Yaluwa Tourist Rest & cooking class

Hotels
9.7 (268 reviews)
No 134, Shanthi Mawatha, Vijayapura, Anuradhapura , Anuradhapura , lk

Free
Children allowed

Facilities

Offsite parking discounted rates available
Non-smoking rooms
Air conditioning
Restaurant
Room service
Terrace
Family rooms
Ironing service
Car hire
Currency exchange
See all facilities

Review Highlights

Pros:
Friendly and accommodating service
Delicious food
Cons:
Occasional issues with mattress firmness
Cold shower reported by one guest

Categories

Cleanliness
9.35
Many reviews mention the cleanliness of the rooms and facilities.
Service
10
Numerous reviews highlight the exceptional and friendly service from the owner.
Location
9.85
Reviews imply a good location as guests easily accessed local attractions.
Room Quality
9.35
Room quality is described as spacious and comfortable in several reviews.
Amenities
9.35
Amenities like mosquito protection were positively mentioned.
Value for Money
9.85
Food and services were described as fair-priced in reviews.
Food and Beverage
10
The food quality and the cooking classes received high praise.
Overall Experience
9.85
Overall experience was consistently rated highly, with many guests eager to return.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2025-12-22 10:18

Property Description

Convenient Location
Located just 3 km from Kada Panaha Tank, Yaluwa Tourist Rest & cookari class offers a peaceful retreat with easy access to nearby attractions like Attikulama Tank and Nature Park Anuradhapura.

Comfortable Accommodation
With air conditioning, private bathrooms, and some rooms featuring balconies, guests can relax in comfort after a day of sightseeing. The hotel also provides a 24-hour front desk and room service for added convenience.

Great Amenities
Enjoy the lush garden, free parking, terrace, and free WiFi throughout the property. Plus, take advantage of the airport transfers to make your travel experience seamless.

Book your stay at Yaluwa Tourist Rest & cookari class for a memorable and relaxing getaway in Anuradhapura.

Important information:

Please inform of your expected arrival time in advance. You can use the Special Requests box when booking, or contact the property directly using the contact details in your confirmation.

Check-in and check-out hours:
Check-out: 10:00 AM

Property Policies

  • Parking

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

  • Internet

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

  • Pets

    Pets are not allowed.

  • Children and extra bed policy

    Children of any age are allowed.
    Children up to and including 10 years old stay for US$10 per person per night 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.
    Supplements are not calculated automatically in the total costs and will have to be paid for separately during your stay.

Location

Guest Reviews

9.7
Based on 268 reviews
Cleanliness: 9.35
Service: 10
Location: 9.85
Room Quality: 9.35
Amenities: 9.35
Value for Money: 9.85
Food and Beverage: 10
Overall Experience: 9.85
C
Christopher extended_group gb
9
Great value and great hostess.
Pros:

Chia was the perfect hostess and an amazing cook. This is great value for money and would thoroughly recommend.

Cons:

Nothing

2026-03-06 via Nuitee
A
Arthur couple nl
9
Fijne rustige homestay met hele lieve eigenaresse
Pros:

We hebben heel erg genoten van dit verblijf. Het appartement was heel ruim en schoon en het ontbijt heerlijk. De eigenaresse is erg behulpzaam en grappig! Je moet bij haar zeker de cooking class volgen, ze kan zo lekker koken (7 verschillende curry’s😋) en ze gebruikt ingrediënten zodat je het thuis ook kunt maken, super blij mee😍
We hebben alle avonden bij haar gegeten.

Cons:

Alles was perfect!

2026-03-05 via Nuitee
A
Ans extended_group nl
10
Een klein paradijsje met een fantastische kamer en zalig eten.
Pros:

Wat een heerlijke fijne plek. De kamers zijn erg ruim en netjes van alle gemakken voorzien. Zelf een koelkastje op de kamer. Het bed is groot en slaapt heerlijk ook is er een muskieten net. De douche was ook ruim en had heerlijk warm water. De kamers bevinden zich in een erg mooie onderhouden tuin waar je vanaf je terrasje inkijkt. De cookingclass was top en het was nog beter om het daarna op te eten. Een heerlijke uitgebreide rijst met curry. Het ontbijt was ook fantastisch wij kregen in overleg zoete dingen en vers fruit. De eigenaresse is een lieve en gezellige hardwerkende dame en we gunnen haar veel gasten. Deze plek heeft ons hart gestolen en we komen zeker terug.

