Corner Cottage Anuradhapura - Homestay and Cooking Class

Gihan and Dinu are so incredibly generous, sweet, curious, and hospitable, beginning with Gihan picking me up from the bus station! I learned so much about Sri Lankan culture and everyday life through my conversations with them, and they made me feel genuinely welcome throughout my stay. Their cooking class was one of the main highlights of my trip. Over four hours, Gihan took me to the market, explained the local fruits and vegetables, and helped choose what curries we would cook based around my preferences. We prepared five different dishes and even made the coconut milk from scratch! At $20, it was an exceptionally generous experience - I was completely stuffed by the end, and also learned so much about the ingredients and work behind all those plates of different curries. I also took a tour to Mihintale with Gihan, which included stops at some local sights along the way, which I would highly recommend.

Gihan and his wife are wonderful hosts. Room is spacious and clean. We booked the old city tour and cooking class with him as well. Everything went well. Gihan was born and raised in Anuradhapura and he’s passionate about the city, its history and cuisine. We’ve learnt a lot from him. 100% recommend! Note that it’s super hot and humid when we were there (Aug) so highly recommend to get an AC room.

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I had the most wonderful stay in the corner cottage and it is honestly difficult to put into words how grateful I am that I found this place. From the very first moment, Gihan and his wife Dinu welcomed me with such open arms, warmth, and kindness and invited me directly after my arrival to a tea. I felt at home almost immediately. What makes this homestay so special is not simply the accommodation — it is Gihan and Dinu themselves. They are two incredibly warm, generous, and caring people, and you can feel how much heart they put into everything they do. The want their guests to feel happy, comfortable, and leave with a full heart. Gihan was always there when I needed something, giving me recommendations, helping me plan my days, and even offering to take me around in his own tuk-tuk. Gihan and Dinu are incredibly attentive and have such a natural way of making you feel welcome, cared for, and still they respect your personal space. One of my absolute highlights was the cooking class. We went to the local market together, I could choose what I wanted to cook, and Gihan happily adapted everything to my vegetarian diet. We cooked, talked, laughed, and shared such a lovely time together. It felt less like a cooking class and much more like being invited into the life of the family. I also booked a half-day safari through them, and it was honestly the best safari I have experienced so far. Everything was perfectly organized and my sister and me saw so many animals. A huge recommendation! I truly believe that if you come here with an open heart and a little flexibility, you can receive some really nice cultural experiences and memories that stay in your heart. The room itself was spacious, comfortable, clean, and had everything I needed, including air conditioning. I am leaving with an incredibly full heart. I feel so lucky and grateful that I got to meet Gihan and Dinu and experience their kindness. If you are coming to Anuradhapura, please stay here.

Personnel sympathique et de bons conseils, literie de qualité, climatisation (dans 1 chambre sur 2)

Les 2 chambres que nous avions étaient ouvertes sur l’extérieur (pas de fenêtre à certains endroits) ce qui fait que la température dehors et dedans était la même, puis même odeur/bruits qu’à l’extérieur. Dans l’une des 2 chambres, pas de moustiquaire au dessus du lit, les insectes rentrent donc lorsque la lumière est allumée et qu’il fait nuit. Compliqué d’y dormir sereinement. Un gros escargot retrouvé dans une salle de bain et une grenouille dans l’autre. État de la sdb chambre économique pourrait être améliorée pour un peu plus de confort.