The Elephant Next-Door
C.P. De Silva Road Udawalawe.
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Why people book this hotel
“Lovely little hotel with great attention to detail and lovely staff”
“The staff were very helpful in every way, especially arranging our early morning…”
“Lovely pool area”
“Property and rooms beautiful and spacious with an outdoor seating area + lovely …”
“Fantastic place, very tastefully decorated, very elegant and spacious rooms and …”
“Rooms very comfortable, tasty breakfast and nice food served in restaurant”
“We really enjoyed our stay here - Lovely place in a great location”
“Brilliant location, amazing staff, very peaceful, stunning pool and delicious fo…”
“The breakfast and evening meal were superb in the poolside restaurant”
“Breakfast was good and we would happily stay here again”
“This place is worth double the price of what they are charging per night”
“Honestly it's great value at a high standard”
Overview
Set within 8 km of Udawalawe National Park, The Elephant Next-Door in Udawalawe features a number of amenities including a garden. Among the facilities of this property are a restaurant, a 24-hour front desk and room service, along with free WiFi. Rooms are fitted with a balcony. It is 30 metres from Elephant Transit Home, Udawalawe Lake and 40 metres from Udawalawe city. At the guest house, rooms are equipped with a desk. Every room is equipped with a private bathroom with free toiletries and a hair dryer. At The Elephant Next-Door the rooms include a seating area. The accommodation offers a terrace. Bike hire and car hire are available at this guest house and the area is popular for cycling.
Traveller reviews
Jayne
extended_group
May 20, 2026
“Wonderful stay”
Lovely little hotel with great attention to detail and lovely staff
Alventosa
couple
April 20, 2026
“Ideally located, relaxing hotel”
We loved our stay here. The breakfast and evening meal were superb in the poolside restaurant. The staff were very helpful in every way, especially arranging our early morning safari. Everything was taken care of. Great pool which was very welcome after the morning safari.
Roland
family_with_children
April 14, 2026
Fantastic place, very tastefully decorated, very elegant and spacious rooms and wonderful staff. Janaka runs this place and he runs it very well. Super organized. You don‘t have to worry about anything, cause Janaka will have already taken care of it. We did a safari that Janaka put together for us. And as everything in this place, perfectly organized. Great and knowledgable guide/driver who respected the animals and knew when and where to go for a great wildlife experience. Thanks to the whole team again! Can highly recommend this place!
Marissa
couple
March 31, 2026
The staff were very friendly, welcoming and helpful! They organised safari for us, we had our own tour guide who was also great and we saw lots of animals and wildlife. They even brought us fresh hot food for lunch while on safari! Thank you again!
Briony
couple
March 26, 2026
“Beautiful hotel - standoffish owner”
The hotel is beautiful. Really really beautiful. The rooms are spacious and clean, the bed comfortable, the aircon strong. Lovely pool area. Honestly lovely. We didn’t do the safari with this hotel but they do organise it and the guest book in our room had several reviews that spoke very highly of their tours.
Alice
couple
March 25, 2026
“Great stay”
Great accommodation by the National Park. Close to restaurants (we liked Hungry Monkeys). Staff were lovely and helpful. Breakfast was good and we would happily stay here again!
Anna
couple
March 13, 2026
“Lovely base for stay in Udawalawe!”
We really enjoyed our stay here - Lovely place in a great location. Rooms very comfortable, tasty breakfast and nice food served in restaurant.
Oliver
couple
March 11, 2026
“Lovely safari spot with amazing food, gorgeous pool and wonderful staff”
Brilliant location, amazing staff, very peaceful, stunning pool and delicious food. The staff organised every element of our safari for us and our onward transport. Brilliant spot to go for a safari from with a lovely and delicious kottu to enjoy after!
Lucy
couple
March 8, 2026
“Best stay of our whole trip!”
Everything!!! The best stay in Sri Lanka so far. Property and rooms beautiful and spacious with an outdoor seating area + lovely pool. Staff were so welcoming giving us fresh juice and cake on arrival. They organised a fantastic safari and provided a brilliant packed breakfast and lunch in the restaurant when we got back (amazing food would 10/10 recommend you can’t miss it). Walking distance to elephant transit home which is definitely a must see if you love elephants and conservation.
Amina
couple
March 5, 2026
We loved the pool, safari, decoration of the restaurant and main area. The team also was very helpful with transport to and from the hotel. We also had a great safari directly booked with them
Helen
couple
March 3, 2026
“Wonderful stay…could not fault it”
Loved its adjacency to the National Park and the Elephant Transit House a few minutes walk away. The pool area is amazing…one of the best pools we have been in here in Sri Lanka. The food was excellent. The host knowledgeable and attentive. Had a wonderful two days here.
Angela
couple
March 2, 2026
This place is an absolute dream. Great communication from start to finish. On arrival we were met by the owners and they bought us a welcome drink of fresh watermelon juice. We were then told all about the accommodation and breakfast details where we could choose between a western breakfast or Sri Lankan breakfast. We chose Sri lankan... Never had a curry for breakfast before but so glad we did. Our room was so lovely and cosy. We didn't want to do a safari but heard the owner organised a really good one if needed. We decided to visit the elephant Transit Home next door instead which again the owner explained best time to visit etc. We didn't know where to go for evening meal but then was recommended the same accommodation by the other couple staying. So we gave it a go and wow so glad we did. The food is incredible. Loved a swim in the pool too. This place is worth double the price of what they are charging per night. Would so recommend
leila
couple
February 26, 2026
“Absolutely loved our stay, couldn’t recommend it more”
The staff made a huge effort to make us feel special (it was my husbands birthday). Absolutely loved the pool it was the perfect temperature! The safari they organised was also great.
