Halcyon Mawella

Lovely pool and restaurant. And bar on the level above. Had some lovely swims in the relatively very calm sea (30 steps from the restaurant). I had the family room which didn’t include a sea view - but otherwise was very comfortable. Hotel is British-owned and nicely decorated. They started a foundation supporting local families and some of the cost of your room supports the foundation.

Restaurant was delicious but expensive. When I visited in the off season it was hard to find anywhere in walking distance as an alternative for dinner.

A very disappointing experience. The air conditioning unit was installed below the level of the mezzanine, so the cool air simply did not reach the upper sleeping area, where two of the beds were located. With the extremely high humidity, it was practically impossible to sleep there. What made the situation even more frustrating was the hotel’s response. Despite the property being almost completely empty, they suggested that we move to another room only if we paid an additional charge, as though the problem with the room were somehow our responsibility. In the end, we had no choice but to move all the beds downstairs. This made the room so cramped that there was barely enough space to walk between the beds. The whole situation was handled very poorly and made our stay extremely uncomfortable. Truly terrible and absolutely not what we expected from a 5s hotel.

The staff are lovely and very friendly. The service was excellent. The whole aesthetic of the hotel is gorgeous, a lot of care and time has gone in to creating it. The food was tasty and fresh. The pool area is really lovely, surrounded by green and right by the beach.

The menu is a little limited if you are staying a while but we worked out the team were pretty happy to accommodate requests (within reason!).

Beliggenhet , rolig , service , strand

Мы вернулись в отель в котором были 2 года назад, он всё так же прекрасен, если не учитывать еду. Концепция, дизайн, ухоженность номеров и территории, детали, красивый пляж...

Заезд начался с небольшого конфуза: у нас попросили кредитную карту чтобы "ввести её в систему". Далее сотрудница взяла карту, унесла с собой и действительно стала забывать куда-то данные. Излишне говорить, что это совершенно против правил безопасности, поэтому я забрал карту назад и рассчитался при помощи терминала, который мне принесли. Раньше в номере был симпатичный ящик со льдом, в котором были напитки, в этот раз был просто пустой бессмысленный ящик. Главным разочарованием стала еда, который мы наслаждались в прошлый раз. Блюда неплохи, но простоваты и претензии больше чем содержания. Шоколадный торт - откровенная халтура и вряд ли я ошибусь, если скажу что это дешёвый кекс из магазина, политый сиропом и разогретый в свч. В целом качество блюд не соответствует цене и уровню отеля. Но полное разочарование ждало за завтраком. Переперченый омлет на куске белого хлеба, сильно разбавленный водой сок, резиновый бекон без вкуса и очень плохой дешёвый местный кофе. Ничего общего с тем, что было раньше и с тем, что на фото букинга. По счастью за отдельную плату можно купить нормальный кофе из хорошего зерна. Даже тарелка фруктов отсутствует. Невероятная экономия на гостях. Завтрак плох не только для отеля стоимостью более 200 usd, но плох сам по себе и для любого гестхауза. С удовольствием вернёмся снова, если ресторан будет соответствовать отелю.

Quiet location.

We stayed in the villa and there was only ever enough hot water for one person to shower. The other three had cold showers!

Really beautiful secluded place right on the beach front. Loved the old style decor throughout. The owner and staff were really friendly and helpful. The food was great too!

Nothing not to like.

Great location on the beach. Fantastic room - lots of space.

Great place - book it!

Location amazing

Ik heb een fantastische tijd gehad bij Halcyon Mawella, de locatie direct aan zee met de vriendelijke locale vissers. De kamers, tuin en zwembad waren mooi, verzorgd en stijlvol. Het restaurant is top en de mensen van Halcyon zijn zo vriendelijk. De foundation die is opgericht door Zander, de eigenaar van het hotel maakte mijn verblijf nog eens extra bijzonder. Ik was in juni en heb de hele week prachtig weer gehad. Speciale dank voor de gastvrijheid van Randike en Aneesa.

Niets

loved everything, the food is amazing and the building and Interiors super stylish.

it’s on a beautiful beach, but there’s really nothing else there.

