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The Sanctuary

3.0 star property
Guesthouse with free parking, in the vicinity of Wilpattu National Park

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Photo gallery for The Sanctuary

Front of property
Reception
Lobby sitting area
Lobby
Grand Double Room, Garden View
Nestled near Wilpattu National Park, The Sanctuary offers a serene escape with a beautiful garden and library. Enjoy local cuisine breakfast, unwind on the terrace or connect to in-room WiFi. Previous guests appreciated the multilingual staff.

Reviews

10 out of 10
Exceptional

Popular amenities

  • Breakfast available
  • Parking included
  • Free WiFi

Room options

View all photos for Grand Double Room, Garden View

Grand Double Room, Garden View

Grand Double Room, Garden View

Highlights

Patio
Individually furnished
Individually decorated
Separate bedroom
Blackout drapes/curtains
Ceiling fan
Rainfall showerhead
Private bathroom
  • 323 sq ft
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 King Bed

View all photos for Deluxe Double Room, Garden View

Deluxe Double Room, Garden View

Deluxe Double Room, Garden View

Highlights

Individually furnished
Individually decorated
Separate bedroom
Blackout drapes/curtains
Ceiling fan
Rainfall showerhead
Private bathroom
Electric kettle
  • 269 sq ft
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed
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About the area

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Map
Number 1050, 12th Mile Post, Wanathavilluwa, NW, 61306

What's nearby

  • Wanathiwilliwa Reservoir - 6 min walk - 0.5 km
  • Wilpattu National Park - 29 min drive - 11.3 km
  • Base Hospital Puttalam - 30 min drive - 26.1 km

About this property

The Sanctuary

Guesthouse near Wilpattu National Park
A terrace, a garden, and a library are just a few of the amenities provided at The Sanctuary. Guests can connect to free in-room WiFi.
Other perks include:
  • Free self parking
  • Local cuisine breakfast (surcharge), a nature reserve, and tour/ticket assistance
  • Outdoor furniture and multilingual staff
Room features
All guestrooms are individually furnished, and have comforts such as laptop-friendly workspaces, as well as thoughtful touches like free WiFi and desk chairs.
Extra amenities include:
  • Free tea bags/instant coffee and electric kettles
  • Bathrooms with rainfall showers and free toiletries
  • Wardrobes/closets, ceiling fans, and housekeeping

Languages

Arabic, English, Hindi

Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
  • In-room WiFi speed: 25+ Mbps
  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Parking and transportation

  • Free uncovered self parking on site

Food and drink

  • Daily local cuisine breakfast available 8:00 AM to 9:30 AM for a fee: LKR 800 to 1,500 per person

Things to do

  • Library

Conveniences

  • Guidebooks
  • Limited-hour front desk

Guest services

  • Change of bedsheets (on request)
  • Change of towels on request
  • Housekeeping (on request)
  • Multilingual staff
  • Tour and ticket assistance

Outdoors

  • Garden
  • In a nature reserve
  • Outdoor furniture
  • Terrace

Accessibility

  • If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
  • 6 steps to reach entrance
  • Handrails in stairways (36 inches high)
  • No elevator
  • Tile flooring in room

More

  • Communal living room
  • Designated smoking areas

Room amenities

Bedroom

  • Bedsheets provided
  • Blackout drapes

Bathroom

  • Free toiletries
  • Private bathroom
  • Rainfall showerhead
  • Shampoo
  • Shower
  • Soap
  • Toilet paper
  • Towels provided

Food and drink

  • Electric kettle
  • Free bottled water
  • Restaurant dining guides
  • Tea bags/instant coffee

More

  • Ceiling fan
  • Desk
  • Desk chair
  • Individual decor
  • Individual furnishings
  • Laptop workspace

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 1:00 PM; Check-in end time: 10:00 PM
Minimum check-in age: 18

Check-out

Check-out before 11:00 AM

Special check-in instructions

The front desk is open daily from 6:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Guests will receive an email within 24 hours before arrival with check-in instructions; front desk staffed during limited hours
This property doesn't offer after-hours check-in

Access methods

Front desk (limited hours)

Pets

No pets or service animals allowed

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome
Rollaway/extra beds are available for LKR 5000.0 per day
Cribs (infant beds) are not available

Property payment types

Important information

Fees

You'll be asked to pay the following charges at the property. Fees may include applicable taxes:

  • Service fee: 10 percent

We have included all charges provided to us by the property.

