I've googled like crazy and the only email addresses I found don't work and the phone number is either permanently engaged or not working. I eventually managed to get that number to work and have 'apparently' booked a room - I guess I'll just have to hope it's the case when I get there Thanks also for the email addresses - the first one I know doesn't work.
Haven't tried the second and when I spoke to them, they said that they didn't have email The room was booked, hooray! There is no email so perseverence with the dodgy phone number is the only option. The place is very atmospheric and in a lovely location.
The building itself is gorgeous and has great potential should the owners ever decide to renovate. The room I had was very large but very basic - the TV might have worked but was extremely ancient and the wiring put me off trying to plug it in. The airconditioning worked and was effective so that was a huge plus. Unfortunately there is no hot water and the bathroom is not exactly western. My baby daughter wasn't taking a cold shower under a hose for anything!
I'm very torn about staying there again next time I'm in Ratnapura. On the plus side there is the food and the ambience - and the great location. However, I am a big fan of hot showers and I'm not sure I can face the cold water again. Probably sounds pathetic, but my backpacking days are well behind me and with a small child it's difficult enough! Thank you for the feedback elliebrown. It is certainly useful to me as I do tend to travel a bit around the Ratnapura and Balangoda areas. I'd have to check but I think it was about R3, a night - which is on the expensive side for no hot water, but Ratnapura isn't exactly full of hotels to compete with.
I stayed at the Rathnaloka the time before which is a lot more expensive, and while nice it's just too far out of town to be handy when you are just there for a few days to work.