Strandnähe, Ruhe, Pool

nichts

Loved being on the beach and a pool. Zander the owner has picked a mix of exceptional staff. Also he helps a woman’s foundation down the road, they make all the soaps, candle etc for the hotel. He has helped many dogs in the area live a better life 🙏 We also loved that in the room there is no fridge making noise and using energy. Instead there is a beautiful wooden ice chest that has complementary drinks that are restocked each day. NO PLASTICS AT THE HOTEL❣️

The only thing was no body moisturiser. I did bring this up to Zander and he is going to work with the foundation to make a moisturiser.

Posto meraviglioso servizio impeccabile!!

A really wonderful spot right on quiet, pristine Mawella Beach. The rooms are all unique and beautifully done, and the team are warm, responsive, and happy to help with anything— I especially enjoyed my morning coffee delivery on our balcony. The restaurant and bar are exceptional, every meal and cocktail impressed, plus a great wine list. Lovely pool area, easy beach access and the service was absolutely outstanding throughout our stay. We left feeling relaxed and happy, and would absolutely come back! Thank you again to the whole team (and Loki!) for making our stay so memorable. The hotel is also very much community and sustainably minded - make sure to stop by their nearby Foundation to learn more.

Nothing - everything was really wonderful!

A good range of options on the menu from healthy to hearty. Granola with fruit and buffalo kurd/yogurt, full English with the best sausages in Sri Lanka, pancakes and palm sugar. Lunch and evening menu excellent and a favourite of mine the tuna tartare. Rooms well thought out and stylish.

Would have liked a hairdryer in the room, but wasn't a deal breaker.

Beautiful location, right on the beach. Lovely staff

Family room was dark and the bed was hard. Was hoping to be woken up my sunlight but people couldn’t see into our room if we opened the windows, meaning little privacy.

Breakfast & Location 10/10.. We had an amazing stay and the staff made our stay so memorable. We will be back ! Thanks again . Love this place!

Sitting in bed with the doors from our room open,watching the waves, the beach and the fishing boats- bliss. Simple but beautifully decorated rooms with everything you need. Food in the small restaurant was delicious and a terrace upstairs is a great spot to sit for an evening drink and to chat. The owners have put a lot of thought and love into Halcyon Mawella including the setting up of a foundation within the local community. Just our kind of place and I truly hope we will be back ☺️

Nothing

Pleasant boutique hotel away from the tourist centers with a nice pool by the beautiful beach. Excellent food and breakfast (a la carte menu). We enjoyed our stay and we can only recommend it.

The only small thing was the missing clothes dryer in the room.

Amazing setting. Beautiful rooms, fabulous pool, brilliant bar and restaurant. Fabulous friendly staff. Quiet setting. Felt small and private. 100% would revisit! Our favourite hotel on our x3 week holiday to Sri Lanka!

N/A - everything was perfect!

Beautiful property with amazing staff

Dit verblijf was zonder twijfel het absolute pareltje van onze reis. Vanaf het moment dat we aankwamen, werden we hartelijk welkom geheten door de eigenaar van het hotel — een ontzettend sympathieke en gastvrije man bij wie je je meteen thuis voelt. We verbleven in de villa naast het hotel, en wat een geweldige plek was dat. De villa is prachtig ingericht, brandschoon en van alle gemakken voorzien. Je beschikt over een eigen privézwembad en een mooie tuin met comfortabele ligbedden, waar je in alle rust kunt ontspannen. Via WhatsApp kun je op elk moment eten en drinken bestellen of vragen stellen, waarop altijd snel en vriendelijk wordt gereageerd — een service die echt uitblinkt. De villa en tuin liggen direct aan het strand, en wat voor strand! Het is zonder twijfel het mooiste strand dat wij tijdens onze hele reis hebben gezien. Het voelde bijna verlaten; op een paar andere hotelgasten en lokale vissers na was er nauwelijks iemand. Rust, ruimte en een adembenemend mooie omgeving. Het hotel stelt surfboards en bodyboards ter beschikking die je vrij kunt gebruiken, wat het verblijf extra leuk maakt. Ook het eten in het hotel is heerlijk en met veel zorg bereid. Daarnaast ligt er op het strand een klein lokaal eettentje dat absoluut een aanrader is: een fijne sfeer, fantastisch eten en dineren met je voeten in het zand, pal aan de waterlijn — magisch. Wat deze plek nóg specialer maakt, is het maatschappelijke hart achter het hotel. De eigenaar heeft een stichting opgezet waarmee een lokaal bedrijf is gestart, speciaal om de lokale gemeenschap te ondersteunen, met name vrouwen. Zij maken onder andere kaarsen en zeepjes die in het hotel worden gebruikt en verkocht aan andere hotels. Deze bijzondere plek kun je lopend vanuit het hotel bezoeken, waar je met eigen ogen kunt zien hoe alles wordt gemaakt.

