The Rook House in Hiriketiya

Comfortable. Pool was an extra bonus. Quiet but accessible area.

The kitchen could be a bit more functional but had all the basics.

Wat een fijn huis in Hiriketiya. Personeel heel vriendelijk en behulpzaam. Super rustige plek op loop afstand van het centrum.

The house was excellent, very welcoming and helpful. He was responsive by message and made she we had everything we needed :)

The property was about a 15 minute walk to the beach, but we still loved it!

The caretaker, Ajith, is wonderful—highly attentive, friendly, and helpful. The location is excellent, situated just a short walk from the beach and local restaurants. The villa sits in a nice, private garden with a clean swimming pool, though the pool's shower head is broken, leaving only a tap over the grass.

The property is currently neglected and needs significant maintenance to justify its price. By the fourth night, we realized both of our children were covered in bites. Upon inspecting the beds, we found significant black dirt buildup along the mattress seams and caught two fleas. For safety, we all had to crowd into the master bed for our final night. Furthermore, the physical property deviates heavily from its Booking.com listing: The floors are basic concrete, not the advertised tile or marble. There are only three bathrooms, not four. Crucially, only one has hot water, meaning there is only one functional shower for a family of four. The kitchen lacks cupboards, and the open shelves were covered in grime. The kitchen sponge provided was filthy. Additionally, the fridge was rusty and the temperature gauge is broken and froze all contents, which was a major issue as my wife needed it to store her medication. The listed washing machine did not work at all, which was a primary reason we booked this villa after six weeks of travel. It clearly had been broken for some time. There is no indoor dining table anywhere in the villa. The wardrobes were only half-accessible, with one side locked up to store the owner's personal items. The open halves were cluttered with old, unlocked junk (such as sea boots, a broken picture frame, and a grubby bed throw and pillow) rather than being cleared for guest use. Additionally, the ensuite bidet hose burst open in the middle of the night, flooding the bathroom. Bedroom lamps were broken, and a bedroom desk was unusable because it lacked a chair and was holding a broken computer monitor. Cash payment was required upfront which is unusual and caused logistical difficulties of local ATM withdrawal limits. We have stayed in multiple properties around Sri Lanka and other parts of Asia and sadly this property is currently overpriced and needs a revamp.