Island Diaries Hostel

Great place to stay near airport, fan and AC , water fountain, owner stayed with me until the taxi arrived , just also take note that he takes payment at the property

Shower was a bit cold

Very good staff! Wait until I came, was very nice and lovely Everything were clean and felt like home, very good before/after flight Thank you!

I stayed for literally a few hours after a late arrival flight and early pickup and it was ideal. The had was so helpful and everything was easy.

The only downside is the bathroom is outside, so a bit of a walk in the dark from upstairs dorm.

Idéalement placé à l sed bee, ak de l'aéroport, en seulement 5 minutes en taxi cu y êtes. Malgré une arrivée tardive car mon vol a été retardé, l'hôte m'a accueilli à plus de minuit. La dortoir de 4 personnes est climatisé et comme il n'y avait personne dans la chambre individuelle au même palier, j'ai pu me servir de la douche et des toilettes. Une serviette est à disposition. Le lit est confortable, vous disposez d'une prise, d'une lumière individuelle et d'un rideau pour votre intimité. L'hôte a été d'une grande aide pour le début de mon voyage, savoir où prendre le bus, comment et quand. Il m'a aussi aiguillé sur mon itinéraire et conseillé plusieurs endroits. Il y a une cuisine, de l'eau à disposition et la salle commune est peuplée de jeux et de livres ! Je n'y suis restée qu'une nuit mais je ne doute pas que ce soit être un lieu de partage !

Rien à voir avec l'hôte mais les chiens errants ont aboyé toute la nuit, compliqué de bien dormir après une longue journée de voyage.

Proximity to airport and other amenities . Room was clean and had air conditioner.

The size of the bathroom of private room is very small. That was the only issue

The owner is very kind! I arrived late, but he was there to welcome me. He also gave me advice for the rest of my trip. The place is ideal if you want to spend a night near the airport before setting off to explore the country. The bed, sheets, and pillow were very comfortable; I had a great night's sleep. I recommend it!

Near at the airport. Very friendly and helpful owner.

Hôte très arrangeant et sympathique et proche de l’aéroport

Rien

The owner is really helpfull, everything was clean.

インテリアもオシャレなだけでなく、オーナーがとても親切で、 家に帰って来たかのようなアットホーム感もありました。 キッチンもついていて、自分で買って来たフルーツなどをカットして食べることもできます。 空港から近くて、到着後すぐにゆっくりと休むことができ、一泊でしたが、本当に快適な時間を過ごせました。 感謝です。

מקום מהמם

אחלה של מקום

Great option to spend the night close to the airport. The room was cozy and the owner, who was waiting when I arrived late at night, was extremely kind and helpful.

AC, wifi worked good. Close enough from the airport. Even I arrived at 2am, the owner was awake for me with a smile opening the door. He was very accommodating. Cute decoration.

No hot shower but it’s fine with the price.

I only have spent one night at the hostel but everything was perfect! The location is very close to the airport, so it's a really practical place - especially before leaving or just after your arrival. The owner is a nice person, keen to help with anything you need. :) The facilities of the hostel are perfect for a short or a long stay, nice clean kitchen, bathroom and toilets, wifi is working well and the rooms are comfortable!

I arrived very late and had to leave early for a flight. Perfect location, and the staff were so accommodating and friendly. Would highly recommend, great value for money.

Great place to stay the night before my morning flight, the room had strong air-conditioning and was very clean. The mattress was quite firm but the pillow and sheets are very soft. I liked having the kitchen facilities there to make any tea/coffee whenever I liked and a little common area to eat dinner in. Host was very friendly and made sure I got picked up by my tuk tuk for the airport.

Perfect location close to the airport, even though quiet and green…, comfortable doubleroom, friendly staff, …so everything you need. I would come back!

Sehr schönes Hostel mit tollen Vermietern die Dir mit allen Fragen behilflich sind und Tips geben. Obwohl in Flughafen Nähe ist es nicht sehr laut. Keine 3 km vom Flughafen entfernt

Locatie t.o.v. het vliegveld zijn prima.