Niks, het overtrof echt onze verwachtingen.

Magnifique hôtel situé en bordure d’une plage sublime. Authentique et charmant, peu de chambres, personnel attentionné. Excellente cuisine.

Éviter les chambres qui n’ont pas la vue océan.

supper nice and friendly staffe, and beach front.

I am a local traveller, and I do not see the value of money for the family room I booked. No room amenities, such as a safe box, dry amenities, a tea coffee station,, luggage rack or even its beach property, no carpet to clean the legs. The shower room is open to the toilet, and water go all over after the shower. It's kind of a double-deck room, and no Air conditioning for the upper deck beds. my kids complained it was hot with the given fan

Really beautiful property on a serene quiet stretch of beach. Beautiful bedroom with a good king sized bed, spacious bathroom, great restaurant on site. We also had an onsite massage in our room and it was great. Best flat white we had in Sri Lanka.

Nothing.

Beautiful small hotel ideally located on an amazing and clean beach. Talented chef at the restaurant and a great team. Lots of thoughtful details like plug adaptors in the room or water by the pool, body boards to make the most of the waves. Great support for the local community, too, through a foundation that facilitates production of local condiments (VERY tasty) and crafts - get some if you stay here :)

This is a wonderful hotel! We stayed for 4 nights and loved everything about this place. The design is beautiful - a lovely pool right next to the beach and an open restaurant. The rooms were lovely and very clean. The restaurant is fabulous with delicious food - for all of breakfast, lunch and dinner. The staff are very nice, happy and friendly. Zander and the team (and Loki the dog!) are fantastic! We hope to visit again!

Everything, I can’t think of one thing they could do better!

There is nothing I didn’t like about this property

We had an absolutely lovely stay at Halcyon. All the staff were lovely and friendly and gave great suggestions for the local area. The villa was spotless, and very beautiful, the beach alongside likewise and great for swimming, body boarding etc. Can’t recommend enough!

Very comfortable room, great beach, lovely people, lovely food. Can’t ask for more.

The staff were all amazing! The food was awesome. Everyone made my trip so lovely! Thank u for the late check out aswell!

Nothing

Fabulous style and amazing location. Staff were attentive, friendly and professional. Food was great with a variety of western options, Breakfast was lovely and a great cocktail menu. Access to the beach is straight out of the restaurant and pool area. 20 minutes Tuk Tuk into Hiriketiya, but to be honest after a few days we didn’t want to leave the hotel! We paid for a premium room so had a balcony which was lovely for chilling in the evening. Staff also did a turn down service which is a lovely touch. The concierge arranged a number of things for us during our stay, and were timely and professional. If you want a peaceful stay on the beach, with access to surf towns nearby, this is the hotel for you.

Nothing - we had a fabulous stay. If I had to say one thing; the bed was a bit creeky (to the point where the noise in the night would wake you up if you move) but nothing we couldn’t handle.

Amazing staff, so friendly and personable. We wished we could have stayed longer. Loved the stretches of unspoiled beach right on our doorstep.

Could have been more variety for breakfast options

Schöne Anlage, alles blitzsauber, gutes Essen, direkt an einem wunderschönen Strand, super Service

I recently had the pleasure of staying at this charming beachfront hotel in Sri Lanka with my family, it was truly a magical experience! The property is small and intimate, situated on the most beautiful quiet beach. It feels like a secret haven where you can truly unwind. The staff were exceptional, so warm, welcoming, and attentive to every need. The food was absolutely outstanding, every meal was a delight, made with fresh local ingredients. Overall, this hotel is a perfect mix of relaxation and luxury. If you’re looking for an intimate, beachfront getaway in Sri Lanka with fantastic food, drinks, and service, look no further! Highly recommend!

Nothing everything was perfect.

The pool, the beach, the food, the staff were great.

It was a special place . If we were being super critical, the showers could have been warmer. In the family room the mezzanine floor didn't benefit from the A/C and the kids got quite warm.

