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The Sanctuary at Tissawewa

3.0 star property
your current months are December, 2024 and January, 2025.
December 2024
January 2025

Photo gallery for The Sanctuary at Tissawewa

Bicycling
Front of property
Superior Single Room | Garden view
Property entrance
Restaurant

Reviews

8.0 out of 10

Very good

Popular amenities

  • Spa
    Spa
  • 24/7 front desk
    24/7 front desk
  • Breakfast available
    Breakfast available
  • Laundry
    Laundry
  • Room service
    Room service
  • Housekeeping
    Housekeeping

Explore the area

Map
Old Puttalam road, Old Town, Anuradhapura, 50000
  • Mirisawetiya Stupa
    10 min walk
  • Anuradhapura Archaeological Museum
    12 min walk
  • Sri Maha Bodhi
    13 min walk

Room options

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Exterior
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Parking included
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Restaurant
Air conditioning
5.0 out of 5, Exceptional, (2)
The price is AU$173
for 1 night
includes taxes & fees
6 Dec - 7 Dec
Abhaya Mandapa Hotel

About the area

Anuradhapura

With a stay at The Sanctuary at Tissawewa in Anuradhapura, you'll be in the historical district, within a 15-minute walk of Mirisawetiya Stupa and Anuradhapura Archaeological Museum. .This hotel is 1.3 mi (2.1 km) from Ruwanwelisaya and 1.4 mi (2.3 km) from Thuparamaya.

What's nearby

  • Mirisawetiya Stupa - 10 min walk - 0.9 km
  • Sri Maha Bodhi - 13 min walk - 1.1 km
  • Ruwanwelisaya - 4 min drive - 2.1 km
  • Thuparamaya - 4 min drive - 2.4 km
  • Abhayagiri Dagoba - 8 min drive - 4.2 km

Restaurants

  • ‪Pizza Hut - ‬4 min drive
  • ‪Seedevi Family Restaurant - ‬4 min drive
  • ‪Palhena Village Restaurant - ‬5 min drive
  • ‪Mango Mango - ‬5 min drive
  • ‪Walkers - ‬5 min drive

About this property

The Sanctuary at Tissawewa

Hotel with free parking, a quick walk to Mirisawetiya Stupa
The Sanctuary at Tissawewa offers 21 accommodations with minibars and safes. Accommodations offer separate dining areas. Beds feature premium bedding. Televisions come with premium satellite channels. Bathrooms include bathtubs or showers, bathrobes, and bidets.

Guests can surf the web using the complimentary wireless Internet access. Business-friendly amenities include desks and phones. Additionally, rooms include complimentary bottled water and ceiling fans. A nightly turndown service is provided and housekeeping is offered daily. Amenities available on request include hair dryers.

The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or nearby; fees may apply.
Guests can pamper themselves by indulging in the onsite spa services. Services include massages and facials. A variety of treatment therapies are provided, including Ayurvedic.
Make yourself at home in one of the 21 guestrooms featuring refrigerators and minibars. Complimentary wireless internet access keeps you connected, and satellite programming is available for your entertainment. Private bathrooms with bathtubs or showers feature bidets and bathrobes. Conveniences include phones, as well as safes and desks.
Treat yourself with massages and facials. Additional features at this hotel include complimentary wireless internet access, concierge services, and a picnic area. Getting to nearby attractions is a breeze with the area shuttle (surcharge).
Enjoy a meal at the restaurant, or stay in and take advantage of the hotel's room service (during limited hours). Full breakfasts are available daily from 7 AM to 9:30 AM for a fee.
Featured amenities include complimentary newspapers in the lobby, a 24-hour front desk, and luggage storage. A roundtrip airport shuttle is provided for a surcharge (available 24 hours), and free self parking is available onsite.
Full breakfasts are available for a surcharge and are served each morning between 7 AM and 9:30 AM.
The Sanctuary at Tissawewa has a restaurant on site.
Room service (during limited hours) is available.

Languages

English

Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Parking and public transport

  • On-site parking available only on request
  • Free secured self-parking on site
  • 24-hour return airport shuttle (surcharge)
  • Airport shuttle on request
  • Local area shuttle (surcharge)

Food and drink

  • Full breakfast available for a fee daily 7 AM–9:30 AM: USD 7 for adults and USD 7 for children
  • 1 restaurant
  • Room service available

Things to do

  • Bike rentals
  • Playground
  • Spa services

Family friendly

  • Laundry facilities
  • Playground
  • Fridge
  • Separate dining area

Conveniences

  • Free newspapers in reception
  • Front-desk safe

Guest services

  • 24-hour front desk
  • Concierge services
  • Daily housekeeping
  • Laundry facilities
  • Luggage storage
  • Tour/ticket assistance
  • Turndown service

Outdoors

  • Garden
  • Picnic area
  • Terrace

Spa

  • Ayurvedic treatments
  • Facials
  • Massages

Accessibility

  • If you have any requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
  • This property does not have any lifts
  • Lever door handles
  • Upper floors accessible by stairs only
  • Well-lit path to entrance