2026-03-02 via Nuitee
J
Jonas couple de
9
Pros:

Die Gastgeberin Chaya, ist super hilfsbereit und nebenbei die beste Köchin, der wir auf unserer Reise begegnet sind. Dementsprechend war die Cooking Class auch ein super Erlebnis!
Die Zimmer waren soweit fein.

Cons:

Nur 10m neben dem Essbereich wird permanent Müll, Zweige oder Pflanzen verbrannt - ja, es ist ein Homestay und soll authentisch sein, aber der Smog war in allen Klamotten, die wir dort anhatten und auch die Haare haben gestunken wie verrückt…
Das war schon echt nicht gut.

Internet funktioniert in dem hinteren der beiden neuen Unterkünfte nicht wirklich.

2026-03-01 via Nuitee
C
Claude couple fr
10
Un cocon paradisiaque.
Pros:

Un repas exceptionnel alors que nous avions omis de réserver. Une hôte vraiment sympathique et aux petits soins. Un jardin magnifique. Tout est réuni pour passer un moment mémorable. Restez dîner car cela vaut vraiment le détour.

Cons:

Tout était parfait.

2026-03-01 via Nuitee
U
Ute couple de
10
Alles perfekt!
Pros:

Wir waren 3 Nächte dort und hatten einen wunderbaren Aufenthalt. Chaya ist herzliche Besitzerin, die sich mit viel Engagement um ihre Gäste kümmert.

Wir hatten einen wunderschönen Bungalow mit Terrasse und Blick in den perfekt gepflegten Dschungel-Garten.
Die Unterkunft liegt etwas außerhalb, daher sehr ruhig und perfekt zum Entspannen.

Besonders begeistert hat uns das fantastische Essen – frisch, authentisch und mit viel Liebe zubereitet. Eine kleine Kräuter-Schulung im Garten gab es ebenfalls.

Für die Ausflüge zur Ancient City, Mihintale und zum Wilpattu NP wurde für uns Dhammika als Tuktuk-Fahter organisiert, der uns mit seinem Wissen und seiner angenehmen Art echt begeistert hat. Die Weiterreise nach Sigiriya übernahm dann Nachbar zu einem fairen Preis.

Klare Weiterempfehlung!
Herzlichen Dank an Chaya und ihre fleißigen Helferinnen!

2026-02-27 via Nuitee
E
Emiel couple nl
10
2026-02-25 via Nuitee
A
Andrea couple it
9
Esperienza genuina
Pros:

L'accoglienza di Chaya è insuperabile, sempre presente, mai invadente e si può parlare di qualsiasi cosa. Cibo tipico molto buono e a buffet ogni mattina/sera. Menzione speciale per Ajith che ci ha fatto da guida per due tour e ci ha fatto scoprire la cultura buddista

Cons:

Pochissimi difetti, se proprio dobbiamo trovarne sono: Wifi nella nostra stanza molto debole, bisogna stare nella zona comune per un buon segnale.
Posizione per le attrazioni decentrata ma l'host riesce comunque ad organizzare tutti gli spostamenti

2026-02-23 via Nuitee
L
Lasantha family_with_children gb
10
Pros:

This is my third time at Yaluwa and I would recommend it highly. The hostess Chaiya is friendly and very accommodating of any dietary needs. The home cooking is delicious and though we didn't take lessons you can sign up for Sri Lankan cooking classe iif you wish.

This is somewhere between a homestay and a hotel so ideal if you like that kind of thing.

There are no TVs but that didn't bother us at all. The WiFi is good if you need it.

Yaluwa is a good base to visit the Sacred City, Mihintale and safaris at Wilpattu. Also a convenient stop on the way to Mannar, Jaffna or Trincomalee.

Cons:

There is really nothing to dislike.

2026-02-22 via Nuitee
B
Birgit couple de
10
Wir würden gerne wiederkommen!
Pros:

Die Unterkunft ist neu und sehr geschmackvoll eingerichtet, mit Blick auf einen stilvollen Garten. Alles ist sehr sauber.
Yaluwa ist eine hervorragende Gastgeberin, die immer um das Wohl ihrer Gäste bemüht ist. Sie organisiert gute und preiswerte Fahrten, sowohl für Tagestouren als auch Taxis zur nächsten Unterkunft.
Das Frühstück und Abendessen ist wunderbar.

Gelegen ist die Unterkunft etwas abseits in wunderschöner Natur. Man braucht ohnehin einen Fahrer - warum sollte man dann im Getöse des Zentrums wohnen?

