Elephant Rest Udawalawa offers a serene escape near Udawalawe National Park with a continental breakfast, on-site international cuisine restaurant, and an outdoor pool. Unwind in the garden or take advantage of barbecue grills while staying connected with free in-room WiFi.
Lunugamvehera National Park - 36 min drive - 38.0 km
Ridiyagama Safari Park - 48 min drive - 41.8 km
Suriyakanda Forest Reserve - 60 min drive - 55.0 km
Restaurants
vibeX - 10 min drive
Grand Toscana Restaurant - 8 min drive
Craft Tunnel: A Potter’s Retreat - 12 min walk
Kottawaththa Village Inn - 11 min drive
Kuma & Restaurant Udawalawa - 5 min walk
About this property
Elephant Rest Udawalawa
Elephant Rest Udawalawa offers a fantastic location, putting you just steps from Udawalawe National Park. Guests can splash around at the outdoor pool or grab a bite to eat at the restaurant. A children's pool, a terrace, and a garden are other highlights.
At a glance
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Hotel size
3 rooms
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Arriving/Leaving
Check-in time starts at noon
Express check-in/out available
Early check-in subject to availability
Late check-in subject to availability
Minimum check-in age: 18
Check-out time is noon
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Special check-in instructions
Front desk staff will greet guests on arrival at the property
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools
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Required at check-in
Cash deposit required for incidental charges
Government-issued photo ID may be required
Minimum check-in age is 18
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Children
No cribs (infant beds)
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Pets
No pets or service animals allowed
WIFI
Internet
Free WiFi in public areas
Free WiFi in rooms
LOCAL_PARKING
Parking
Free onsite self parking
Property amenities
Food and drink
Free continental breakfast each morning
Restaurant
Barbecue grills
24-hour room service
Traveling with children
Children's pool
What to do
Hiking/biking trails nearby
Safari nearby
Fishing nearby
Services
24-hour front desk
Laundry facilities
Luggage storage
Facilities
Garden
Terrace
An outdoor pool
Room amenities
Be entertained
LED television
Satellite TV channels
Home comfort
Ceiling fan
Electric kettle
Bathrobes
Freshen up
Private bathroom
Shower only
Free toiletries
Towels
Stay connected
Desk
Free WiFi
Food and drink
Free bottled water
More
Daily housekeeping
Special features
Dining
Onsite venue - This restaurant specializes in international cuisine.
Fees & policies
Pool, spa, & gym (if applicable)
Pool access available from 7:00 AM to 10:00 AM
Policies
Only registered guests are allowed in the guestrooms.
Guests can rest easy knowing there's a fire extinguisher on site.
This property accepts cash.
Property Registration Number U/SEWANA/1555
Also known as
Elephant Rest Udawalawa Hotel
Elephant Rest Hotel
Elephant Rest Udawalawa
Elephant Rest
Elephant Rest Udawalawa Hotel Sevanagala
Elephant Rest Udawalawa Sevanagala
ephant Rest Udawalawa Sevanag
Elephant Rest Udawalawa Hotel
Elephant Rest Udawalawa Udawalawa
Elephant Rest Udawalawa Hotel Udawalawa
Frequently asked questions
Does Elephant Rest Udawalawa offer free cancellation for a full refund?
Yes, Elephant Rest Udawalawa does have fully refundable room rates available to book on our site. If you’ve booked a fully refundable room rate, this can be cancelled up to a few days before check-in depending on the property's cancellation policy. Just make sure to check this property's cancellation policy for the exact terms and conditions.
Is there a pool at Elephant Rest Udawalawa?
Yes, there's an outdoor pool and a children's pool. Guests have pool access from 7:00 AM to 10:00 AM.
Are pets allowed at Elephant Rest Udawalawa?
Sorry, pets and service animals aren't allowed.
Is parking offered on site at Elephant Rest Udawalawa?
Yes, there's free self parking.
What are the check-in and check-out times at Elephant Rest Udawalawa?
You can check in starting at noon. Check-out time is noon. Express check-in and check-out are available.
What is there to do at Elephant Rest Udawalawa and nearby?
Have fun with nearby activities like fishing and hiking. Additional recreation nearby includes safari tours. Enjoy a swim in the outdoor pool or use the hotel's other amenities, which include a garden.
Are there restaurants at or near Elephant Rest Udawalawa?
Yes, there's an onsite restaurant that offers international cuisine.
What's the area around Elephant Rest Udawalawa like?
Elephant Rest Udawalawa is located a short 1-minute walk from Udawalawe National Park.
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Reviews
Elephant Rest Udawalawa Reviews
9.0
Wonderful
All reviews shown are from real guest experiences. Only travelers who have booked a stay with us can submit a review. We verify reviews according to our guidelines and publish all reviews, positive or negative.
8.2
Cleanliness
8.0
Location
9.2
Staff & service
8.0
Property conditions & facilities
Reviews
Verified
10/10 Exceptional
Dec 23, 2025
Clean room and nice setting. Very friendly owners. Great breakfast included and also had a lovely dinner there as well. Well located for the national park.