Darren
couple
February 18, 2026
The elephant next door is the perfect gateway to Udawalawa national park. The room and the hotel was very comfortable and spacious and the pool was just what we needed after a full day safari arranged by Janaka
Andrew
couple
February 17, 2026
“Caring, well motaned property”
Location, owner & staff very attractive nothing to much trouble. Excellent Safari booked through them, food 1st class, accommodation spot less.
Danielle
couple
February 16, 2026
“Fabulous place, great location, super comfortable accommodation and very helpful owner.”
This is a fabulous place, very cute and comfy accommodation, great food and amazing location right next door to the Elephant Transit Orphanage. The owner is amazing, he organised everything for us including safari and the added bonus is you can still use the room after the morning safari, so it's a late check-out at about 1pm - there are many free extras like fresh juice and cake too. Honestly it's great value at a high standard.
Lisa
couple
February 13, 2026
“Loved our short stay. Food was amazing.”
A perfect stopover whilst we did a safari. The restaurant and pool were great. The staff were very friendly.
Paul
couple
February 13, 2026
“Maybe ok in future”
The location is close to the Elephant Transit Centre and the Park for safaris. The safari organised by the owners was v good and we were lucky with the wildlife on the day. The place is under development and there are lots of nice design touches. The room is fairly large w bedroom ensuite and two sitting areas. Breakfast was tasty.
Carmen
solo_traveller
February 8, 2026
“Beautiful place, the service is priceless, i generally enjoyed this stay a lot, and i will recommend this to friends and”
Great accommodation, and even greater hospitality!
Jaan-Eerik
couple
February 7, 2026
“Great value for money for a short stay in Udawalawe.”
We loved the poolside, our room was good as well and the breakfast was superb!
Facilities
Activities
Fishing, Games room, Children's playground, Hiking, Cycling, Walking tours, Bike tours, Themed dinner nights, Happy hour, Tour or class about local culture
Cleanliness & disinfecting
Use of cleaning chemicals that are effective against Coronavirus, Linens, towels and laundry washed in accordance with local authority guidelines, Guest accommodation is disinfected between stays, Guest accommodation sealed after cleaning, Guests have the option to cancel any cleaning services for their accommodation during their stay, Property is cleaned by professional cleaning companies
Entertainment and family services
Board games/puzzles, Indoor play area, Kids' outdoor play equipment, Baby safety gates
Food & Drink
Kid meals, Wine/champagne, Breakfast options, Special diet menus (on request), Restaurant
Food & drink safety
Physical distancing in dining areas, Food can be delivered to guest accommodation, All plates, cutlery, glasses and other tableware have been sanitized, Breakfast takeaway containers, Delivered food is securely covered
General
Indoor fireplace, Bicycle parking, Non-smoking rooms, Family rooms, Safety deposit box, Non-smoking throughout, Air conditioning, Designated smoking area
Internet
WiFi, Free WiFi, Internet services
Outdoors
Garden, Terrace, BBQ facilities, Outdoor furniture, Picnic area, Outdoor fireplace
Parking
Parking garage, Parking on site, Private parking, Parking, Free parking
Physical distancing
Contactless check-in/check-out, Cashless payment available, Physical distancing rules followed, Mobile app for room service, Screens or physical barriers placed between staff and guests in appropriate areas
Reception services
Invoice provided
Safety & security
24-hour security, CCTV in common areas, CCTV outside property, Fire extinguishers
Safety features
Staff follow all safety protocols as directed by local authorities, Shared stationery such as printed menus, magazines, pens, and paper removed, Hand sanitizer in guest accommodation and key areas, Process in place to check health of guests, First aid kit available, Access to health care professionals, Thermometers for guests provided by property, Face masks for guests available
Self check-in
Passport/ID information collected online before you arrive, Check-in kiosk in the lobby, Lockbox key collection at the property, Lockbox key collection near the property
Services
Shuttle service, Express check-in/check-out, Valet parking, Currency exchange, Room service, 24-hour front desk, Airport shuttle, Babysitting/child services, Packed lunches, Car hire, Tour desk, ATM/cash machine on site, Private check-in/check-out, Shuttle service (additional charge), Airport shuttle (additional charge), Lockers, Shared lounge/TV area, Daily housekeeping, Grocery deliveries
Transport
Public transport tickets
Ran Diyatha Room with standard Bathroom
Guests will have a special experience as this double room features a pool with a view. The double room's kitchen, which features a refrigerator and a tea and coffee maker, is available for cooking and storing food. The double room offers air conditioning, a private entrance, a balcony with garden views as well as a private bathroom featuring a shower.
Sendiya Room with Netural Bathroom
Guests will have a special experience as the double room features a pool with a view. The double room's kitchen, which features a refrigerator and a tea and coffee maker, is available for cooking and storing food. The double room provides air conditioning, a private entrance, a balcony with garden views as well as a private bathroom featuring a shower.
Hotel Policies
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