We've spent 2 nights in this lodge. It was really à heaven on Earth ! Very near to the town but when you are there you have the feeling that... read more you are in the middle of nowhere. Nature is preserved and we did 2 night walks trying to see the loris. No loris unfortunately but our stay was very peaceful. Shervonne and all the stuff were so kind and friendly. Food very good as well. I can only recommend this lodge.

  An Enchanting Experience! - This small, 6-bedroom lodge is essentially a private home, with a wonderful owner/hostess and two outstanding young staff. The rooms are simple, but enjoy a pleasant outdoor terrace, overlooking... read more the stunning lake, or grassland / isolated trees in the dry season. Dining is an absolute joy as each meal is made into a Sri Lankan experience. It is possible to eat at scattered tables in the grounds with the chef often preparing a special dish at your table. The food is wonderful, with an emphasis on local produce. In addition, it is possible to learn so much about Sri Lankan cuisine. Situated within 30 minutes of Wilpattu National Park, the lodge is a hidden gem which is more than worthy of support.

  Wilpattu - The lovely ibis is my favourite place to stay when visiting the wilpattu National park. Setting is awesome and the staff are excellent looking after your every need and very... read more knowledgable. The food is all local produce much of it grown on the property and was delicious. The birds are all around you and you feel very close to nature in this eco lodge. This was my 3rd time staying here and the friends I took also loved it would highly recommend.

  I'd lookked at all all the 5 star reviews for this hotel with a bit of schepticism but realised once we were there that the ratings were valid.

Such... read more a calm, relaxing and friendly place. We arrived mid-afternoon straight from the airpoirt and found post-Covid we were the only guests for the 2 nights we spent here.
The food was prepared to suit our tastes (ie not too spicy) with the owner explaining what each of the dishes was and having the cook demonstrate the preparation process.

Lots of wildlife, birds etc and lovelly location - most relaxing. We did the night walk to look for the slow Loris but as it had been raining so no luck!

Room was clean, comfortable and spacious, bed comfotable, the owner welcoming and took the time to chat with us regularly, staff were friendly and helpful.

Pool looked inviting but didn't get a chance to use it as we were on a busy schedule.

If you're like us and don't go away to end up meet other British travellers, then it's best to go off-season - sure it was the mini-wet season but was dry a lot of the time and it meant there were fewer guests.

Like many travellers we were worried about shortages etc having seen the stories in the press - but like everything the press report its just mostly press exaggeration to create a better story - food and drink (and yes the local Lion beer as well) was plentiful and whilst some petrol stations had queues and limited amount of fuel our guide was able to by-pass the queues and get a full tank of fuel most of teh time when we were with him so now is teh ideal time to go to Sri Lanka before the toursist return in droves and spoil what can be an idylic place.

  Patricia y Mateo - It was our first destination on our honeymoon and it couldn't have been better. I am writing this after 8 days in Sri Lanka and I can assure you that... read more it oozed peace, that it is the best place we have eaten as it was excellently prepared local food and that the warmth with which we have been treated is incomparable to any other hotel we have been to.

We can only be grateful to the establishment and can assure that on our next visit to Sri Lanka, which we are sure will happen, this hotel will be our first choice. Total disconnection and familiar treatment. What can I say: 100% recommendable.

Thank you so much!

  An unforgettable stay - There simply aren't enough words to describe how perfect our stay with Jeeves and Shervonne was. We spent 2 nights here during our honeymoon and wish we could have stayed... read more longer!

The setting is absolutely stunning - we stayed in the treehouse, which we would wholly recommend for a truly unique experience. Waking up in the treetops with views over the lake was just magical - and yet you still have all the comforts you need (including a very comfortable bed). We loved enjoying a cold beer on our balcony, or in the organic swimming pool after a hot day on safari.

The food is incredible - so fresh and authentic, without doubt the best food we had during our whole trip. No two meals were ever the same! We really appreciated Jeeves taking the time to explain the different dishes to us, and how to eat them.