Mark
Mark, 1-night trip
Verified
10/10 Exceptional
May 20, 2025
Amazing
Amazing location, great service, delicious food
Harry
Harry, 2-night trip
Verified
6/10 Good
Dec 17, 2025
Room was nice enough. The family were absolutely lovely and couldn’t do more for us. There is nothing around the area, so it’s pretty isolating -meaning any meals need to be cooked by the family but they were so accommodating and the food was great. Only thing is there are a lot of insects but to be expected with such surroundings. The place also organises the udawalawe safari for you so no need to book a tour prior. It was 22,000 LKR entrance and 12,000 LKR for the jeep. I would say that one night is enough here either before or after the safari, just because there is nothing around.
Annie
Annie, 2-night trip
Verified
10/10 Exceptional
Feb 5, 2025
Such a lovely little place to stay for the night. Rooms were very clean and comfortable. The staff were so kind and lovely, the home cooked food was some of the best we’ve had in Sri Lanka.
They also arranged a safari for us, we had a jeep to ourselves, and saw many animals (elephants, monkeys, mongoose).
All in all a fabulous experience, and incredible value for money.
elizabeth
elizabeth, 1-night trip
Verified
4/10 Fair
Feb 3, 2026
Im writing this review solely regarding the business and management, as the owners were very kind people.
Despite this however the hotel was not well managed. There was little to no staff to support or serve. There was no introduction to our room, about service and what was offered. It took an hour to find someone to get a water and over an hour for food to arrive (dinner time). Another visitor, who we got to know whilst at the hotel, meal never arrived. Most drink orders were forgotten about and any orders were not documented so the hotel, when it came to payment, had to reask what we ordered.
No rooms came with any drinking water nor kettle to permit boiling tap water.
Then it comes to food and hygine...The cleaniness of the breakfast eating area and kitchen (as my partner poked their head in to look) was very unclean. Plates were not clean, you could taste unclean pans were used to cook on. There were fruit flies everywhere in the eating area - these are predominantly prevelant in unclean conditions and only evident in the eating area. The dinner we ate was incredibly unpleasant and we both left the entire plate (which we hate to do) and had to find somewhere else to eat. Other guests too commented negatively regarding the food. Worst of all is that evidently there is a cleanliness issue...I was sick and both myself and partner had a bad stomach.
Its unfortunate because the room itself and hotel has promise but I cannot and will not recommend anyone go.
Lastly, whilst th
Hannah
Hannah, 2-night trip
Verified
10/10 Exceptional
Feb 12, 2026
Nice room and friendly staff, helpful with organising safari etc. at a good price. Thank you!
Martin Lykke
Martin Lykke, 2-night trip
Verified
6/10 Good
Oct 27, 2025
Not the cleanest, lots of cockroaches
Janna
Janna, 2-night trip
Verified
10/10 Exceptional
Mar 17, 2026
Vi var her ifm safari i udawalawe. Hotellet er bare noen få minutter med bil unna inngangen. Veldig koselig sted! Fine og vennlige folk. God mat.
Alise Jarberg
Alise Jarberg, 1-night trip
Verified
8/10 Very good
Jan 18, 2026
Das Zimmer u die Anlage waren sauber, nur der Pool bräuchte mehr pflege
Manfred
Manfred, 1-night trip
Verified
10/10 Exceptional
Jan 12, 2026
Det var det charmigaste och mest genuina hotell vi bodde på under våra två veckor på Sri Lanka. Mannen och frun som drev detta mycket familljära hotellet var otroligt vänliga och hjälpsamma. Maten var vällagad och god och värd att vänta på. Hotellet ligger endast 5 minuters bilfärd till nationalparken. Det är dessutom mycket prisvärt. Kan varmt rekommenderas.
Josefina
Josefina, 1-night trip
Verified
10/10 Exceptional
Mar 20, 2025
Accueil au top, on est reçu avec un jus de fruit fraîchement fait, les chambres sont spacieuses, avec une petite terrasse et un salon de jardin en bois, 1 gel douche, 1 shampooing et 1 lotion lime/cinnamon dans la salle de bain, un espace détente avec un terrain de badminton, des échecs et une piscine très agréable, les repas sont préparés minutes et avec attention, prix très corrects. Emplacement idéal à - de 10' du parc. Des hôtes en or, une bouteille d'eau donnée quand je suis partie à 5h45 pour mon safari (ils peuvent vous l'organiser), à midi, Ils m'ont proposé le petit déjeuner si est inclus mais que je n'avais pas pris et le bus pour aller vers Tangalle passe devant chez eux, mais sur à un blocage, la dame m'a gentiment emmenée en scooter jusqu'à la station suivant et s'est assurée que je suis bien dans le bus. Des gens adorables. Allez-y les yeux fermés !
