Winterfell Bandarawela

We had a very enjoyable stay at this property. It is conveniently located just 2–3 km from Bandarawela town, offering a peaceful environment. Accessibility might be bit challenging if you travel by a vehicle with low ground clearance. The rooms were spacious, each with an attached bathroom, and the overall cleanliness was well maintained throughout our stay. We booked the entire bungalow for three nights, and one of the highlights of our experience was the excellent hospitality. The cook and the butlers were exceptionally friendly, welcoming, and always willing to help, which made our stay even more pleasant. Overall, I would rate this property 9/10 for its comfort, cleanliness, and service of the in-house staff.

The main issue we encountered was related to billing transparency and the communication surrounding additional charges, which originated from the owner not by the in-house staff. Before our stay, we chose the option of having all meals prepared by the in-house cook, with the understanding that we would cover grocery, transportation, and cooking costs on a daily basis. However, when the final invoice was presented, we found additional charges for tea, snacks, and increased cooking fees that had not been clearly communicated to us beforehand. These charges may be reasonable if disclosed in advance, but discovering them only at the time of settlement was disappointing. The unexpected costs represented approximately 38.7% of our total food expenses, which is a significant amount, especially for larger groups managing a travel budget. What was more concerning was the response we received from the owner after raising this issue. Clear communication and transparency regarding pricing expectations would have helped avoid misunderstandings and would have greatly improved our overall experience. Overall, this is a lovely property with excellent staff and comfortable facilities. However, I would strongly recommend confirming all meal-related charges upfront to avoid surprises. If you're prepared for a few unexpected additions to the final bill, this may be the place for you😅

Staff was amazing, had a very nice breakfast.

Wifi was slow

We had a really good breakfast (බන්ඩි ෆුල්). The rooms were comfy and clean. Staff were friendly and helpful. Mr. Bandara, who is the caretaker, including the owners took initiative to attend any issues we had. We thank you for that.

It would be better if 1 or 2 additional staff members are available to manage the tasks like cooking because it seemed difficult for one person to cater for a full house of guests.

It feels wrong writing a review for somewhere I didn't end up staying but as they refused to cancel my booking I think it's important. When I booked this 3 months ago, the hotel was operating under a different name. It was only when I arrived in Sri Lanka that I found out things had changed and I was immediately worried. When my taxi and I finally found the place I was told they didn't have my booking despite receiving a confirmation notification from Booking.com the night before. They said they weren't taking bookings from Booking.com but could give me a room to which I declined as it was a fair distance from Bandarawela and there were other better options available. I am unable to cancel this booking without incurring a charge and I have had no response from either the hotel or Booking.com.