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Review submitted by Mick from Melbourne (Submitted: 23 Apr 2013)
Stayed at the beach house for over a week and found the place to be excellent. The local crew running the place are real friendly and helped us out with anything we wanted, no hassles. It was perfect for our big group with ages ranging from 2 to 65. Right on the beach and walking distance or a short tuk-tuk run into town and restaurants.
For surfers it is only a 10-15 minute walk up the beach to a decent reef break which gets pretty fun waves, both lefts and rights. We were there at the end of the season, so I say it would turn it on with more swell mid season.
Overall great place to stay Hikkaduwa
Review submitted by Jan from San Carlos, USA (Submitted: 26 Nov 2012)
We stayed in the main house and had a great family vacation. The location is great a little outside the main strip so not crowded. The beach is fantastic. At this time of the year (Nov), the sea is not that rough, and our kids were able to play in the water as well with supervision.
Gavin was very patient in answering all our queries before making the booking. Once we got there, Mahinda (manager) and Anura (housekeeper) were great and catered to our needs. We would certainly stay here again and strongly recommend the place.
Review submitted by Paul from Bolton (Submitted: 2 Apr 2012)
Everything about the house was just perfect. It was spotlessly clean and far exceeded our expectations. The staff on hand did a great job of keeping the place spick and span. We asked Mahinda to prepare one of his barbecues - it was truly delicious. The transfer was excellent value and was completely hassle free. If I were ever visiting Sri Lanka again, I would without a shadow of a doubt book this place again.
Review submitted by mandy from Abu Dhabi (Submitted: 12 Mar 2012)
Exactly as described and more than met our expectations. Location is fabulous with a lovely stroll along the beach to the local bars/restaurants. We had a very chilled and relaxing week in the garden of this this lovely house, its perfect and spent most of our time relaxing here. Mahinda and Chintuck who look after the property were amazing and Chintuck is an excellent cook. He will shop for you, clean and make barbecue if requested and Mahinda will take you wherever you need to go, both payable locally. The house has hard wire internet and USB wifi but most of the bars have free wifi also so easy to stay connected if need be. Absolutely perfect and will definitely return and have already recommended to my friends. If you are looking for an understated very affordable holiday, then this is for you, the house has everything you need in an amazing location.
Review submitted by Rasmus from Copenhagen (Submitted: 1 Feb 2012)
We had rented the house and the cabana for three weeks and had a fantastic time. Its right on the beach with beautiful waves and water.
its in a nice and quiet spot a short walk down from busier part of town with restaurants and bars so its a perfect location with the best of both worlds.
The cleaning is good, the staff is excellent and very nice and helpful.
We liked Hikkaduwa, its a busier and more noisy city than for example Unawatuna and Mirisa further south. But its charming in its tuk-tuk runing up and down the street kind of way. People are nice and friendly. We had no problems with sand flies at all as a former reviewer has written, also we didnt feel bothered with traffic noise. Yes you can hear cars and tuk-tuks from one of the bedrooms but nothing thats anoying.
Very recommended!
Review submitted by Amanda from Bristol (Submitted: 31 Aug 2011)
We had a really enjoyable, relaxing 2 week holiday at the Beach House in August 2011. The location is great with the beach at the end of the garden (see photo attached) and we loved the fact that theres a shower in the garden so you can wash the sand off before going back into the house! Particularly useful for hosing down a sandy child! The house is exactly as described on the website and we found Mahinda and Chandana (the manager and housekeeper) extremely helpful and friendly. Mahinda organised some day trips for us (boat trip on the lagoon and a trip to the Ella waterfall) and an overnight trip to Yala National Park which was the highlight of our holiday! It was a real bonus to have Chandana coming in regularly to clean the house and do any odd jobs needed and he did this without being at all intrusive.
The house is really well situated for all the amenities in Hikkaduwa - a short tuk tuk ride to all the restaurants etc in the town. We had some memorable meals at some of the restaurants in Hikkaduwa - JLH, Roti No. 1 (very good value) and Moonlight for an excellent and very good value rice and curry. We also used the food market in Hikkaduwa regularly for fruit and vegetables and the bakery (Bake House) within walking distance of the house for surprisingly good, freshly baked bread.
Although the house is on the main Galle Road, the traffic is not intrusive as most of the time youre out in the garden so all you can hear are the crashing waves!
All in all a very good holiday and would recommend the Beach House.
