The Lake House

The Lake House descritpion

Situated in the heart of Polonnaruwa, The Lake House provides a peaceful getaway featuring elegantly furnished rooms and free internet access. Guests can also soak in the on-site hot tub after a day out.
Air-conditioned rooms are comfortable and tastefully furnished. It features a private terrace, a TV and a minibar. En suite bathrooms will provide you with a bathtub or shower facilities.
The friendly staff can arrange for barbeque sessions and packed lunches. Currency exchange services, luggage storage and free parking facilities are all available on-site.
For meals, guests can dine at the in-house restaurant accompanied by beautiful lake views. In-room dining options are possible as well.
The Lake House is placed 46 miles away from SLAF Anuradhapura Airport.

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Facilities of The Lake House

Outdoors ：BBQ Facilities | Terrace | Sun Deck

Pets ：Pets are not allowed.

Activities ：Hot Tub

Internet ：Free!WiFi is available in public areas and is free of charge.

Parking ：Free!Free private parking is available on site (reservation is not needed).

General ：Newspapers | Non-smoking Rooms | Soundproof Rooms | Air Conditioning | Designated Smoking Area

Reviews for The Lake House

Review 1：The food was disappointing. The bathroom had an unpleasant smell after running water or flushing, but I guess that is due to the heritage of the building and the location and cannot be easily remedied.

Review 2：The hotel has amazing large rooms which open up onto the lake shore with fantastic views. The location is very convenient for sight seeing, literally opposite the archaeology museum and old archaeological sites right by the lake.

Review 3：The restaurant lacked atmosphere and wasn't very appealing to have dinner at. The second night we opted to have our dinner delivered to our room.

Review 4：The location of The Lake House was perfect for exploring the nearby ruins. Plus the sunsets from the deck were amazing.

Review 5：The western food in the restaurant was truly awful. Fried fish from the fridge! And nothing on the wine list was actually available. Very frustrating. The Sri Lankan curry was much better, but we were warned that would take 40 minutes to make, and initially they said it was not available. The waiter spoke very poor English. So all in all, the restaurant pulled the whole thing down.

Review 6：Brilliant lakeside location and a truly beautiful room. Really elegant design throughout the hotel. On looks alone, I'd give it 10 out 10.

Review 7：Food was awful. People where friendly but barely speak English. Service very amateur. Noise, bugs and room not clean. That place could be wonderful with a good management.

Review 8：Very nice location with a splendid view and nearby the museum.

Review 9：ROOM: Cons Once again, south asian plumbing came into play here. The walk up to our room stank of sewage, and it sadly managed to creep into our room despite our best efforts. The hot water in the shower was very unpredictable; it was reliably hot, but how hot was up to what mood it was in for that second. One second it was warm, then it's scalding. I guess we were sharing the hot water with other rooms. The room also wasn't very clean. We smelled mold, and I ended up having allergies the next morning because of it. All and all, overall disappointing for its appearance. DINING: Cons The food was very disappointing. Bland, unflavorful, boring. Menu selection for dinner was also quite weak; not a lot of options, lots of "bar food" items. AMENITIES: Cons Again, the hot tub is not available for everyone, just for the people at Room 10. I didn't appreciate that misleading information. Wifi was also only available in the lobby/restaurant area, but it is free.

Review 10：LOCATION: It's very close to the ruins, which is a good thing. You could get a tuktuk or bicycle and hop on over and spend a day exploring around the ruins. It also sits on the lake, which is right there and offers some beautiful scenery, which makes for very relaxing mornings and evenings. STAFF: The staff was mixed in terms of service quality; we had one incredibly nice waiter who was very sweet and worked very hard, and then we had one or two people who seemed less inclined to be helpful. More or less, it was a positive experience with the staff, and nobody was terrible or anything. ROOM: Pros The large modern layout with a lakeview room was really nice. We had a huge king bed and the bathroom was enormous. The entire room had high ceilings and it was very modernly furnished. DINING: Pros Not sure what to say here; the dining area overlooking the lake is nice, and breakfast was alright (omelette station, decent selection of food), and service was fine, but that's about it.

Review 11：As our room was close to the reception, we could hear all the time dialling of phone calls (the tone that the phone does when you dial the number before picking up the telephone receiver). We experienced an unwelcomed visit of local monkeys into our room and we had to struggle a bit to get stolen things back. It could be useful to inform guests that this can happen because if you do not see monkeys in an immediate vicinity of the hotel, you might be less careful than you should be.

Review 12：The hotel has a lovely view to the lake and is very close to the information center for Polonnaruwa ancient city. The rent of bicycles for exploring of ruins was for free, the staff also helped us to arrange a car with driver for a day trip and for the airport (not for free, obviously, but the price was quite ok). The list of prices is available at the reception desk. Our room and bathroom was quite big and clean.