More

  • Designated smoking areas

Room amenities

Bedroom

  • Air conditioning (climate-controlled)
  • Bed sheets
  • Ceiling fan
  • Premium bedding

Bathroom

  • Dressing gowns
  • Bath or shower
  • Bidet
  • Hairdryer (on request)
  • Private bathroom
  • Towels

Entertainment

  • 32-inch TV
  • Premium channels
  • Satellite channels

Food and drink

  • Dining room
  • Electric kettle
  • Free bottled water
  • Minibar
  • Fridge

More

  • Desk
  • Phone
  • Restaurant dining guide
  • Safe
  • Turndown service

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 2 PM; Check-in end time: midnight
Late check-in subject to availability
Minimum check-in age: 18

Check-out

Check-out before noon

Special check-in instructions

Front desk staff will greet guests on arrival

Access methods

Staffed front desk

Pets

No pets or service animals allowed

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome
Rollaway/extra beds are not available

Payment types

Important information

Optional extras

  • Fee for full breakfast: approximately USD 7 for adults and USD 7 for children
  • Airport shuttle fee: USD 110 per vehicle (one-way, maximum occupancy 3)

The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Guests must contact this property in advance to reserve onsite parking
This property accepts credit cards, debit cards, and cash

We should mention

This property does not have elevators
Reservations are required for spa treatments; reservations can be made by contacting the property prior to arrival, using the contact information on the booking confirmation
A fee for a mandatory Christmas Eve gala dinner is included in the total price displayed for stays on December 24
A fee for a mandatory New Year's Eve gala dinner is included in the total price displayed for stays on December 31
No pets and no service animals are allowed at this property

Property is also known as

Sanctuary Tissawewa Hotel Anuradhapura
Sanctuary Tissawewa Hotel
Sanctuary Tissawewa Anuradhapura
Sanctuary Tissawewa
Tissawewa Resthouse Anuradhapura
The Sanctuary at Tissawewa Hotel
The Sanctuary at Tissawewa Anuradhapura
The Sanctuary at Tissawewa Hotel Anuradhapura

The Sanctuary at Tissawewa Reviews

Reviews

8.0

Very good

Rating 10 - Excellent. 24 out of 78 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 37 out of 78 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 14 out of 78 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 1 out of 78 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 2 out of 78 reviews" "

8.0/10

Cleanliness

8.4/10

Staff & service

8.4/10

Amenities

7.8/10

Property conditions & facilities

Reviews

8/10 Good

Paul

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
Nice heritage hotel
Very quiet when we stayed so lacking atmosphere, particularly in the the restaurant. The service in the restaurant was excellent but reception was less helpful, except the lady who seemed to be the manager. Room was nice but could easily be updated to a much higher standard. Lots of monkeys, and they get up close, we quite enjoyed watching on our veranda but others might be put off by.
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2020

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Beautiful, well maintained colonial mansion in large, tree-filled grounds, close to archaeological museum and sacred sites. No traffic noise, plenty of birdsong. Furnishings appropriate to period. Plain and simple but quite luxurious in an old-fashioned way. Very helpful staff. Good but limited menu. No alcohol. Nearest shops in new town a couple of kilometres away. If you like old-fashioned, you will love it.
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2020

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Beautiful, well maintained colonial building set in large grounds on the edge of the sacred sites. No traffic noise, lots of birdsong in the morning. Plain and simple but luxurious in an old-fashioned way. Good bathrooms, wi-if OK. Good food, set meal times. Complimentary bicycle loan. Downsides: no alcohol, service rather slow, monkeys in grounds may decide to storm unlocked bedrooms. We loved this place.
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2020

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
I chose this hotel for may last 3 days travelling in Sri Lanka. It is not cheap but the old colonial charm of a repurposed goverrners mansion in a large private park was irrisistsble. On top of that, it is about the only hotel that is actually inside the ancient Buddhist city of Anuradhapura which makes visiting the sites much easier. The rooms are of the epoch so don't expect all the facilities of a modern chain hotel. Rooms are fairly small but with pretty much all you need and of course clean. Beds are with mosquito nets. There are, for me essential, a chair and writing desk and on the wide veranda there are chairs and tables for books from which to appreciate the park with its families of monkeys, peacocks, parrots an a resident eagle. Take binoculars. WIFI is free and available seemingly everywhere even if only advertised in the WIFI Zone in the veranda lounge by the front desk. The staff are helpful and will organise trips to the sites, though I had not required that. There is of course a restaurant with good food served for breakfast, lunch and dinner. One niggle I had with the service was waiters pouring my tea. Milk is always poured first , then the tea. They couldn't get the hang of that and not pouring didn't appear to be an option. The front desk were happy to change the large denomination notes served by ATMs into the lower values needed for tipping, riding the tuc-tucs, eating in restaurants, visiting sites etc. An altogether plesent stay.
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Business traveller
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Very atmospheric
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with family and small children
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
In the middle of a nice park with animals everywhere ! The staff is great and very helpful.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2019