Review submitted by Amanda from Bristol (Submitted: 31 Aug 2011)
We had a really enjoyable, relaxing 2 week holiday at the Beach House in August 2011. The location is great with the beach at the end of the garden (see photo attached) and we loved the fact that theres a shower in the garden so you can wash the sand off before going back into the house! Particularly useful for hosing down a sandy child! The house is exactly as described on the website and we found Mahinda and Chandana (the manager and housekeeper) extremely helpful and friendly. Mahinda organised some day trips for us (boat trip on the lagoon and a trip to the Ella waterfall) and an overnight trip to Yala National Park which was the highlight of our holiday! It was a real bonus to have Chandana coming in regularly to clean the house and do any odd jobs needed and he did this without being at all intrusive.
The house is really well situated for all the amenities in Hikkaduwa - a short tuk tuk ride to all the restaurants etc in the town. We had some memorable meals at some of the restaurants in Hikkaduwa - JLH, Roti No. 1 (very good value) and Moonlight for an excellent and very good value rice and curry. We also used the food market in Hikkaduwa regularly for fruit and vegetables and the bakery (Bake House) within walking distance of the house for surprisingly good, freshly baked bread.
Although the house is on the main Galle Road, the traffic is not intrusive as most of the time youre out in the garden so all you can hear are the crashing waves!
All in all a very good holiday and would recommend the Beach House.
Review submitted by Meagan from Kuwait City (Submitted: 13 Apr 2011)
My friends and I had an amazing vacation at the Tropical Beach House in Hikkaduwa! We rented both the house and the cabana and it was an extremely comfortable stay for us all. Having the Tropical Beach House as our base made our holiday so much more enjoyable then staying in a hotel or resort. We were greeted at the house by Mahinda, a kind man who cares for the property, he showed us around gave us great advice and asked us how often we wanted to property cleaned. He and his wife were very polite and friendly and always made sure we had everything we needed. We also inquired into having a bbq, the next day he and his wife organized the whole thing - what a feast it was! The fish and prawns were honestly the best I’ve ever had! We highly recommend having a bbq! The nice thing about the beach house was that we felt very safe, security came like clockwork every night to check on the place. The Tropical Beach House is a very short tuk tuk ride away from restaurants and shops and we really enjoyed that short distance as it made it quiet and peaceful. The air-conditioned rooms made it a comfortable stay and the showers were great! My friends and I had a holiday we’ll never forget and it had a lot to do with having such a comfortable space to call our own for the week. If you are coming to Hikkaduwa for a beachy, relaxing, comfortable and fun holiday you MUST stay here! Have a Lion (or two) for me!
Review submitted by David from Chobham (Submitted: 28 Feb 2011)
We had a great 10 days in the Tropical Beach House from 16th - 25th February 2011. Gavin, Mahinda and Chandana were incredibly helpful and nothing was too much trouble. The house is located just yards from the Beach and ideally placed a short Tuk-Tuk ride from the Centre of Hikkaduwa. We ate regularly as recommended at JLH, Refresh, Roti No.1, Spaghetti & Co. and the Cinnamon Garden Hotel next to the Tropical Beach House. Food was great in all and we always felt very welcome. We dived for 3 days with Blue Deep Dive School - Jay and his team were excellent - real pleasure.
Mahinda organised and escorted us on a couple of Day trips to Galle & Marissa - beautiful Tropical Beach with great sea and beach bars - the Turtle Conservation centres and a couple of Boat trips to the lagoons. Great value and well worth the excursion.
The Beach House is a great choice - couple of tips - keep the windows shut during the day and use extra plug in repellants for the Mosquitoss theyre pretty crafty but only got us once - Citronella oil from the pharmacy was easily the best repellant for the evening and once on we didnt have any issues.
As Gavin advises the Sea outside the house is strong so caution needed especially with Children - In the centre of Hikkaduwa the swimming and snorkelling in the Coral Garden section of the Coast is great for all with plenty of facilities close at hand.
Night walk with torches along the Beach was good fun and felt really safe.
All in all a great Holiday and we feel we really made freinds with some wonderful people.
We hope to visit again some day soon.
David, Cathrin & Cameron
Review submitted by Samantha from Linlithgow (Submitted: 15 Feb 2011)
Just what we expected and perfect for our time on the beach. We rented both the Beach House and the Cabana as there were 6 of us (including 1 child).
The caretaker was very attentive and the property was well maintained and the bed linen changed at least every other day.
The location is outside the main hub of Hikkaduwa which we preferred as there was much less noise and the beach was quieter, too. Although restaurants and shops were in walking distance, we preferred to use the tuk tuks (about £1-£2), specially at night, as the main road can be very busy with fast moving traffic and dim lighting.
The Cinnamon Gardens Hotel is next door and we used it for drinks and lunches while we were on the beach as we only really self-catered for breakfast.
