Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Little review on the guesthouses during our stay...

Now I'm back from my wonderfull trip through Sri Lanka, I'm taking some time to review the guesthouses we stayed in while travelling there.

Let's start with the beginning :

1) Milano Tourist rest - Anuradhapura (source lonely planet & rough guide)

The reception and restaurant area

About 300m from the mainroad, very quiet and easy reachable with a bike ! They rent bikes at the guesthouse for 300rs a day (2€). It' the ideal way of visiting the ancient city, but it's a long journey anyway. Count on +/-25km bike to see it all.
The garden
 The room we had was with A/C, very clean and quiet. The restaurant is inside or in the little garden. (be carefull for the mosquitos, very nasty ones out there!!) The food is not bad, but you can have better in the city for less money. (like everywhere in Sri Lanka once you step out of your guesthouse)




The personel is very friendly and helpfull and there is good wifi connection around the lobby and the restaurant (about 160rs per hour)
The road








The annex building with rooms







                                                    




2) Siyanco Holiday Resort - Polonnaruwa (source Amandine and David, the french travelpartners)

Just a few steps away from the centre and around 2km from the ancient city.

Reception
They rent bikes for 450rs a day, but in the centre we found one for 300rs.

Rooms are small but very comfy with a large bathroom, very clean.







Rooms
The breakfast is outside or inside and they have a restaurant. Try to demand rooms on the backside, beacause on the front you have noise from the mainroad (little, but still)
We payed +/- 3200rs for one night with breakfast. Reasonable price.








3) Highest view - Kandy (source lonely planet and rough guide)

View from the balcony
Very correct guesthouse with wonderfull views over the lake ! The owner Tony is a very friendly and helpfull person who knows how to welcome people ! He worked and lived a long time in Switzerland wich makes him a good bussinessman.
The rooms are maybe a little small but the views and balcony's make everything right ! Just a little downside, the showercurtains... They need to be refreched. (just a hint ;-) )
We had a lovely time in Highest view.




4) Sita's Heaven - Ella (source lonely planet)

The guesthouse
This place is a little paradise... Like they say in the Lonely Planet "you will end up staying longer than you thougth"....
And we did ! 10min from the little town's centre through thee plantations, it's quiet location isn't the best of it's qualities, it's one of them !
The views are stunnishing ! From the commun balcony, the Ella's rock, Gab and little Adam's peak greet you every morning during breakfast and never leave you... You can spend hours enjoying the view.
The owner is building a new annex just next to this one with 6 more rooms, but they don't make noise when clients are in (so no disturbation)

They also propose wireless internet at 60rs an hour ! And it's the
fastest one I found in my whole trip !  The manager is very friendly and has a lovely family (we also loved his big black dog !!)                                             
View from balcony
View at Ella's Rock during breakfast

5) Whatsala Inn - Dalhousie (source tuktuk driver from Hatton)

The nice and very professional manager from this hotel welcomed us as it should.
Very friendly and helpfull and with a cup of thee !
His english is perfect and the service is irreproachable !
They have several kind of rooms for several budgets. All very spacouis and clean.
The walk to the start of Adam's Peak is about 10min.
Nice restaurant with view over the peak.












  
6) Ganesh Garden - Tangalle (source Mr. Sudu from Ella)

This was a little dream coming true after the Adam's peak. 
This bungalow guesthouse has about 10 little cabana's spread in the garden and at maximum 50m from the beautiful, quiet beach. Only thing to know before you go ; all the bungalows have open window or shades, so if you're afraid of insects, don't go !
The guesthouse is isolated from the centre of Tangalle, about 3km along the beach, or 5km with a tuktuk (200rs)
As it is isolated, you're kind of stuck with the hotelrestaurant, more expensive but good.


The beach

7) One and only appartment - Unawatuna (found by coïncidence)

Inside of the appartment
This was the best place ever !!! We found this by coïncidence walking through Unawatuna. The owner is from Switzerland and rents this place for 10.000rs a night, but you have to bargain with the local manager (sri lankan guy named Prema). Just be carefull if you stay there on a thursday night because de bar next door has disconight on thursdays!!! And you don't sleep untill 5.30am !!!!
The other days are wonderfull !!! You have a little kitchen and a nice bathroom. A true dreamspot on the beach !!


Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Dream destination of the week




This week I'm dreaming about my next holiday in June.... I'm going back to my roots,
La bella Toscana !!!

From Volterra to Siena, from Montepulciano through Umbria !

DOLCE FAR NIENTE !!

New look - New content - New passion

Comme vous l'avez remarqué mon blog à été laissé de côté quelques temps par manque d'inspiration. Depuis je me suis décou...