2026-02-13 via Nuitee
F
Fox solo_traveller nl
10
Great food
Pros:

What a lovely place to stay in a beautiful little calm village just outside the city centre. Yaluwa was really helpful in organising tours and tuk tuk drivers. And the food is sooooo good. I'd definitely stay there again if I was in the area.

2026-02-12 via Nuitee
J
Jonathan couple gb
9
Authentic Sri Lanka home cooking
Pros:

Amazing home cooked meals, plenty of food and various options. We stayed 3 nights and ended up eating every meal here.

Helpful and friendly host, who arranged tours, onwards transport and laundry for us.

There is a small super market a few minutes walk for water and essentials.

2026-02-11 via Nuitee
I
Ingrid couple nl
8
Strak gerunde, smetteloze homestay
Pros:

Gezellige accomodatie met een mooie tuin. Hierin staan diverse hutjes waar je in slaapt. Kamer is groot en heel schoon. Goed bed, douche met warm water. Locatie ligt een stukje van het centrum/ de tempel, maar met een tuktuk ben je er zo. Voor 8 dollar kun je mee-eten in de avond, en dan krijg je een echt goeie maaltijd. Prijs is relatief laag, je krijgt waar voor je geld. De gastvrouw is een sterke vrouw, die alleen de homestay runt. Daar kun je alleen maar bewondering voor hebben!

Cons:

Gastvrouw wil alles goed voor je regelen. Dat is lief bedoeld, maar zit erg 'bovenop' je, niets wordt aan het toeval overgelaten. Als je ervan houdt ontzorgd te worden, is dat fijn. Voor ons was het enigszins benauwend. Ontbijtjes zijn een beetje experimenteel naar onze smaak ;)

2026-02-11 via Nuitee
R
Richard couple gb
10
A great visit to see the ancient capital city on a Sri Lankan hotel with Sri Lankan food.
Pros:

The room was comfortable and had tea and coffee making facilities which suited our needs.
We had a great breakfast and paid for evening meal which was a range of different Sri Lankan dishes. The transfer to the hotel was sorted by the host and yours were arranged so that pick up was directly at the accommodation.
Great stay overall.

Cons:

Nothing

2026-02-09 via Nuitee
C
Camilla couple it
10
Anuradhapura
Pros:

Posizione ottima in mezzo alla vegetazione, colazione eccellente, struttura pulitissima

2026-02-08 via Nuitee
R
Ruth couple de
9
Großzügige Unterkunft und Cooking class sehr empfehlenswert!
Pros:

Es war sehr ruhig und es hat uns an nichts gefehlt. Wir bekamen tolle Tipps und wurden sehr unterstützt für jegliche Art von Unternehmungen.

2025-09-19 via Nuitee
C
Carlijn couple nl
8
Lovely stay and very friendly
Pros:

Really nice and big room. Also very cleans and the lady of the property can cook really delicious food for you and help you plan your stay in Anuradhapura

2025-09-19 via Nuitee
A
Alessandro couple it
10
Pros:

FANTASTICA
La proprietaria è fantastica. Ti accoglie come fossi a casa tua, prende in mano la situazione e ti organizza un tour della città con suoi amici di fiducia come guida. Ottima cuoca insieme alla mamma, quindi consigliamo di cenare da loro! Da tornarci

Cons:

L'unica pecca il materasso è duro.

2025-09-17 via Nuitee
L
Lasantha family_with_children gb
10
A clean, comfortable and relaxing stay where we were well looked after
Pros:

We liked this place so much we returned this time, 2 years later. We were delighted to see a couple of new rooms had been added.

The owner is extremely friendly and helpful. She made sure the food varied from day to day and was happy to arrange trips to the ancient city and Mihintale too. She is not at all pushy about the trips.

As we arrived late in the afternoon and didn’t want to go out for dinner she very kindly cooked a traditional meal for us. The hotels we stayed at had very few vegetables in their buffets, but at Yaluwa there was always a variety of vegetable curries and side dishes.

The owner was very accommodating to our driver, professional and kind. I really cannot fault her.
If you are looking for the genuine Sri Lankan welcome rather than a predictable hotel that could be anywhere in the world, then Yaluwa is for you.

Our room was spacious with AC, mosquito repellant and a mosquito net too.
The bed was large and comfortable.
There is a outside seating area and a lovely homely garden.

Cons:

If I were being very picky I could suggest having an extra pillow

2025-09-16 via Nuitee
A
Alex couple es
9
2025-09-15 via Nuitee