Review 13：Bed linen and bathroom towels were unclean with dirty marks and stains on them despite being "fresh". Looked like they had been dried on a dirty roof. Not what you expect at this price level. Use of the jacuzzi is a $25/hour add on and then only if the suite that the jacuzzi is adjoined to isn't occupied that day. Rooms that have a lake view look on to a terrace used by all guests, who can see back in to your room. As such these rooms aren't very private unless you keep the curtains closed at all times. Generally the hotel looks worn around the edges. Needs a refit/facelift. The walls between the rooms are thin. You can hear the neighbouring occupants and their televisions at night. The large size of the rooms makes the normal furniture in them look weirdly small. Lots of dead space. Uninspiring breakfast buffet.

Review 14：Huge oversize rooms. Good location for starting a tour of the local ruins.

Review 15：The first night we had a normal room and it was right next to the receiption so we could hear all the calls and talking .. Also the view was on the road and cars when all the other rooms have view on the lake so you should request a room on the back which are same price but MUCH better. I think the hotel should give different prices for those rooms... Food too spicy we couldn't eat No wifi on the room on the back. We booked the suite room for second night but they gave us the normal room for both night. I had to show my reservatiol 3 times, insist a lot to finaly have the suite...

Review 16：The view!!!!! Breath taking! The suite room were HUGE ! Amazing private balcony with jacuzy ( available only for the suite , other room dont have access. Be careful with hotel pictures ) . Best hotel of our trip ( for the suite room definitly not the normal room next to receiption )

Review 17：The hot tub is only for the "Queen Suite." Water went from cold to hot constantly while taking a shower. Wifi was not reliable in the rooms but good in the lobby area.

Review 18：Staff was very attentive and kind, always willing to help. The hotel is in an amazing location relative to all the ruins. The rooms are spacious, clean, and with high quality furniture. Breakfast was amazing.

Review 19：The breakfast was good but dinner could be improved. We would also prefer that the restaurant dim the lights at night and provide some soft music. It's too bright and quiet.

Review 20：The location is perfect, not only because of the Lake but the museum and ticket office for the ancient sites is RIGHT next door. The staff was excellent and we loved our room.

Review 21：Food was ok, but nothing special. Wifi did not work while we were there, there were some issues with the wifi access point that we used.

Review 22：Really nice location, clean and very nice rooms. Very nice staff, service good.

Review 23：It should me more comfortable than this. I love To have small table for every room. Anyway according to my opinion all hotel is more good

Review 24：I love that Staff. They are really helpful & Friendly. I'm very thankful to them

Review 25：The hotel is run by teenagers who are always on the phone to their friends. The restaurant waiters have shocking attitude...our waiter had a tantrum when we arrived at 9.25pm for a snack because he was supposed to finish at 9.30! The hotel rips you off on check-out..our booking.com fee was $75 and we ended up paying $110 because of hidden service charges, taxes and currency conversion factors!! I hope this hotel goes out of business, you deserve to!! Dirty towel and a frog in the hotel corridor...it goes on and on...

Review 26：The only positive experience about this hotel was leaving. Definitely the worst hotel of our trip

Review 27：F&B services and food quality currently really....no comment. Need serious improvements. Also the atmosphere inside of the restaurant so sad.

Review 28：Location wise is the best: inside of the archeological site and on the lake. The hotel has been recently refurbished with a touch of contemporary. Really such a nice atmosphere

Review 29：No on-site pool - but do have access to sister pool 2k away (they will take u there) Lake not safe to swim in

Review 30：Sky TV Friendly staff Lovely lake views Close to museum and old town

Review 31：Our dinner experience was one to forget! We arrived for dinner at ~8pm and were surprised to find we were the only guests dining. Once seated we were told that the chef was off and that at least half of the meals on the menu were unavailable. After contemplating finding another restaurant, we placed our order and asked the young waiter whether we could exchange rice for French fries (for the locally caught fish and chips dish) since we had shared a portion of French fries due to the lack of available starters. Despite us being the only diners, this appeared to be a huge request and the waiter eventually said he would go and ask the kitchen staff. He did not return. After 45-60mins of waiting for our food, the waiter finally emerged with our meals: an incredibly bland beef and vegetable noodle dish, along with the "locally caught fish" and French fries (which had not been swapped for rice). When we enquired why the waiter had not returned to tell us we could not have rice (in which case we would have chosen to eat elsewhere), he shrugged his shoulders and walked off. The locally caught fish turned out to be a pair of crumbed fillets which I can only assume was from a frozen package and had been cooked to within an inch of its life (including portions where it had been burnt). Whilst we thoroughly enjoyed our lunch at the buffet earlier in the day, the dinner soured our stay and experience and we would recommend that you notify your guests if the chef is not going to be cooking dinner.

