
Selena • family_with_children • nl
9
Pros:

Het ontvangst van de manager, het heerlijke eten wat hij kon maken zo goed!

Locatie was ideaal, vlakbij strand, kamers erg groot en zwembad was top!

Cons:

De drukke weg waar het aan ligt vonden wij wat minder

2026-01-17 • via Nuitee
R
richard • couple • fr
9
Great relaxing stay
Pros:

Great room opening onto pool, free bike hire, good restaurant

Cons:

Nothing

2026-01-15 • via Nuitee
K
Kathryn • couple • us
2
Not a good stay as a solo female traveler - the location was isolated and the manager is untrustworthy.
Pros:

The room was large.

Cons:

The manager of Tara Watergate introduced me to a driver for a group tour of Yala that ended up being a scam, and did not go to Yala national park, despite being charged for the entrance tickets. The manager showed little surprise or remorse when i informed him of my experience. I checked out early as I no longer felt safe staying there as a solo female traveler. Longer story below.

I ate dinner at the property the night I arrived. The manager approached me, introducing me to a driver that could provide a tour of Yala national park with a group, at a less expensive rate than the private tour initially offered to me at check-in. I signed up, and was picked up from the hotel the next morning. The tour did not take us to Yala national park, but drove around for 5+ hours on perimeter roads. The guide was openly hostile to our group, cursed, and made disparaging comments to the tour members from Japan and China.

After returning from the fraudulent tour, I checked out of the hotel early. I had lost trust in the staff, and did not feel comfortable staying for an additional night as a solo female traveler. The manager showed very little remorse (or surprise) when I informed him of my tour experience. He did refund me (in cash, although I had paid on my credit card) for the hotel night that I left early (but not for the night before, nor offered compensation for the fraudulent tour cost). The manager informed booking.com that I had never checked in, a “no show.” As a result, I needed to directly booking.com to request the ability to write a review. I would not recommend this hotel. My tour group and I filed a police report and files a complaint with the Sri Lankan tourism board.

2026-01-14 • via Nuitee
D
Dominika • family_with_children • pl
9
Pros:

Wielkość pokoju, jakość obsługi, kameralność

2026-01-13 • via Nuitee
M
memmo23 • couple • it
8
Pros:

Stanza grande con una bella vista. Buon rapporto qualità prezzo, si mangia bene, staf molto professionale.

Cons:

Al mattino non c è acqua calda, si sente un odore sgradevole dal bagno.

2026-01-13 • via Nuitee
T
Tobias Torp • couple • dk
10
Alt i alt meget glad for vores ophold. Til prisen er det nok det bedste hotelværelse vi har haft i Sri Lanka.
Pros:

Hjælpsomt personale. De hjalp blandt andet med alt vedr. booking af safari til Yala.

Cons:

Eneste minus er vejen det ligger på er lidt øde. Så hvis man skal nogen steder om aftenen er det bedst med Tuk da der ikke er så meget lys.

2026-01-12 • via Nuitee
M
Marek Janik • couple • pl
9
2026-01-12 • via Nuitee
K
Kathleen • family_with_children • gb
10
Great place to stay
Pros:

Lovely location, very peaceful and beautiful. Staff were lovely. Great base for safari trips, good restaurant nearby, Chef Lady and food also good at Tara Watergate.
Great to have access to bicycles to get around

Cons:

Road accessing hotel is poorly surfaced. Hopefully this will improve

2026-01-08 • via Nuitee
D
Dario • couple • it
9
2026-01-07 • via Nuitee
R
renate • extended_group • at
9
2026-01-06 • via Nuitee
Y
Yehor • extended_group • ca
10
Amazing
Pros:

Amazing property if you planning to go to safari. Big rooms and friendly staff.
Fully recommend

Cons:

Nothing

2026-01-06 • via Nuitee