Summer Ridge - Homestay

The host was friendly. Guess they need to review their service… Anyway, thank you. We arrived there and a lady welcomed us, but there was a language barrier. We understood the host was away. We wanted to shower, but the water pressure was very low and there was no hot water. No one was there to help. I sent messages to the host, and finally at 22 pm he asked me to check if the water was okay. The next day, the water pressure was on and off, and hot water was fine. The toilet tank was leaking, the bathroom sink was blocked. The host fixed it the next day. We asked for a breakfast with a fee of course because it was mentioned… he could not provide the service. We had planned a mine visit which was not worth the price at all.

“少し不安だったラトナプラでよい体験ができました。ありがとう”

The house was large and impressive, the rooms were spacious and comfortable, and there was a balcony. The older brother was kind, gave us two fans, arranged a gemstone‑mining tour, and arranged transportation to Hikkaduwa. When we used hot water in the living room, the orange‑packaged tea we received was the best we had during the trip. The town is about a 15‑minute walk, so we had no trouble with dinner. Ratanapra is a town with few tourists, so it felt a bit uneasy, but the family made us feel safe. Highly recommended! The downside is that the hilltop location makes walking up difficult, though walking down is fine. The dog was a bit noisy, and sudden power cuts in Sri Lanka meant we couldn’t see the gemstone‑processing site. Breakfast was advertised as included, but we were told it was not possible because we were going out (though that’s understandable).

The welcome was excellent in this lovely house where we felt at home. The location is very good, quiet in nature, 1.4 km from city noise. You have to climb, but it’s worth it. It’s easy to walk, and there are tuk‑tuks. Everything was fine. Breakfast wasn’t included, but we had a kitchen and living room available, and a few groceries were fine.

The bed was comfortable and convenient, and the room was ready within two hours of booking. However, the house smelled like a dog that lives there, and there were many cats; allergies should be noted. We stayed in room 20 and moved to 20 different places over two months; sometimes there was no soap or toilet paper, but in this room the bathroom had soap and toothpaste, though it would be better to leave unused items. Hot water was missing, the AC remote was set to 24 °C, the battery was dead and it didn’t work, so we had to keep turning it on and off all night, alternating between heat and cold. I finally adjusted the temperature with my own batteries. This isn’t a guest house but a family stay, so that should be stated in the listing. The door to the owners’ part of the house was always open, and the kitchen was shared with other guests, not private. The house sits on a hill that tuk‑tuk riders don’t want to go up. The price‑quality ratio is extremely inflated; for that money I could rent a whole villa on the second floor in Hikkaduwa. I can’t understand why foreign reviewers give such high ratings to this place.

The homestay was calm, the owner friendly and helpful, and the price was fair. The room can get a bit hot at night during the dry season because the ceiling fan isn’t very powerful.