The Backwaters Lodge

–Excellent location - show map
Scored 9.1
Rated superb

Staff

9.7

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Genius discounts at this property are subject to book dates, stay dates and other available deals.

About this property

Comfortable Accommodations: The Backwaters Lodge in Wilpattu offers a sun terrace, garden, open-air bath, and free WiFi. Guests enjoy private check-in and check-out services, a 24-hour front desk, and free on-site parking. Dining Experience: The family-friendly restaurant serves continental, vegetarian, vegan, halal, and Asian breakfasts with juice. Lunch and dinner feature halal, vegetarian, and vegan options in a traditional and romantic ambience. Activities and Surroundings: Guests can engage in fishing, hiking, and cycling. The property is 134 km from Bandaranaike International Airport and offers scenic river views. Highly rated for its nature-centric trip support and attentive staff.

Couples particularly like the location — they rated it 9.7 for a two-person trip.

Distance in property description is calculated using © OpenStreetMap

Most popular facilities

  • Airport shuttle
  • Restaurant
  • Non-smoking rooms
  • Free parking
  • Tea/coffee maker in all rooms

Property highlights

    • Top location: Highly rated by recent guests (9.6)

    • Breakfast info

    • Continental, Vegetarian, Vegan, Halal, Asian

    • Free private parking available on-site

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Availability

Select dates to see this property's availability and prices

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Room type
Number of guests
 
2 single beds
and
1 futon bed
1 large double bed
1 large double bed
1 single bed
and
1 extra-large double bed
and
1 futon bed
or
3 single beds
and
2 futon beds
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Guest reviews

Categories:

Staff
Facilities
Cleanliness
Comfort
Value for money
Location
Free WiFi

Select topics to read reviews:

Guests who stayed here loved

  • Jozef
    Netherlands Netherlands
    “Great atmosphere, as if you’re visiting somebody at home instead of being at a hotel. Very welcoming and homely. Fantastic and authentic Sri Lankan food. Amazing staff.”
  • Ruth
    United Kingdom United Kingdom
    “In our opinion best place we’ve stayed so far. Such friendly and helpful staff and owner. Great activities and wonderful to swim in the river. Thank you.”
  • Natasha
    Switzerland Switzerland
    “Backwaters lodge is the most serene location with a major push for eco environment , stunning location”
  • Jeroen
    Netherlands Netherlands
    “The location of the hotel is very serene. It is a nice and quiet surrounding. Staff is very friendly and the food is good. The lodges are basically 1,5 twenty foot containers on pillars. We enjoyed our dinner on the riverbanks by the bonfire.”
  • Femke
    Switzerland Switzerland
    “Lovely people, you feel so welcome. The environs is amazing as is the park. Great walks. Food is very good”
  • Maurie
    Costa Rica Costa Rica
    “The lodge was perfectly located next to the river, the staff was super friendly and the food was delicious.”
  • Jur
    Netherlands Netherlands
    “Good place near the river with nice seatings and terasses. Food is done very well. The cabines are sufficient. And the eco philosophy is great. The local tuktuk tour through the village is very interesting and pleasant, a must do.”
  • Peter
    United Kingdom United Kingdom
    “For people like ourselves who love the outdoors and wildlife, the location was perfect, as were the activities on offer. The food was excellent and the staff were friendly and helpful, nothing was to much trouble for them. The rooms were...”
  • Claire
    United Kingdom United Kingdom
    “Loved our stay here. Backwaters is a really charming hotel close to the river. We stayed in the family suite room which had a lovely view over the surrounding forest, and we saw monkeys just outside the window in the mornings. We rented a kayak...”
  • Jaimey​
    Netherlands Netherlands
    “Beautiful location, quiet, lots of birds, lots of activities and close to Wilpattu NP. The team was very friendly, helpful and the food was lovely. Hope to come back next year!”

Quality rating

Booking.com rated the quality of this property as 3 out of 5 based on factors such as facilities, size, location and services provided.

Managed by Tarique Omar

Company review score: 9.7Based on 309 reviews from 1 property
1 managed property

Company information

Our relationship with the wild began in the early 80’s. we wanted to offer something accessible to everyone. We fused our years of experience with modern comforts to provide a luxury experience but with simplicity in mind, so as not to take away from the experience of being in a jungle.

Property information

Our concept is built around upcycling items that would usually end up in a junk yard and utilized in harmony with nature and the desire to conserve. Used containers have been converted to elevated en-suite guest rooms with private decks, discarded pallets transformed into masterpieces of furniture, we have taken extra care to bring you comfort but not at the cost of cutting more trees for it! Our goal was to create a facility where you could step outside onto your deck and see a butterfly within the range of a foot, to be surrounded by a forest thicket teeming with wildlife, but at the same time, curl up in a comfortable bed. And so, The Backwaters was born.

Neighbourhood information

Situated in the village of Eluwankulama (formerly Pulliyadukulam) within the district of Puttalam . Pulliyadukulam meaning ‘the dwelling place of leopards’. Eluwankulama village is the entrance to the Western front of the Wilpattu National Wildlife Park. We are situated alongside the Uppu Aru ( Salt River).

Language spoken

English

Property surroundings

Restaurants

1 restaurant on site
  • Restaurant #1
    • Open for
      Breakfast • Lunch • Dinner
    • Ambiance
      Family friendly • Traditional • Romantic
    • Dietary options
      Halal • Vegetarian • Vegan

House rules

The Backwaters Lodge takes special requests - add in the next step!
Check-in
From 13:00
You'll need to let the property know in advance what time you'll arrive.
Check-out
Until 10:00
Cancellation/ prepayment
Cancellation and prepayment policies vary according to accommodation type. Please enter the dates of your stay and check the conditions of your required option.
Children and beds

Child policies

Children of any age are welcome.

To see correct prices and occupancy information, please add the number of children in your group and their ages to your search.

Cot and extra bed policies

Cots and extra beds are not available at this property.

No age restriction
There is no age requirement for check-in
Pets
Pets are not allowed.
Accepted payment methods
VisaMastercardCash
Smoking
Smoking is not allowed.

The fine print

Need-to-know information for guests at this property

Please inform The Backwaters Lodge in advance of your expected arrival time. You can use the Special Requests box when booking, or contact the property directly with the contact details provided in your confirmation.

In response to Coronavirus (COVID-19), additional safety and sanitation measures are in effect at this property.

FAQs about The Backwaters Lodge