We travelled with friends and we stayed in 2 different hotels. The hotel was amazing at organising diners in the villa. The staff makes you feel like home and is absolutely fantastic! The beach is beautiful, garden is very well kept. Perfect if you want to relax on the beach after a busy week discovering Sri Lanka!

Nothing!

Cocktail et repas excellents Proximité avec la mer Gentillesse du personnel qui a trouvé une nounou pour notre bébé

C’était parfait, rien à redire

Hôtel en bord de mer peu de chambres mais avec une super ambiance qui donne envie d’y rester. Le personnel est super, souriant et aidant. Le propriétaire est présent et vient saluer tout le monde. La déco est vraiment soignée. Planches disponibles. Tout était parfait nous avons regretté de n’y passer qu’une nuit!

Attention les prix sur la carte du resto ne comprennent pas les taxes

The staff are fabulous. Ruwan and Tharanga in particular were so attentive to every need. The owner, zando,took time to introduce himself to all the guests and make them feel very much at home in this lovely boutique hotel. The rooms are huge and beautifully decorated by Lindsay Taylor.

Nothing. Everything was fantastic.

Excellent service and housekeeping - beautiful location overlooking quiet secluded beach - beautiful lagoon for kayaking

Food could be more authentic less westernized Sri Lankan or at least more options

Great location, perfect hideaway, exceptional staff, Hemantha in housekeeping was extremely polite and very helpful, attending to our every need with a smile! Thank you all, we will be back soon !

Location, the facilities, the staff , the pool, the food.

We loved our stay at Halycon Mawella. The location was superb, right on a beautiful beach which he had all to ourselves. The accommodation was spacious, clean and very well appointed. We were generously provided with a room upgrade at no extra charge when we arrived which was exceptional. The staff were extremely attentive during our stay and went out of their way to make sure everything was perfect. This included even packing breakfast for us on our final day when we had a very early start. The menu in the restaurant changed daily and the food was delicious ensuring that we thoroughly enjoyed dining at the venue every day.

We stayed our first 3 nights in Sri Lanka to relax and refresh after a long flight. Could not have been more perfect. Clean, modern, comfy beds, great food, lovely staff, and right on a classic long Palm fringed beach. Restaurant to lawn to beach - how good! May be too quiet for some, especially in monsoon season like now (very little rain in this part of SL but few tourists) when all the other beach bars are closed, but it’s a 15 min tuk tuk to Hiriketiya and 20 min to Tangalle.

The staff is amazing, perfect food and the location next to the beach is unique.

We had a lovely stay at Halcyon Mawella. The beach is completely unspoilt and great for swimming. The food here was very nice and had great service from the team working here.

The property is stunning; it’s beautifully designed and maintained and the facilities were outstanding. The staff were lovely, and went out of their way to make our stay an unforgettable one. Plus, it is steps from the most beautiful beach in Sri Lanka.

We loved our stay at Halcyon. The rooms are spacious and have everything you need and the location is quiet and set right on the beach. We enjoyed beach walks and paddling on the lagoon which the hotel set up for us free of charge. The food is amazing and the staff really attentive and friendly. We would come again and highly recommend to others wanting a peaceful and comfortable stay.

Vicinity to the beach was excellent. Staff were very very nice. Great pool and food!

Could do with a bit more shade for the sunbeds.

Amazing beach, so quiet and peaceful. Great swimming pool and views. Spacious balcony. Fresh seafood and great selection ! Brilliant local and western food.

What a beautiful boutique hotel on one of the most unspoilt beaches in Sri Lanka. Staff were attentive and so nice, rooms beautifully designed, delicious food, some of the best we had on our trip, and the sea in front of the hotel was calm and good for swimming. Cocktails were also delicious and we wished we had stayed longer.

Nothing

Great personal service. Super friendly, amazing location. Lovely food !

We had an amazing stay at Halcyon in Mawella! The hotel is perfectly located – peaceful, with a quiet, clean beach just steps away. The atmosphere is super relaxing, and the pool area is beautiful with plenty of sunbeds, so there’s always a spot to unwind. We ate all our meals at the hotel – breakfast, lunch, and dinner – and every single one was delicious. The food is a wonderful mix of Sri Lankan flavors with some Western touches, fresh and full of taste. The setting is gorgeous and the staff are genuinely friendly, making the whole experience even better. Highly recommend if you’re looking for a laid-back, beautiful spot to enjoy the south coast of Sri Lanka!