We are thinking about going back again soon, and as with anywhere in Hikkaduwa, the Expressway will be very welcome and make the journey to/from the airport and Colombo much easier.
A beautiful spot on the beach and definitely recommended for beach lovers!
Review submitted by Kersten from Jersey (Submitted: 5 Jan 2011)
We have just spent 2 weeks at this property - if you want to relax in paradise then this is for you. A very short tuk tuk ride from happening Hikkaduwa Town, where you go do and eat what every you want. Slept fantastically due to the air conditioning and roar of the sea. Our 2 children loved exploring the safe garden and the splash pool was absolutely fantastic. We wanted a lazy time and used the Cinnamon Gardens Hotel nearby as our restuarant most of the time!! The security guard at night was reassuring, everybody nearby was very helpful and friendly. Mahinda and the house keeper, whose name we never really got, was the most cheerful and helpful person we could have met!! We had a fab time and the property was great for us.... now thinking I shuld get shiny tiles as the sand simply brushes away!!
Review submitted by Ali from Chichester (Submitted: 28 Sep 2010)
This villa was as it said is right on the beach - a gorgeous expanse of golden sands and deserted other than for a few fishermen. We were there in September so it was really quiet, the sea was too rough for swimming but it is a beautiful beach for walking along with amazing sunsets.
The house is well set up and there are really good restaurants just a few minutes away by tuktuk, so we ended up eating out each night.
Mahinda was great and organised our transport to and from the villa.
Whilst there we took a boat trip on the lake (not sure about the name, but about a 15 minute walk from the villa). We took a tuktuk to Galle but spent the majority of time just lazing in the garden which was great.
Review submitted by Ian from Guernsey (Submitted: 17 Aug 2010)
Fairly basic accommodation by UK standards, but better than most in Sri Lanka I would guess, based on some of the hotels we saw on our trip. The air-con in the bedrooms is a real bonus and runs quietly enough to allow you to sleep with it running. There are a number of other relative luxuries, including plenty of UK/European electrical sockets and modern appliances. Could do with up-rating some of the light bulbs to give more light, especially in the bedrooms. One sunbed per person and/or some hammocks would also be a good idea. Overall though, we would recommend this property - and the area and Sri Lanka generally - to anyone. The property manager and his staff were all extremely friendly and helpful, and the hotel next ddor was very accomodating for meals at all hours of the day.
Review submitted by Siobhan from Doha,Qatar (Submitted: 7 Dec 2009)
The Tropical Beach house was absolutely gorgeous. Nice and simple and excellent for our 4 year old daughter as the property was contained. The sea view was amazing and the sound of the waves crashing was lovely.
Sitting outside in the evening was so relaxing but watch the mossies!! We used the coils and the citronella (we bought locally!) and that seemed to do the trick!
It was an absolutely perfect holiday and really enjoyed by all!
Thanks for giving us the opportunity to sample this gorgeous country and lovely lovely people.
Well definately be back!
Review submitted by Margaret from Abu Dhabi (Submitted: 8 Oct 2009)
Hi Gavin
We had a great time at your house which is brilliant, very well maintained & you couldnt ask for a better setting on the beach - far enough from Hikkaduwa to feel secluded & relaxed but near enough for eating out each night & trips to town. The airport pickup & return arranged by Mohinda was very efficient & Chintaka looked after us brilliantly by popping in each day to check we were OK & shopping for essentials. Another plus was our personal Tuk Tuk driver Harold who took us into town & out to the restaurants each night. Our only regret was that we needed to stay much longer but unfortunately the Eid break in the UAE was only 5 days. This was our 4th visit to Sri Lanka so we didnt feel the need to travel but it seemed much longer & we left chilled & relaxed. A particular highlight was our request for a traditional Sri Lankan meal on our last night & Chintaka duly obliged. He & his wife cooked a fabulous meal while we played catch the crabs with his daughter in the garden.
We had a brilliant time & will definitely be back for longer next time!
Margaret & Eric Wilkinson
Abu Dhabi, UAE
Review submitted by pauline from Muscat Oman (Submitted: 12 Oct 2008)
We all really enjoyed our stay here..everyone was very helpful and friendly especially Mahinda,Chintaka and Harold.The beach house is located in the ideal spot and we managed to get around easily and Harold even showed us interesting places not in the guide books so we will try to get back to the same area again and will use The Beach House if available.
Recommend Chintakas BBQ if anyone stays !!
Review submitted by Sarah from Stanford le Hope (Submitted: 30 Sep 2008)
The property was exactly as described and we had a wonderful time. Mahinda and his team were excellent and arranged everything for us that we wanted to do - he and his team seem to be mind readers and have the ability to not only take you where you have asked to go but add in extras that are perfect. Mahinda found us a hotel near a beautiful beach that he had previously taken us to and we had wanted to spend more time there - the hotel was fantastic. Great house, great location and great team to look after you when you are there.