Review 32：Quick check-in and friendly receptionist. Beautiful, spacious room with very comfortable king size bed, chic bathroom and shower room. Room opens out onto large balcony overlooking Lake Polonnarua (perfect for a drink at sunset). Excellent lunchtime buffet on arrival with a wide array of options. We rented bicycles and cycled through the nearby ruins which was a fantastic, calming way to experience the history of the sights! Dining room is bright and modern with a spectacular 270 degree view of Lake Polonnarua (giving you the feeling that you are sitting on the Lake).

Review 33：Food was not up to a good hotel. No varieties. I was not able to listen any Sri Lankan channel from TV. They were unable to repair it.

Review 34：ideal place for leisure. Being a professor in a university, the place was excellent to me and my wife. It is easy access to many important places from your hotel.

Review 35：The bathroom kind of smelled like sewerage, and there was very lowwater pressure. There was a handheld shower head and an a rain showerhead, but the rain shower head didn't work properly. For such a newplace, I would not have expected this. There is no swimming pool? Thereis a hot tub, but who in the right mind wants to use a hot tub in SriLanka? Seriously! And how can the hotel call itself a luxury hotelwithout a pool?

Review 36：This hotel is located very close to the ruins and museum, and has niceviews of the lake. The restaurant is good; I enjoyed my meals there.

Review 37：- wifi is only in te public area - if you're havig a glass of Coce in the open air a munkey can try to rob you.

Review 38：+ very big room with conditioner, ventilator and separate exit to patio + soft drinks in the minibar are free. + a very good restaurant, with wonderful view on the lake. + The ancient city of Polonnaruwa starts in 50 m from the hotel. + staff is friendly, they can help to hire a bicycle. + there is a good parking zone. + sometimes you can see a Sri Lankan wedding couples having a photoset not far from the hotel.

Review 39：A bit expensive when you add all the taxes on, and with no mozzy nets you get bit if they get in the room, which they do! Wander into town to rent bikes from a local little place.

Review 40：Location was splendid up on the lake. Great view and location.

Review 41：Very slow service in the restaurant, not much of a bar vibe or variety of drinks. Wifi only works in the rather unusual reception structure which is not the most comfortable of places to spend much time

Review 42：Very efficient, helpful young manager, friendly staff, lovely lakeside view. By the way there are very few mosquitoes opposed to what some others say - the insects come off the lake at night attracted by lights but are not biters. Great location just by the museum/ticket office from where you can walk by the lakeside( avoid the road) up to near the entrance to the site. Appreciated the manager's help organising a taxi for onward travel.The hotel is part of the Galle Face chain but not of the same standard. It's more about old world charm and the lovely waterside setting than about luxury. Beautiful glass sided restaurant/bar room. Good breakfast.

Review 43：Wifi connection is weak but at least made me more focus on the trip and the people im with. :)

Review 44：Everything but the wifi connection. Friendly staff. Lovely view to wake up to everyday. Good buffet food. Awesome facilities. Enjoyed my stay very much.

Review 45：No management interest in the guests in this small hotel. Uncomfortable seating in the wifi area which was the two chair lobby or sitting room. Wifi was never working and had to have the router turned off/on to reboot. Food was mediocre and serving staff was poorly trained. Soup after dinner? The room service was excellent. No swimming pool. As a whole this would have to struggle to get three stars.

Review 46：I liked the view but you couldn't open the glass doors because the monkeys would run into your room. So no use of the patio or any fresh air.

Review 47：- only internet in the hallway where it is not very comfortable to hang around - things that most hotels in Sri Lanka seem to suffer from; bathroom not so clean, very low shower water pressure and stained bad-sheets. - much smaller rooms have the same price as the big ones

Review 48：- if you are lucky to get the big room, nice, huge and bright, lake view - amazing curry, best I ever ate - location is perfect , next to the lake and ancient city's meseum

Review 49：We ordered bikes and an onward travel vehicle through reception, but all were very poor/unsafe rides: they need to do a bit more quality control with outside suppliers.

Review 50：Great location on the lakefront, and close to the main heritage site. Excellent curries in the restaurant. Made to feel very welcome

Review 51：Waiters must have been in training - slow service although we were the only guests. Faded grandeur.

Review 52：Location near ancient city. Very spacious room and nice terrace on lake.