Harde bedden, koude douche, badkamer vol schimmel.

This hotel is a perfect place to stay before your departure. It’s very close to the airport, which makes it super convenient for late-night flights. The owner was incredibly kind and accommodating. Check-out time was at 11 AM, but since my flight was at 11 PM, they generously allowed me to stay in the room until 6 PM. After that, I was still able to relax on the couch in the common area until around 8 PM before heading to the airport. Really appreciated the hospitality and flexibility. It made my last day of travel much easier and stress-free.

We really appreciated the owner’s hospitality. Our flight landed late, but we still received a very warm welcome and he gave us several helpful tips. We booked a private room and really liked the hostel’s vibe. The common areas are beautiful, especially the outdoor space. The location is very convenient, very close to the airport — perfect for late arrivals or early departures.

One small point for improvement: the bathroom could benefit from some renovation. Compared to the decor of the bedroom, it feels a bit dated.

Very friendly owner who gave me advice on local restaurants and checked that everything was okay. Clean space and lovely peaceful area.

I couldn't figure hot water in the shower, but that was possibly a personal error.

Very close by the airport ! Overall the hostel is nice :) Staff is also very responsive

The only downside of the dorm is that the door is making an awful noise when opening/closing it. Since it is mainly people coming or leaving early/late, this door would need to be fixed

Very close by the airport Very nice host, I arrived very very late (or very early haha) and I’ve been able to check in

The A/C has been acting up during the night so I just unplugged it haha

Very nice hostel with lovely communal areas. Ideal location near to airport - they supported us with transport.

Nothing

Incroyable ! Le personnel est adorable.

Perfect place for an overnight stay near the airport before continuing the journey. The host was really accommodating and very helpful with any questions. Highly recommend!

The Host was super nice even when I arrived Late and left early. They tried to make it as comfortable for me as possible. Only a 5-10min tuktuk Ride to the Airport

posto davvero bello e accogliente con camere e bagni puliti e ordinati. il proprietario super gentile e pronto ad aiutarti in qualsiasi momento. la posizione è ottima, a 5/10 minuti di tuk tuk dall’aeroporto

Accueil super de l’hôte !

Tout était top

部屋はとても綺麗で、ホストの家族はとても優しく良い人達でした。 空港からも10分ほどでアクセスも良いです。

特にありません！

Er is geprobeerd een fijne esthetische sfeer in het hostel te brengen. De locatie is prima als je de dag erna vliegt. Het personeel is behulpzaam als je wat nodig hebt.

Ik wil dit niet schrijven om een reactie uit te lokken van de hoteleigenaren. In eerdere reviews heb ik gezien dat zij passief agressief reageren op negatief commentaar van gasten en het proberen te verbloemen als “hen eigen schuld”. Ik schrijf dit omdat ik toekomstige gasten de verschrikkelijke ervaring die ik heb gehad hier wil besparen. Allereerst heb ik meer dan 30 minuten staan wachten tot er iemand was op bij in te checken. Ik had aangegeven dat ik rond 16.00 zou arriveren om in te checken. Ik was er 16.10 dood moe van mijn vlucht maar er was niemand. Hij was de was gaan doen… Ik heb een half uur moeten wachten in de tuin. De kamer die ik kreeg toegewezen had een andere badkamer dan op de foto’s. Het is mij wel duidelijk waarom ze deze niet bij de advertentie zetten. Het is simpelweg een van de slechtste meest verouderde badkamers die ik ooit heb getroffen. Er kwam zwart modder overal uit de kieren als je de douche gebruikt. Overal lag een dikke laag donkerbruine stof, en alles was smerig. Er liepen insecten overal. Ook kon de deur naar de badkamer niet dicht, dus de viezigheid en insecten kwamen zo de kamer gemakkelijk in. Dat de badkamer verouderd was, en dit expres buiten de advertentie was gelaten, is één ding. Dat het rondweg absoluut niet was schoongemaakt is het tweede. Zowel in de kamer als de badkamer trof ik dikke stoflagen aan onder het bed, achter het bed, de wastafel en boven op de douche cabine. Er waren zwarte en bruine haren te vinden op het nachtkastje en in de douche. Het was zo erg dat ik er eigenlijk niet eens de nacht wilde doorbrengen, maar ik was zo moe van mijn reisdag en het was al vrij laat dus ik besloot door te bijten voor deze nacht. Na dit aangegeven te hebben heeft het personeel de kamer wel schoongemaakt, maar echt schoon schoon is het niet geworden. Ik vroeg om nieuwe lakens en hier zaten weer zwarte haren op. De man probeerde dit snel weg te vegen en te doen alsof het niet zo was, erg teleurstellend.