Located directly by the beach, great food, great staff. We had the perfect stay and would highly recommend!

Everything!

-

Exceptional hotel and incredible service. Nothing too much trouble. Great food, views, facilities. Management and staff wowed us. Thank you x

Halycon occupies a beautiful location on Mawella beach. The toom was spacious, comfortable and had a lovely sea view.

Chilled atmosphere Beautiful room Owners on site and extremely helpful Brilliant staff Great location for a test from the SL madness

Nothing

Amazing rooms and location right on beach

Nothing

The location in the beach is just incredible. The pool area and rooms are beautiful.

Nothing to dislike really. Staff could be a little more attentive at breakfast but they were still sweet!

Food and location terrific. Laid back chic vibes.

The family rooms steep steps up to the twin beds wont appeal to families with younger kids.

Beautiful resort and room. Located in a stunning peaceful beach. Very friendly staff.

This is an idyllic place to spend nice and relaxing days in the south coast! Located in a beautiful long quiet white-sand beach , secluded from the hectic beaches nearby. The property is beautiful and comfortable, great pool to complement your sea swim, very helpful and kind staff and great food. We spent 3 nights like in a dream! the hit of our two week trip to Sri Lanka. Don’t miss it!

A perfect place for relaxing days to finish our trip in Sri Lanka.

Just recomend the owners to include a shala or yoga room, that would be lovely.

Luxurious, relaxing boutique stay with the most incredible service we’ve ever experienced. The owner Alexander and his team went out of their way to make sure we were well taken care of the entire time - on arrival, we were shown around the hotel to have a pick of our favorite room out of the ones available whilst sipping on their welcome cocktails. The rooms were beautiful, with every item well thought out. We spent our days going for runs along the beautiful beach, paddle boarding, reading by the pool and enjoying the amazing food in the hotel restaurant (great menu that changed daily!!). We had initially intended to eat out nearby and explore surrounding towns but the restaurant and vibes at the hotel were just sooooo good that we pretty much spent most of the three days on sight 😊 Will 100% be coming back!!

Genuinely not a single thing I didn’t like or would change

The communal areas and the bedrooms are amazing. The vibe is incredible- best place we stayed in Sri Lanka . All the staff are lovely - definitely stay 3+ nights here

Nothing

The view of the bay stunning i came down because I know the hotel and on Sunday Sophie barker sang from zero 7 a wonderful intimate space to hear her sing i hear Sundays are always good at halcyon i stayed in the 3 bedroom villa next door with own pool and beach access been in Sri Lanka for 3 months and this was my treat for the last 3 days and it was so worth it The atmosphere the staff guest and food exceptional

That I couldn’t stay forever

We were greeted on arrival by the owner Zander who could not have been more helpful. Hotel is stunning and located 10 metres from beautiful beach. Staff attentive and food was delicious. Will definitely be back!

Nothing our stay was perfect

Halcyon is totally unique in its location, decor and ambience. It’s truly a slice of heaven. You get chat to other guess which is rare in some hotels. Zander makes you feel like he’s personally invited you. If I could have stayed longer, I would have. Till the next time, I’m definitely booking with you.

There is nothing not to like. Wish we could of stayed longer

Our stay at The Halcyon was amazing, the hotel is stunning and located on a such a beautiful unspoiled beach. My wife was not well when we first arrived and Zander (owner) and his staff when out of their way to make her feel comfortable. Breakfast was great, in fact all the food was spot on and the drink menu well thought out. We were there for the Sunday BBQ which was a real treat. We will be back 😀

The property sits on Mawella beach from our room we could sit and watch the waves . Everything was perfect .

Lovely staff - and our favourite position and hotel over our trip.

Nothing

Fantastisk personale og meget lækker mad. Beliggenheden ud til strand og havet er unik. Et dejligt roligt og uformelt hotel

Everything - beautiful design, wonderful location on the most stunning beach I’ve seen in Sri Lanka. Food was superb, cocktails delicious, pool the perfect place to unwind after a day out exploring.

The family rooms aren’t quite as beautiful as the doubles - which all face the ocean and have a much larger bathroom and a balcony or terrace. The family rooms have very steep stairs to a mezzanine balcony - we’d seen this online and were well aware of the set up, but on arrival I changed my mind and kept kids on the ground floor. I think the room is large enough to have accommodated a less steep staircase.