Optional extras

  • Fee for local cuisine breakfast: approximately LKR 800 to 1500 per person
  • Rollaway bed fee: LKR 5000.0 per day

The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
This property accepts credit cards, debit cards, and cash
Noise-free guestrooms cannot be guaranteed

We should mention

This property does not have elevators
No pets and no service animals are allowed at this property

Property is also known as

The Sanctuary Guesthouse
The Sanctuary Wanathavilluwa
The Sanctuary Guesthouse Wanathavilluwa

Frequently asked questions

Is The Sanctuary pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much is parking at The Sanctuary?

Self parking is free at this property.

What time is check-in at The Sanctuary?

Check-in start time: 1:00 PM; Check-in end time: 10:00 PM. After-hours check-in is not available.

What time is check-out at The Sanctuary?

Check-out is at 11:00 AM.

Where is The Sanctuary located?

Situated in a rural location, this guesthouse is 6.2 mi (10.1 km) from Wilpattu National Park.

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The Sanctuary Reviews

Reviews

10

Exceptional

Rating 10 - Excellent. 4 out of 4 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 0 out of 4 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 4 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 4 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 4 reviews

9.6/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Staff & service

10/10

Amenities

10/10

Property conditions & facilities

10/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Bethany

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The staff were really friendly, amazing food and really gorgeous place. They took us on a wildlife tour where we saw otters and loris all on their grounds! There is not much in the local area so you need to keep this in mind if planning to visit a shop or restaurant during your stay, it’s not really possible
Stayed 1 night in May 2025

10/10 Excellent

Marion

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The Sanctuary is hidden gem in the Wanathavillu town. The accommodation was very comfortable and the rooms spacious. The grounds have been imaginatively re-wilded and is now a haven for many species of birds and mammals. We were looked after very well by Dula and Achini and nothing was too much for them to ensure we enjoyed our stay there. The food was delicious, prepared and beautifully presented by Dinesha. We were taken on a night walking tour of the property and were thrilled to have a rare sighting of a Slender Loris, a roosting green snake and several roosting birds. During our brief stay at the Sanctuary we also saw the shy and secretive Mouse Deer, a mongoose and her baby and many varieties of birds. Will definitely return for a longer stay and would highly recommend this property to our overseas friends.
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2024

10/10 Excellent

Harry

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
HR Solo traveller I visited the Sanctuary on the recommendation of a friend and thoroughly enjoyed my brief stay there. Great care and much thought has been given to the furnishings of the house. It has an extensive collection of books on wildlife and birds and I could have spent many hours browsing this collection. The food was delicious and I was looked after very well by Dula and his team. There is a good choice of excursions on offer, but I chose a half day tour to the Wilpattu National Park which is only about 30 minutes drive from the Sanctuary. Dula and his wife, Achini were my guides and they took a great deal of trouble to ensure that I had a memorable experience. We were fortunate to see leopard, elephants, sea eagles and much more. I will definitely return on my next visit to Sri Lanka.
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2024

10/10 Excellent

Ruwani

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
We stayed for two nights and planned a boat excursion on the Puttalam lagoon as well as a safari in Wilpattu National Park. The Sanctuary is located a convenient 14km from the park and a similar distance from the lagoon. The team arranged every single detail of our trip, and it was absolutely wonderful. From the delicious welcome drink, to the exceptionally tasty food, and superb excursions with the most well trained guides we had the holiday of a lifetime. The property itself is probably the best in Wilpattu and also on the island, with spacious, authentically decorated rooms. Every single little detail from the little wooden electrical switches to the well thought out living and dining spaces and incredibly beautiful bathrooms made the stay a real pleasure. The team led by Dula catered to our every need and anticipated everything in advance. They took us on walks around the property and were able to let us know when there were great bird sightings, especially a couple of barbots one more morning. The food was so good and so tasty, authentic, delicious Sri Lanka dishes like milk rice, hoppers and the most delicious pork curry on arrival made our food loving family's stay even more delightful. The highlight of the trip was the safari arranged by the team, where we saw multiple leopard, samar, deer and even an elephant in musth! The property has one of the best stocked wildlife libraries on the island and any wildlife and animal enthusiast will be inspired!
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2024