Rooms are very minimal yet aesthetic plus well maintained. Perfect for a solo traveller or couples! Love the in house kitchen setup and the collection of books. Spent my morning by the balcony sipping coffee and reading some books as my first morning in Sri Lanka and what a perfect start!

Would have liked if there were breakfast or meal options, but they are currently not providing this due to off season. Over-all, a great experience and can't wait to be back!

This is such a good place to stay! Only 10 minute drive from the airport, and great value for money. The couple that run the property were so kind and caring and the room felt very homely. A fantastic place to end my travels

The hosts were extremely helpful and welcoming, going above and beyond to make my experience comfortable. The location was so convenient being approx 5 mins from the airport, and the hosts even gave me a lift to the airport in the morning which was so kind of them.

The shower could have been a little bit cleaner but it wasn’t really a problem at all

Confortable beds and cozy space

Nothing

The host was super helpful and accomodating. The hostel itself was beautiful, with lots of open spaces to enjoy. It was very conveniently located, only 10 minutes away from the airport.

Everything was great! Such a nice & cheap place super close to the Airpot :)

The owner is fantastic guy… like old friend

Really nice place and friendly host

Lovely hostel in Negombo. Very close to the airport great for catching your flight or just landing into the country! Very clean and very friendly staff who showed me around my room and the hostel.

It’s close to the airport and they can arrange a transportation for you. I got a private room with bathroom. It’s simple but ok to spend one night near the airport

Location for transit. Only 10 minutes away from airport.

Beautiful place and the owner was super nice! Another guest had forgotten her charger and he took it all the way to the airport for her.

The place was great for my one night stay before heading on my flight, no lift but they were very accommodating and carried my bags for me . Thank you!

The two sponges to wash plates & cutlery in the kitchen could definitely be replaced ! They were looking really old and overused .

Nice hostel close to the airport. Ideal for a night before or after a flight. Very nice and helpful host!

Mattresses could be better.

The private room was very nice, with AC, free toiletries, a towel, and a small table. I liked the boho design. The common areas, including a balcony and sunbeds, were great for relaxing. The Wi-Fi worked well, and a kitchen with free tea and coffee was a bonus. Quiet stay. Close enough so you could walk to the airport.

Inevitable plane noice

Close proximity to airport. Shehan was a lovely host.

Very convenient hotel right near the airport. The hotel itself is very comfortable. You can choose budget places in a hostel or a private room, which is also very affordable. There is a comfortable kitchen where you can cook, spacious balconies on the second floor, where it is pleasant to sit with drinks. It also has its own private courtyard with sun loungers and sun beds - very cozy. There are lockable drawers where you can leave your belongings and go for a walk. The owner of the hotel is the true defenition of the gentleman! I'm glad I met him. He told me about the places nearby and Sri Lanka in general, and even took me on a small guided tour of the local places of the interest at his car. Also he can arrange a transfer to/from the airport what is very convinient. I was very happy that I chose this place to stay.

Really close to the airport, the host is lovely and the stay is perfect !

Very grateful for the host who waited for my arrival. I only had a night layover and booked this place because it was near. It was very comfortable, very nice house, beautiful place. The host gave me great recommendations for travelling around Sri Lanka. I recommend this place if you want to stay near the airport and away from hustling streets.

The place and the owner are really nice. It definitely feels more like home than like a hostel. The common area is really nice as well. The owner also dropped us to the airport in the morning, which was very comfortable. For arrival or departure in Colombo, this is a good place!