Review submitted by greg from worthing (Submitted: 4 Mar 2008)
A fantastic place to stay for families, right on the wonderful beach with a secure garden. Far enough away from downtown Hikkaduwa so you dont feel you are in the middle of the strip but still only a short tuk tuk ride, or 20 min walk from great restaurants and bars. The staff are absolutely brilliant. Friendly and very helpful. The air conditioned bedrooms are a welcome relief from the humidity. The beach BBQ arranged by the housekeeper was supurb. If you want hassel free quality accomodation from which to explore this wonderful country, this is it
Review submitted by Claire from Poole (Submitted: 5 Nov 2007)
idealic location, well equipped and all needs catered for! Hikkaduwa needs visitors so get out there!
Review submitted by Sally & Lee from Wiltshire, UK (Submitted: 13 Jan 2007)
Our stay at the tropical beach house was excellent! - we had an amazing time! - It was the perfect property - particularly for our 3 1/2 year old son who was able to play in the secure garden in the shade whilst we sunbathed in the sun - the plunge pool was invaluable to all of us! We had too many great experiences to list, however our time relaxing on the beach watching the sun go down whilst our son played with the local children is one of our favourite memeories. Particular thanks to Chintaka & Mahinda - Chintaka made our stay comfortable and nothing was too much trouble (even taking our washing to Mahindas house, as the washing machine at the beach house had broken, which was the only inconvenience we had throughout our stay) we were honoured to be invited to both of there houses for dinner and to meet there families, we consider ourselves very lucky to have met such incredible people. We would recommend it to anybody and we can not wait to return!!!!!!!!!!
Review submitted by Catherine from Huddersfield (Submitted: 10 Jan 2007)
Sri Lanka is paradise!
The perfect honeymoon getaway ar just somewhere to chill out. There is plenty to do if you want to do something different every day.
The Villa was fantastic, had everything we needed except a cork screw!
It was incredible having your own space with such a fantastic view and being able to walk out throgh the gate at the end of the garden and be on the beach.
We had a bit of rain but it didn't spoil a thing. We have had our lifetimes share of storms but they were fantastic to watch.
The villa manager was brilliant! Anything we needed he could help us with. He drove us anywhere we wanted to go.
Yala National park is definately worth a visit!
We will be going back in a couple of years!
Review submitted by Vicki, Sean & Olivia from India (Submitted: 8 Dec 2006)
The Cabana was perfect for our small family. A cot was provided and the kitchenette/fridge invaluable to feed our 2 year old daughter some meals and early breakfast. Everything was provided including some welcome fruit, milk and drinks. All the equipment and was new and clean and the staff that maintained the place were helpful and discreet. The best bit was the safe/ enclosed garden and the small patio to sit out as well as the short distance to the beach.The unfortunate part was the busy road nearby which we could hear from the Cabana early in the morning.
We were lucky to have family staying in the cottage part of the property at the same time we were there and we had access to their garden and facilities too which I felt were equally excellent. The cottage seemed alot quieter for 'sleeping in' and a return visit would be taken in there instead I think.
Overall this was a great location, close to some shops and restaurants without being in the thick of it and a short 'tuktuk'ride (always waiting nearby) if we wanted to go a bit further than an easy walk.The restaurant (Cinnamon) next door is however great for meals, especially breakfast if you want to stay close.
Review submitted by Simon from Tropical Beach House, Hikkaduwa, Sri Lanka (Submitted: 8 Dec 2006)
Staying at the Tropical Beach House was a real pleasure. The property was very clean on arrival and Chintaka was on hand to clean it daily. The en-suite rooms were large and the air conditioning was quiet and efficient. Sitting on the verandah with a sundowner looking down the garden at the ocean only a few yards away was a nightly ritual prior to going out and with this in mind, the house is perfectly situated south of the bars and restaurants to allow a stroll along the shore to your favourite spot. Mahinda was always on hand to arrange anything you wanted and overall, I would say we wanted for nothing during our stay and would recommend the Beach House to anybody who asked.
Review submitted by Rhiannon from London, UK (Submitted: 7 Jun 2006)
We had an excellent 2 weeks in Sri Lanka, staying at the Tropical Beach House. A great base from which to arrange tours to other parts of the island. My abiding memory is of sitting under the veranda, fresh fruit cocktail in hand, watching the sun set over the coconut palm at the bottom of the garden, listening to the waves crashing onto the beach. Life doesn't get much better than that! The beach house is comfortable, and the aircon in the bedrooms is a very welcome relief from the oppressive heat outside. Plenty of great restaurants and bars nearby. Mahinda, Chintaka, and especially Lal, are always on hand to help with all your needs. Looking forward to going back there one day...
