Judith & Johanna
England, January 2024
What did you like most about Sri Lanka?
Varied countryside.
Places of interest.
Food.
Happy, helpful people.
What did you like least about Sri Lanka?
Dogs on the road.
Safari park [Yala National Park] too congested.
What is your opinion of your accommodation in Sri Lanka?
Very good.
What is your opinion of your chauffeur guide in Sri Lanka?
Nihal was excellent in every way:
- knowledgeable
- helpful
- good driver
- courteous
What is your opinion of your flights to and from Sri Lanka?
Emirates - excellent. [Premium Economy/Economy Class - London Heathrow]
Any other comments?
We loved the whole holiday. The Horathapola Estate [Wadumunnegedara] was gorgeous. Staff couldn’t have been more welcoming and we wished we had had another day there. V good food.
Michele at Lake Lodge [Boutique Hotel, Dambulla] couldn’t have been more helpful and charming. Trips to Polonnaruwa - interesting. Loved that area. Didn’t climb Lions’s Rock! [Sigiriya]
Kandy and the Temple [of the Tooth] fantastic moments! The Mountbatten Estate [Mountbatten Bungalow] was disappointing. Johanna’s room although large and a good bathroom had NO window. The dining room was depressing; we tried to eat outside but it started raining. The gardens were lovely and pool good. The staff tried their best but there didn’t seem to be anyone in charge. Food regular. Loved the [Peradeniya] Botanic Gardens.
Ella [AMBA] Estate fantastic. We were given a whole lodge as Simon, v charming, thought we would be better off there. It was nice and the cottage was great but the bathrooms were pretty basic. He did say he was upgrading them in the future - they certainly need it! We loved it there and joined the main residence where other guests were staying for dinner night 2. Tea talk and walk v interesting. I shall never put lemon in my tea again!
We adored TARU VILLAS [The Yala Lodge]. Everything about it was spot on. Good vibes. Sadly the two jeep tours were not as we envisaged. Too many jeeps pushing out loads of pollution. Our driver was good and managed to overtake most so that we weren’t in a queue. Guide didn’t seem particularly interested, the driver seemed to do all the work. Staff excellent.
Finally Apa Villa [Thalpe] where we had four nights was excellent. We could relax and just enjoy the magnificent coast line and gardens. Again staff excellent. Charming place.
Last but not least, Nihal was amazing, he looked after us senior ladies beautifully. We felt safe and happy with him and he is very knowledgeable.
We have plans to return next year. So in a few weeks time after discussions with Johanna I will contact you. We might visit one or two of the same places but would like to see the Northern part and other parks where there are not so many jeeps.
Thank you and Responsible Travel for making our visit so memorable.
« All feedback
