Hotel Elephant Bay - World's Best Place to See the Elephants

Hotels
8 (2073 reviews)
Pinnawala, , Pinnawala , lk

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Free
Children allowed

Facilities

WiFi available
Free WiFi
Parking
Free Parking
Non-smoking rooms
Air conditioning
Swimming pool
Restaurant
Business center
Family rooms
See all facilities

Review Highlights

Pros:
Great location
Friendly staff
Beautiful views
Good amenities
Cons:
Cleanliness issues
Needs maintenance
Food quality variability

Categories

Cleanliness
6.39
Several mentions of poor cleanliness and odor problems in the rooms.
Service
9.36
Staff are described as friendly and helpful across multiple reviews.
Location
9.4
Location is positively highlighted, especially for elephant viewing.
Room Quality
6.85
Issues with room condition and maintenance reported by guests.
Amenities
8.38
Amenities like the pool and balcony are appreciated, but overall care of facilities is questioned.
Value for Money
7.84
Mixed feelings, with some reviews suggesting better quality for price could be expected.
Food and Beverage
7.39
Food received mixed reviews; some enjoyed it while others found it lacking.
Overall Experience
8.36
Mixed reviews, but general appreciation for the location and staff.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2026-01-08 18:53

Property Description

Spectacular Views and Tranquil Surroundings
Hotel Elephant Bay in Pinnawala offers rooms with private balconies overlooking the Ma Oya River. The bright and airy rooms are equipped with modern amenities for a comfortable stay.

Leisure and Adventure Awaits
Guests can explore the tropical garden, relax on the sun terrace, or rent bicycles to tour the area. For the more adventurous, activities like hiking and fishing are readily available.

International Dining and Convenient Services
Indulge in a variety of international dishes at Ivory Inn Restaurant or opt for room service for a cozy night in. With easy access to the airport and nearby cities, Elephant Bay Hotel is the perfect base for your Sri Lankan adventure.

Ready to experience the charm of Hotel Elephant Bay? Book your stay now for an unforgettable getaway.

Important information:

A deposit may be required at the property.

Check-in and check-out hours:
Check-out: 02:00 PM

Location

Guest Reviews

8
Based on 2073 reviews
Cleanliness: 6.39
Service: 9.36
Location: 9.4
Room Quality: 6.85
Amenities: 8.38
Value for Money: 7.84
Food and Beverage: 7.39
Overall Experience: 8.36
V
Victoria • couple • gb
10
2026-08-22 • via Nuitee
M
Miguel • couple • es
10
Perfect days with elephants
Pros:

Everything was amazing!

Cons:

-

2026-08-22 • via Nuitee
B
Benno • solo_traveller • de
10
2026-08-21 • via Nuitee
T
Tazetdinova • couple • ru
8
Pros:

Даже и не знаю что написать про данный отель. Единственный плюс для меня, мы забыли в номере личную вещь. Нам её на такси отправили в другой отель. Спасибо за это. Остально я даже не знаю как описать. Некоторые слоны на цепях привязаны. Бассейн чистый. В номере без обуви невозможно ходить. Да и вообще спать на этом постельном и вытираться полотенцами которые там сомнительно прям 🙈

2026-08-21 • via Nuitee
S
Simon • couple • fr
10
2026-08-20 • via Nuitee
G
Gangani wajiramali • family_with_children • fr
10
Lovely two ladies in reseption
Pros:

Beautiful location

Cons:

Everything is perfect

2026-08-20 • via Nuitee
E
Elena • extended_group • it
10
Pros:

We had a wonderful stay at this hotel. The restaurant deserves a special mention: the food was absolutely delicious, with excellent quality and great attention to detail. We especially appreciated the warm and professional service throughout our stay.

A special thank you to Yasith, who was incredibly kind, attentive and helpful. His service really made a difference and contributed to making our experience even more enjoyable.

Highly recommended — we would be very happy to come back!

2026-08-19 • via Nuitee
D
Daniel • couple • es
10
Pros:

Las vistas al río con los elefantes son increíbles.

Cons:

Entraba un poco de agua cuando llovía por debajo de la puerta del balcón

2026-08-19 • via Nuitee
V
Valeria • solo_traveller • tr
8
Pros:

Великолепное расположение. Очень красивое место. Архитектура гостиницы красивая, гармоничная к окружаюшей природе. Вежливый, услужливый персонал. Вкусные и обильные завтраки.

Cons:

Двери в некоторых комнатах нуждаются в ремонте, а также трещина в стене ванной комнаты

2026-08-19 • via Nuitee
D
DLKMRV • solo_traveller • be
8
2026-08-18 • via Nuitee
G
Gemma • extended_group • es
8
2026-08-18 • via Nuitee
A
Aaron • couple • au
8
Best place to see the Elephants.
Pros:

Amazing view of the elephants in the river.
Of the few hotels with river views this is by far the nicest. The pool and landscaped grounds are very nice to sit in.

Cons:

There was construction happening during our stay with most of the noisy work occurring at night.
Also the food choices in the hotel restaurant were limited and a bit bland and there really isn’t many other options around.

2026-08-18 • via Nuitee
A
Aiza • family_with_children • ae
8
2026-08-16 • via Nuitee
N
Nicola • couple • it
6
2026-08-15 • via Nuitee
P
Philippe • solo_traveller • fr
8
Pros:

Le site est parfait pour observer les éléphants de l'orphelinat, même si on se rend compte rapidement que ça relève un peu du cirque.
Les chambres sont spacieuses, propres et confortables.
La piscine est un plus dans cette étape.
Le Staff est efficace et très aimable...

Cons:

Le restaurant est dans la gamme élevé pour le Sri Lanka, mais pas la cuisine.
La piscine mériterait un coup d'aspirateur

2026-08-15 • via Nuitee
A
Alexander • couple • es
2
Decepcionante maltrato de elefantes
Pros:

Las habitaciones e instalaciones estaban bien

Cons:

En general la insistencia del personal mientras estas cenando.
El tema de los elefantes es un poco circo, salen a las mismas horas y cuando les ves que les atan con cadenas en el rio como un espectáculo… decepcionante, pensabamos que era un orfanato y les llevaban alli libres…

2026-08-15 • via Nuitee
B
Bénédicte • family_with_children • fr
10
Pros:

L emplacement incroyable, la gentillesse du personnel

2026-08-14 • via Nuitee
R
Ritika • extended_group • in
8
It was a good short stay , best location to watch elephants bathing !
Pros:

The property location is best for watching elephants bathing in river.

Cons:

Food was Good if you order continental, Noodles were good!
we are vegetarian so experience some difficulty due to the same ! Naan what we ordered was too hard !swimming pool is not that clean ! No lifts so when you are coming up with senior citizens and they have difficulty in walking/ climbing that has to be kept in mind , we discover that after staying there .

2026-08-14 • via Nuitee
A
Ahmed • solo_traveller • ae
1
2026-08-13 • via Nuitee
P
Piermario • couple • it
10
Struttura bellissima con una vista sul fiume meravigliosa. Se volete andare lì solo per poter vedere gli elefanti dal ri
Pros:

Vista sul fiume

Cons:

Non è detto che si vedano gli elefanti

2026-08-13 • via Nuitee