Review submitted by Martin from Denmark (Submitted: 4 Oct 2005)
We were glad for the house, garden and the beach. But most glad for the staff connected to the house - they were all extreemly kind and did everything they could to make our staff as plesent as posible.
Owner reply:
Thanks very much for your kind words - I will pass them on to the team. I'm very glad that you and your family enjoyed your holiday.
We look forward to your next visit... :-)
Best Regards,
Gavin
Review not verified by RentalSystems* (Submitted: 3 Apr 2005)
My time at 'The Beach House' has been totally relaxing and excellent fun. The house was a comfortable and welcoming place to stay and the Hikkaduwa area was beautiful and interesting, from the wide palm-lined beach to the stunning paddy fields and lush greenery just a short distance away. It's hard to pick a highlight of my stay because every moment of it was great!
Catherine Moore, UK
Review not verified by RentalSystems* (Submitted: 3 Apr 2005)
Our two week stay at your beautiful beach house was heavenly. We couldn't have wanted for anything more perfect. Chintika and Mahinda were both very kind - as was our driver Lal - and they all made sure we had all we needed. Thank you. We can't wait to come back - Sri Lanka is a great country.
Sally Emery, UAE
Review not verified by RentalSystems* (Submitted: 3 Apr 2005)
My parents and I had the most incredible time in the Tropical Beach House. With its perfect location we spent many hours listening and watching the waves at the bottom of the garden. We can't wait to return one day very soon. Gavin and Mahinda, thank you for an unforgettable time.
Stephanie Kite, UK
Review not verified by RentalSystems* (Submitted: 3 Apr 2005)
I just wanted to send you a quick note to thank you for the fabulous time spent at your pad in Hikkaduwa. It is paradise! Can't imagine a nicer way to spend a birthday.
Sam Meston, Dubai
Review not verified by RentalSystems* (Submitted: 3 Apr 2005)
I am (unfortunately) back in the cold and miserable U.K. again. I would like to say how much I enjoyed the week at the Tropical Beach House - it was perfect in every way and I hope to return again.
Peter Corbett, UK
Review not verified by RentalSystems* (Submitted: 3 Apr 2005)
Good time had by all in Sri Lanka, hope we can do it again sometime soon.
John Stanley, New Delhi
Review not verified by RentalSystems* (Submitted: 3 Apr 2005)
We had a wonderful time at your house.
Robin Sorflaten, Dubai
Review not verified by RentalSystems* (Submitted: 3 Apr 2005)
Many thanks again for sharing your lovely home with Jim and me. We both hope that we will be able to visit again in the near future.
Michael Wakelin, UK
Review not verified by RentalSystems* (Submitted: 3 Apr 2005)
We had a great time and really enjoyed our two weeks. The house itself is lovely (the photos don't do it justice!) and was kept very clean by the friendly staff who were always happy to help. Really recommend having a beachfront BBQ and if you're doing a tour - see World's End!
Joanna James and Edward Brown, UK
Review not verified by RentalSystems* (Submitted: 2 Apr 2005)
We had planned to visit Sri Lanka for some time, but the tsunami obviously made us think again. Reassurances from Gavin were enough and we definitely made the right choice. Gavin and team have done wonders in getting the Beach House cleaned up, and now it is as good as new. The beach in front of the house has been completely cleaned and the sea temperature is wonderfully warm. Most of the restaurants and tourist activities had just started up at the beginning of February, and we felt priviledged to be amongst some of the first post-tsunami customers for some of the tours.
Hire a scooty-pep whilst you're in and around Hikkaduwa, and make sure you see the rest of the island. We did a six day tour through the hill country, with Lal as our driver, stopping off in Ella, Kandy and Sigiriya. The country is stunning. We had a magical time and very much look forward to a return visit.
Simon & Peggy, UK (Post-Tsunami)
Review not verified by RentalSystems* (Submitted: 2 Apr 2005)
Thanks for a fabulous post-tsunami holiday. Everything was fabulous. The guest house is delightful, a really tranquil spot and so well-catered for. Top delights included the canoeing on the lagoon, the veggie restaurant opposite and zooming (well almost) around on the scooter amongst all the local farmers.
Thanks for a top time, a genuine welcome, and an inspirational holiday / adventure, amongst a bunch of people that desperately need we tourist types to return. We'll be back!
Ian & Jane Baldwin, UK (Post-Tsunami)