Review 53：No Wi-Fi in rooms, only in the lobby. The mosquitos in the evening canbe a nuisance. Some of the staff don't speak English and say only"ok". But once we spotted the English-speaking personnel, weonly referred to them and we were fine :) During our stay, there were anumber of Muslims who gazed at us frantically, probably cos we were inswimwear enjoying our time...

Review 54：We liked practically everything about this hotel. It is located at abeautiful landscape point facing the lake. The rooms are very spaciousand comfortable. We also happened to be upgraded to the Suite whichhad a Jacuzzi, and which was very pleasant indeed. The food is freshlycooked and was always a delicacy + good variety. Even though thishotel hasn't got a swimming pool, there is a sister hotel only 1minute away with the car (transport provided free by the hotelmanagement) which will take you from the Lake House to this sisterhotel, and one can enjoy these facilities free of charge... And it wasa beautifulll swimming pool with an amazing view at sunset on woodensunbeds and with fire torches. Service in the room was verycomfortable and all the staff are continuously smiling and value a lotthe pleasant stay of the guests.

Review 55：were given wrong room on arrival and had to show booking on tablet to be given correct room big issue with flies at night in and by dining room but dont think there is a lot that can be done about that no wifi in rooms

Review 56：room,views, location and staff were excellent

Review 57：Great breakfast. Did not have a curry available despite being on the menu. No wine available. Mosquitos galore as on the lake when the sun goes down.

Review 58：Stunning location. Near the ruins. Peaceful. Delightful staff. Beautiful room.

Review 59：The stuff use noisy method at 5 am to clean and not respect the client!!!!! Don't go there. To manage the monkey the security use firecracker but at 5 am is not acceptable without mention to the clients, we been very disappointed. We also try to call the reception but they did not take any action to stop the security or the cleaners. Bad bad experience

Review 60：Quality of food was not good...cold, no variety for the price...meals were far too expensive...

Review 61：Rooms were beautiful, and very comfortable...the location is good...staff very friendly...

Review 62：- everything else - don't make a decision based on the pictures and facilities showed on booking.com - jacuzzi: isn't available to the guests, they told us it was part of the suite and wasn't available to us, although there was no occupancy at all apart from us when we were there. - swimming pool: not on-site of this four ???? star hotel, you ask for transfer at the reception and they bring you to other hotel - wifi: only available just in front of the reception desk, the evening is not really an option as you will be bitten all over - menu and offered dishes in the restaurant were a joke - first time we felt totally misleaded by booking.com, this isn't even a two star hotel, we actually paid a lot of money to stay here to have a relaxed stay on the end of our Sri Lanka trip but had to move over to Sudu Aralliya hotel to get something decent, a good swimming pool and good bar. - our opinion: don't go there at all, ridicully expensive for what it is, a big room with a view.

Review 63：- the spacious room with magnificent view on the lake

Review 64：Thé monkeys taking everything from you while you re on the terrace

Review 65：Thé location. Facing thé lake

Review 66：The staff was great at the reception. Very helpful. Prabath was excellent. Thank you

Review 67：Too many bugs(ants and Mosquitos) in the rooms and corridor.

Review 68：great view and huge room.

Review 69：Nothing to fault.

Review 70：Stunning room!!

Review 71：Good location and service. Great view from the room, as well as the canteen. Huge bathroom...

Review 72：Nothing.

Review 73：The hotel room, as well as the hotel restaurant, was with a very beautiful view of a man-made lake. It deserves the name THE LAKE HOUSE!

Review 74：Wifi did not work. Breakfast with limited choise.

Review 75：Location and architecture.

Review 76：The place is beautiful Lovely and helpful staff Rooms are very confortable and cosy. The restaurant is very good!

Review 77：Too many bugs at night.

Review 78：The lake view is very beautiful.

Review 79：overpriced food, restaurant too cold, lakeflies at night.

Review 80：The view, the rooms

Review 81：not much in the room about what to see in the area not enough choice on the menu

Review 82：the room was fantastic outside seating areas good

Review 83：Huge room, comfy king sized bed, spacious well equiped bathroom

Review 84：lovely small hotel right on the lake in the middle of the ruins. rooms are very spacious and comfortable. very good staff excellent value.

Review 85：Unexperienced personel for everything. The food was not good at all

Review 86：The vue on the lake Spacious room

Review 87：service is a bit slow

Review 88：quiet and peaceful location. just across the road from the museum

Review 89：location, friendly staff, rooms space, views

Review 90：Wifi not available in the room

Review 91：Fantastic view to the lake from the room. Room very big, comfortable and elegant atmosphere

Review 92：No wifi in rooms Poor food choice and execution for dinner

Review 93：Excellent setting and facilities Amazing view of the lake Friendly service