Nathalie
Nathalie, 1-night trip
Verified
10/10 Exceptional
Jan 16, 2025
Perfekt för en övernattning om man ska på safari. Litet hotell där ägarna fixar allt, boende, vilken mat man vill, safari, frukostpaket, taxi. Det är bara att fråga, mannen som driver hotellet är otroligt hjälpsam och trevlig!
Oskar
Oskar, 1-night trip
Verified
6/10 Good
Jan 23, 2020
The hosts were very friendly, hospitable and organised safari trip.
Room was spacious but there were many insects!
Verified traveler
1-night trip
Verified
10/10 Exceptional
Dec 1, 2019
Warm hospitality and excellent Sri Lankan food in the Uda Walawe National Park
Verified traveler
1-night trip
Verified
8/10 Very good
Aug 20, 2019
Their dinner and breakfast were good. The safari jeep was very useful and cheaper than others. The room was very basic but clean and enough for one night.
TM
TM, 1-night trip
Verified
8/10 Very good
Aug 3, 2019
Good place to stay if you’re planning to go on safari. Value for money. Competitive safari prices offered by the host
Ektoras
Ektoras, 1-night trip
Verified
8/10 Very good
Apr 20, 2019
Bra för en natt om man skall på safari
En liten lodge med enbart tre rum som drivs av en familj. Då vi var ensamma där just den natten fick vi välja själva när vi ville ha middag och frukost (vet inte hur det funkar annars). Vi skulle ut på safari tidigt så vi fick frukosten i ett paket att ta med. Det fanns ingen meny till middag, så vi fick äta det som bjöds, men det vär väldigt gott. Det finns inget att göra i närheten förutom att ta safari i nationalparken, men om man bara är där för safarin en natt funkar det bra. De har även en safarijeep och de erbjöd 3h-tur för ~8000LKR (~$45USD). Det enda vi kan klaga på var att wi-fi var ganska dåligt.
Dennis
Dennis, 1-night trip
Verified
8/10 Very good
Apr 7, 2019
The room was lovely! Only minus part was the bathroom that needed to be updated . The stuff were really helpful and nice! Really relaxing place. Would come again! Love the peace of silence.
Alexandra
Alexandra, 1-night trip
Verified
10/10 Exceptional
Mar 29, 2019
Nice guesthouse close to the safari park
My wife and I stayed at Elephant Rest Udawalawa for one night. The room was clean and comfortable and well put together. We had dinner and breakfast at the guesthouse and both were very tasty and generous portions. We were able to book our safari at the guesthouse and also our onward taxi to Mirissa. The service was friendly and efficient. Overall we were happy with our stay and we would recommend this guesthouse.
Lachlan
Lachlan, 1-night trip
Verified
4/10 Fair
Mar 11, 2019
Dirty, dusty, needs Maintaining
We had booked a 2 night stay due to the good reviews, and with the intention to go on the 'value for money' safari trip. Our taxi dropped us off midday, there was no one on reception to greet us. No water, tea, or refreshment of any kind. However, a maid told us we could go into our allocated room. This had not been prepared recently, as I found a dead lizard and dead flies in the bathroom. Apart from that the room and bed looked clean. We decided to cut our stay down to one night, do the safari that evening (which was great), then move to another hotel 10km away which was cheaper, lovely and clean, and had a swimming pool. Thank you to Hotels.com for sorting out a refund.
Jane
Jane, 2-night trip
Verified
10/10 Exceptional
Jan 20, 2019
Liebevoll-familiäre Betreuung, Innenhof erholsam
Sehr nette familiäre Betreuung, sehr aufmerksam, die Zimmer einfach, sauber, der Innenhof liebevoll gestaltet, lädt zum Relaxen ein, hier kann man sich wohlfühlen, Essen sehr gut, der Nationalparkeingang gleich ums Eck,
Sabine
Sabine, 1-night trip
Verified
8/10 Very good
Dec 29, 2018
Close to the park.
Stayed here for 1 night. Good location near the park.
BERYL
BERYL, 1-night trip
Verified
10/10 Exceptional
Dec 18, 2018
Simple but cozy and clean place run by an extremely friendly family. Hotel has their own safari truck that can be rented out with a driver for a very reasonable price.
Verified traveler
1-night trip
Verified
8/10 Very good
Dec 11, 2018
A nice little oasis in a poor place.
A very friendly and service minded host indeed. A nice little place in a regular village in Sri Lanka. Nothing to see or do in the surrounding parts except for the Udawalawe National park.
When asked about the price for a safari they forgot to mention the fee for the park itself which was three times the fee for the car and guide. Luckily we had just enough cash!
The dinner and breakfast were both exceptionally tasty! Lovely family that hosts the place!
Verified traveler
1-night trip
Verified
10/10 Exceptional
Sep 6, 2018
I had an excellent stay at Elephant Rest. The Sri Lankan dinners that they cook were some of the best that I've had in the country. The wifi worked well for the entire stay. The showers had hot water. They have their own jeep for safari and give a really good rate.