It was the hostel with the best facilities and comfort I have ever seen in Sri Lanka. Unfortunately, I found this place on the last day. I would like to spend more time. Shehan is very friendly. See you again.

Very pleasant owner, nice house and rooms. Close to the airport (taxi ride was about 7 minutes). Good place to stay at right before or after your flight 👍🏻

The staff is lovely and they help you with everything. It is very calm and has nice common areas. They arranged the tuktuk to the airport early in the morning. The rooms were clean and comfortable.

They told me to cancel booking on the last moment. One good thing is they guide me but it's very hectic for me to search and book again

We needed to spend a night for an early flight . The room was clean , bed is comfortable and the location , though close to airport , is really peaceful at night. We didn’t use the AC but the machine is silent . The garden and balcony are pleasant and very tidy. The owner is the loveliest guy ever, he woke up at 4 to bring us to the airport for small money, attentive and friendly .

We would have appreciated to have some rules about the kitchen use: being opposite to the room and having the room a glass door, I had to warn some girls at 9.30 pm to stop entering the kitchen every 5 minutes ( noises and light disturbing ). Kitchen is in a precarious status , but we didn’t need to use it, so everything was fine to us. The absolutely NO GO was the bathroom , in the worst hygienic conditions ever . Therefore we didn’t t use neither the shower nor the sink and I cleaned up the wc my self . So sorry to point that out , but cleaness is something non negotiable for us, even for 18€ a night . Please , you are a new accomodation : you have to improve that . We found the bathroom in the conditions of the pics. I m a host too and clean my self . Even an old bathroom can be cleaned properly.

The room was very comfortable and quiet. Our host was very helpful and check-in and out was simple and quick. This was an ideal hotel next to the airport so would recommend it for an early departure or late arrival to Colombo.

The bathroom could have been cleaner and there were not a whole lot of restaurants or places to eat in the area, so we bought our dinner from the local Cargills and used the kitchen. The hostel is very close to the airport so you will hear planes - recommend earplugs for this.

it was very clean, close to the airport, comfortable, well equipped and the staff was very kind

Very cute hostel and very close to the airport…the owner is very kind and helpful with all the things that you need, very clean and a nice community room and kitchen and balcony

What a gem near the airport. I can totally recommend this hostel! Basic comfortable rooms. The owner is very welcoming and helped us a lot! He loves what he is doing and that you can see in the nice decoration and the way he is caring about guests. Will definetly come again!

Was perfect after a long day of travelling ! Thank you for welcoming me at 11:30 pm with the smile !!

Beautiful location! Stayed here only just for one night but wanted it to be longer! 🤗 I can definitely recommend this place. The room was spacious and clean and was also airconditioned. Also the owner was kind enough to take me to the airport early in the morning ✈️ Didn't have time for breakfast, but I guess that's great too!

I can't name anything that was disappointing. Maybe only that my stay was too short!!

Everything. Clean and really comfortable close to the airport

Maybe extra bathroom would be nice

The owner has done a great job renovating the whole house! It was perfect after a long flight.

The bathroom is not great and could've been a little cleaner, but otherwise everything really good!

Amazing experience at Island Diaries Hostel. Shehan was very attentive, accommodating and made sure I had everything I needed ! I definitely recommend this place for a night (or a nap during a long layover) next to the airport !

Very close to the airport but in a lush jungle setting. So much green! Peacefully close to the airport.

Good place 👍 Shehan is very helpful. Perfect for a first/last stay in Sri Lanka.

Amazing new place, very close to hotel, in quiet area, so you can have very good sleep after or before flight. Owner is amazing very helpful guy.

everything perfect! shehan (the owner) was really kind late checkout was no problem great place!

Wonderful stay overall thank you.

Best hostel we went so far. Rooms are really good , the owner is really kind and helpful, we recommend you this hostel it is very close to the airport and facilities.

The Hostel was very clean and had a nice living area (with big book collection) and kitchen. All new and the owner Shehan makes sure you have everything you need, he is super friendly.