Dambulla Hotels with Pools

Amba Yaalu — A Second Home for Soulful Rejuvenation My first stay at Amba Yaalu by Thema Collection was pure discovery. I came out of curiosity—wanting to experience, for the first time, the novelty and energy of a women-led resort. I left enchanted. But this second visit felt different—more intentional, more existential. I rebooked to continue my solo quest for soulful rejuvenation, tranquility, and serenity—the kind of restorative pause that leaves you resettled for the life you love, yet must return to: a job and day-to-day that asks a great deal. From the moment I arrived, I was beautifully cared for. The à la carte dining—with both Western and Sri Lankan options—did more than simply nourish my body. It re-ignited my appetite in the most genuine way. I ate with joy and intention, and somehow it even made me feel lighter and steadier within myself. I also took a private cookery lesson with the chef, and it was unforgettable. I didn’t just leave with a chef’s hat and a printed recipe book—I left with real skills, spice knowledge, and techniques I can bring home. I can already see myself sharing this with my colleagues, my friends, and of course my beloved family. And yes—I even had to tease the chef, because I loved her food so much that this post-menopausal woman ate so well that my cholesterol and blood pressure readings came down…and I genuinely started to develop a “food baby”. 😂😂😂 Finally, to the management and leadership: as an educator in ancient history, I know great women when I meet them—Helen of Troy, Cleopatra… and beyond. At Amba Yaalu, the leadership feels like that same kind of powerful grace. It isn’t only about running a beautiful resort—it’s about building something that matters. To Amba Yaalu and everyone who made this stay feel like a true haven: thank you for giving me a serenity I could feel in my bones—and a renewed strength for what comes next.

We had a wonderful stay in Sigiriya Cashew Palace Resort, very good hotel, well located, super clean, peaceful atmosphere and the staff had been incredibly friendly. We would definitely recommend it to anyone!

Stayed in room 234. Lets start with the bad. The shower rose did not work. Extreme caution is needed when using the shower, as the water could potentially give you third degree burns and the floor was very slippery. Now the average. I personally thought the dinner menu was a little restrictive and food quality lacked. Now the good. Very spacious room and bathroom. Quality bed linen and towels. Comfortable bed and good AC. Staff very polite, responsive and helpful. Would stay again, but they need to get the shower sorted, as it is dangerous.

One of the best things about this hotel is the stunning view of Sigiriya Lion Rock, especially from the pool area. It’s definitely one of the best spots for that perfect Instagram photo! Breakfast offers a wide variety of choices. However, one downside was that once some of the food ran out, it wasn’t refilled, even though we arrived quite early at around 7:30 a.m. Overall, a great place to stay mainly for the incredible view and location.

Set in a lovely, peaceful location beside the Kandalama Reservoir, Amaya Lake Dambulla offers a relaxing retreat within a large property with plenty of mature trees, giving the resort a natural and spacious feel. The property features a good range of amenities, with the swimming pools being especially refreshing after a long day exploring the surrounding area. The buffet breakfast offered a comprehensive selection, catering to a variety of tastes. The chalets were clean and reasonably well maintained, and the staff throughout the resort were warm and friendly.

Hotel is in excellent location and it feels like you are in jungle. Room are very spacious and clean. Best part of resort is its staff , they were treating guest with smile and they made us feel like we are most important guest. Hotel Swimming pool has awesome view. Hotel also offer free hiking tour.

Great place to stay if you want to explore the lions rock and the area around. Pidurangala rock is only 15min away by tuk tuk, the lions rock can be done by walk (~20min walk to entrance). But the best experience was the kindness of the hosts. The helped us in every way (explaining routes, advices on activities, organizing tuk tuk, etc.). The food was amazing and we had a lot of interesting conversations with the friendly stuff. Special thanks to Daushna, Larush & Nimal for making our stay remarkable.

We chose this hotel based on the location! We arrived, looked and booked 3 rooms. Moreover, it was cheaper to book through the website than at the hotel. When they showed us the rooms, a very sharp, specific smell hit our noses, I asked what it was, they told me that these were their air fresheners and they could be washed off. I said that I could not live with such a smell and needed to be removed, they said ok and we went to check in. Then I threw my things and went swimming and eating. In the evening, I returned to the room, the smell was there and then it dawned on me that it was a cockroach repellent!!!!!! The victims were already lying all over the room, and very large ones. At the reception, they silently moved me, without even apologizing. This moment, of course, spoiled the impression. After all, I immediately said that the smell was very sharp. The bathroom is very interestingly made, it is as if outside, in the shower there is a net and an outside nook. Leaving the cool room there is a strong contrast, but this does not spoil the rest. I liked the design of the disposable sets, they looked very stylish. In the evenings, musicians played in the restaurant (the first day there were mantras to the music, on the second day a guy sang very chicly. In the restaurant you can eat from the menu or dinner/lunch buffet. We tried both options, everything is very good. Very attentive staff in the cafe, the administrator saw us and ran to prepare a table for us. They also served by the pool. The territory is not large, but it is conducive to relaxation. Monkeys even came running. Friends went to the spa, they said the massage was good. From the hotel we went to Sigiriya (20 minutes by car) and on a safari in the park.

We stayed here two nights to enjoy the two main attractions of the area. The boys are very available and the manager is a nice young man who can do it! The location is very quiet even though not very far from the rooms. The hotel is very comfortable and it is very comfortable and it is very comfortable and it is very comfortable and it is very good.

The hotel is a bit off the main road, nestled in the jungle. It has a large, beautiful property with a decent restaurant that served tasty food. In the room, there's a concrete bed and concrete countertops, and the outlets are inconveniently located under the nightstands. Maybe the design was cool initially, but now it looks a bit tired. What I didn't like was the lack of soap (though they brought some when I asked), and the shower gel and shampoo bottles were already half-used. Also, the toilet seat didn't fit properly. The hotel staff, in general, were willing to help with any issues within their power.