But what made our stay really unforgettable is the warmth and hospitality of our hosts and the whole Ibis team. Shervonne was so helpful in the run up to our trip, giving us lots of tips and advice. She arranged a safari jeep and naturalist for us to visit Wilpattu national park. We were lucky enough to see 4 leopards, as well as elephants, buffalo, deer, and many other birds and wildlife. We have heard really mixed reviews about some of the other national parks in Sri Lanka so we were really glad we made the decision to come to Wilpattu.

And Jeeves was the most gracious host, taking excellent care of us throughout our stay. We thoroughly enjoyed our conversations - and it was such a happy surprise to see you both again in Galle!

Finally, we loved the whole ethos at the Ibis - employing people from the local village, and investing profits back into the community as much as possible.

The Ibis Wilpattu was one of the highlights of our trip and we will definitely be back one day. If you are considering this place, just book it - you will not regret it!

  Simple elegance and friendly people make a great hotel - Excellent accommodations and even better people. The food was great too. I was especially impressed by the business model of employing talented people from the nearby village. They are very... read more professional, and friendly no matter what kind of help we asked them for. Highly recommended.

  Our best stay in Sri Lanka - The best stay in Sri Lanka. Reiterating all the positive reviews, Jeevaka and Shervonne sussed us out immediately. They are really professional in understanding clients. My husband was whisked away... read more by Jeevaka to find birds and I relaxed with a cup of tea.

The grounds are stunning at all times of the day and are good for birds, so relaxing looking out over the Monet-style lake or from the tree house.

Jeevaka was taken ill while we were there and Shervonne had to manage on her own. She was delightful. Staff are really well-trained and caring. Nothing was too much trouble to make us feel at home. The food was the best we had in Sri Lanka. There was good wine to buy at a reasonable price.

We appreciated the eco-friendly approach and the desire to help the local village.

It was such a happy community. So much kindness and warmth. Calm, relaxing with beautiful views. We enjoyed being in the Lodge so much we cancelled our final safari and just chilled. Loved the natural pool.

The rooms were clean and comfortable. Stunning eating around the lake and also the veranda.

Happy memories which will stay in our minds and in our hearts. Thank You!

  We had two nights here at the start of our visit to Sri Lanka. We were the only guests there at that time and were treated like family throughout our... read more stay. Our room was very pleasant with a verandah and looked out over the surrounding countryside. All food was freshly prepared and was delicious. Our host anticipated our every need. For example, upon returning from an all day safari in Wilpattu N.P., we were provided with cooling fruit juice and a flannel before being served tea and cake on the verandah. She had provided us with packed breakfasts and lunches for our very early start on that day too. We planted a mango tree in the garden as a momento of our visit. Overall, a lovely introduction to Sri Lanka and its friendly people. Highly recommended boutique accommodation.

  An Absolute Dream - We stayed here in January, 2021.

An absolute dream of a place, in the most wonderful location. Set in extensive grounds right by its own lake surrounded with... read more fabulous flora and fauna.

Nothing is too much trouble for Shervonne and her always smiling, helpful and efficient team, from welcome drinks, really fabulous home cooked Sri Lankan food with spice levels adjusted to our taste and very welcome snacks and drinks supplied picnic style for Wilpattu safaris.

Rooms and bathrooms are huge, spotless, air conditioned and minimally furnished which is absolutely ideal. We slept like babies on the massive, comfortable bed without any fears at all of uninvited guests!!!

The Ibis is under 30 mins from Wilpattu gates which makes it absolutely the best place to stay for visiting the best wildlife park in Sri Lanka. In hindsight, I wish we’d spent at least one more night here to explore the grounds and the nature around it more, rather than just using it as a hotel from which to visit Wilpattu because it really is an absolute haven for birdlife particularly.

Shervonne is hugely knowledgeable and has fluent English. We wish we’d also met her apparently avuncular husband Jeevika but he was reluctantly having to spend a short time in Colombo whilst we were there - maybe next time