Halcyon Mawella

What a place. Hotel was way beyond our expectations with amazing staff, food exceptional, and a beach side villa to top it off.

The best hotel—excellent staff, beach, and food. The location is very close to the bustling area of Hiriketiya; however, the hotel itself remains wonderfully quiet and peaceful. The rooms are spacious and spotless. It is worth every penny. The manager personally greeted us and explained the hotel’s initiatives and what they do for the local community, which made the atmosphere even more pleasant. If we are lucky enough to return to Sri Lanka, this will definitely be our first choice.

This is a really lovely small boutique hotel with large comfortable rooms overlooking a most beautiful “ working” beach. By that, I mean the fishing boats go out every evening from here. The beach is pristine due to the efforts of the owner Xander and his charming manager Aneesa who run a foundation which not only cleans the beach of plastic and rubbish but also provides employment for women. Be sure to visit the foundation and buy some of their delicious chutneys and home made soaps. You can also get clothes custom made here. Back to the hotel. Breakfast is 5 star with a variety of dishes from Singhalese hoppers to a British fry up. The curd with Kittal and fresh fruit with granola was my favourite. We were treated with great kindness and it was fun to visit local ( excellent ) restaurants in a tuktuk at sunset. Walk the beach from left to right and you will effortlessly do your 10,000 steps on firm sand. The sea is crystal clear and beautiful but beware of the undertow and strong undercurrent. All in all we cannot recommend Halcyon Mawella more. Perfect for all ages with a safe pool for kids and a good menu if you want to stay in. Thanks to Aneesa and Xander for their hospitality, the late checkout and for moving our room with the minimum of fuss.

Great location and a great find as we hadn't planned to stay here (US/Iran disrupted our holiday dates). Very quiet, all you can hear is the waves hitting the beach. Balcony room was great, as was the pool, restaurant, bar and beach. We ate a lot of seafood! Very relaxing place to enjoy the sun, sand and sea. We could have done with another 5 days there. Ruwan and his team made us feel right at home. We'll be back.

Halcyon Mawella is reached through a few little side roads, and has a prime location on a beautiful beach. Beautiful mature gardens. Zander and his team have got the perfect balance of being there when needed. Very chilled spot. They also help fund and run a local foundation which is well worth a visit ! We will be back

Incredible location, nice atmoshphere with super nice owner and staff. Felt like a dream staying there. Also has be the best restaurant in the area. Can only recommend

Beautiful hotel, friendly staff and great food in a perfect spot next to a very unspoiled beach.