Even the best hotels aren’t completely perfect, which is why we give you the good bits and the little niggles for every listing. We’re honest in our reviews, so that you know the bigger picture before you make a booking.

How do you find hotels?

Our team of local experts works tirelessly to find and share some of the best hotel stays in Sri Lanka. We rely on personal recommendations, plenty of research and the occasional press release to steer us towards new, unique and chic boutique stays. We visit hotels islandwide and select only the very best to recommend on Lanka Hideaways.

What are your selection criteria?

No two hotels are the same in Sri Lanka and every stay should promise a special experience. We don’t limit our recommendations with concrete selection criteria, but we do follow a few guiding principles when choosing which hotels to feature.

Would we stay again?

There’s no better barometer for the quality of a hotel experience than the desire to return. If our travelling team would happily go back to a hotel again, that’s a strong benchmark for a recommendation.

Did we leave happy?

From good coffee to a gorgeous pool, there’s so much that can make a stay great. We focus on the little things and the overall experience. As a rule of thumb, if we left a hotel feeling happy, there’s a good chance you will, too.

Would we recommend it to a friend?

Ratings and reviews are one thing, making a recommendation is quite another. Every hotel we select is a considered, personal choice, which means we’d happily recommend it to our own family and friends.

Was it clean and comfy?

Boutique room or safari lodge, some things just have to be right. Whatever the hotel style, we make sure our selections offer cosy, comfortable beds and clean bathrooms – because sleep and showers bookend every day of your stay.

Do you offer promoted listings or paid adverts?

We never feature hotels in exchange for money. We don’t run paid promotions and we don’t accept any form of benefit in exchange for a more favourable review. Quite simply, all of our recommendations are personal and independent.

Do you get a discount on your hotel stays?

When we visit a hotel to sample the guest experience, we often pay full price. Some hotels in Sri Lanka offer us a discount, on the understanding that we will consider featuring the hotel. This helps to keep our costs down as we travel around the island, but it has no bearing on whether the hotel is actually selected for Lanka Hideaways. If we do receive a discount, we are guided by one question: would we be happy to pay the full price?

How do you make money?

Lanka Hideaways is a business. We pride ourselves on giving you the best hotel recommendations and personal travel advice – and we offer this free of charge so that you can make the most of your trip to Sri Lanka.

We earn revenue only when you make a direct booking with a hotel and use one of our promo codes, or if you make a reservation through our affiliate partner, Agoda, which pays us a small commission on every completed booking. To learn more, please check our booking information page.

Any questions?

Please contact us if you'd like to know more