8/10 Good

Joyce

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Lovely, relaxing place to stay
We stayed 3 nights mid April. The grounds are very impressive. The hotel is set back on a hugh front lawn with mature trees and wandering peacocks. Checkin was quick. We had a deluxe king room on the upper floor. There are only 5 rooms on the upper floor. Our room was spacious, had good AC and a decent bathroom with shower. Shower had good pressure and hot water. Towels were okay but not luxury. Bed was comfortable. Furniture dark wood style. Room lighting very good. Breakfast good but coffee was so-so. Sri Lanka is better known for its tea which we had out on the main floor verandah in the afternoon after coming back by tuk tuk from seeing the ancient ruins - just lovely. I would recommend this hotel. The staff are nice. The hotel is in a good location near to the sites. The front desk will arrange a driver or guide if you would like. They arranged for us to do a morning safari to Wilpattu N.P. We would go back.
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2019

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Proximity to places of interest.excellent service from the staff. The old world charm maintained with a lot of effort
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2019

8/10 Good

philip

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Authentic British era rest house
We really enjoyed our stay in this old government resthouse. The building felt very authentic and had a nice atmosphere. We stayed in the deluxe rooms on the first floor that were very comfortable. For those wanting luxury and alcohol this isn’t the place to come. It is a bit spartan but in a way this makes it feel more authentic. The grounds are really nice in front of the hotel. In the evening there is often a cricket game. The hotel is well situated next to the sacred city and about 4km from the new city.. overall a memorable experience
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2019

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Colonial administrators dwelling now an atmospheric hotel.
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2019

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2019

10/10 Excellent

SusanMcCalmont, Barrington, RI

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
This is a well maintained, beautifully restored historic hotel.
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2019

8/10 Good

Paul

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
This place is the Guv'nor
This old governor's house is a gem. Long verandas to chills out on and set in gorgeous gardens (with monkeys and peacocks). Food is very good and excellent warm service. Rooms and communal areas full of character and atmosphere. probably due for a refurbishment soon however. Free bike hire great for exploring the historic sites.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2019

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
The hotel was quite nice as it was an converted old colonial building.
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2019

6/10 Okay

ishara

Disliked: Cleanliness
Every thing was ok but just realised that I was charged twice. I was charged on my card but at checkout the reception said there was no payment. Paid cash after receiving my cred card bill noticed I was charged!! I wrote to hotels.com but no response! Very disappointed!!
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2018

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Liked: Staff & service
A property which has great potential. Location is great. Minor upgrades needed. Toilet door could not be locked and needs to be upgraded. Very friendly and accommodating staff. Comfortable bed.
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2018

8/10 Good

Sunimal

Liked: Staff & service
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2018

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Liked: Staff & service, room comfort
Stay 2 nights. First night everything was great. Second night, noise neighbor, no hot water, safe box doesnt work, and bath floor mat was dirty. First night 4.5 out or 5. Second night 3 out of 5.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2018

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Atmospheric and pleasant
Lovely atmospheric rooms - we were on the first floor which has just a few rooms. This was the British Governor's house. The hotel is perhaps the only one located in the old city in the middle of the ruins and many sites are just a walk/cycle ride away. The hotel offers old but complimentary bicycles to ride around Anuradhapura. It's a pity there's no swimming pool. The restaurant has a limited selection which is nice for a couple of meals but gets tiring thereafter.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2018

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
It really is a sanctuary
Lovely, calm setting and a delight to return after a day in the sun touring around the historical sights. Beautiful grounds. Helpful staff. Great food. Wifi doesn't work in Annex rooms, but no hardship to sit on the gracious balcony drinking mocktails and checking emails.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2018

10/10 Excellent

Corinna, Perth

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Staff very interested and informative. Free bike hire. Close to ancient temples etc. Close to the lake. Good dinner and very good breakfast. A lot of wildlife. Spacious grounds
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2018

6/10 Okay

Gareth

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Lovely hotel in a great location but no alcohol.
This is a lovely hotel in a great location for exploring the Sacred City and ruins. Staff are attentive and very helpful. The only reason for the lower rating is the hotel’s inability to serve alcohol. The reasons are understandable but this is not mentioned anywhere on this site or the hotel’s website. The guest should have the information in order to make an informed decision. Nothing like a cold beer after a day of cycling!
Stayed 2 nights in May 2018

4/10 Poor

John, Melbourne

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
Faded charm
The Sanctuary is an old style hotel that has seen better days. The staff generally wee keen to please, but communication was sometimes a problem. Food was OK, but we were disappointed we couldn't have wine with dinner there. While understanding it is in a sacred precinct, guide books had lead us to believe we could BYO. Drinking in one's room is not much fun. Anuradhapura is very hot at times and a pool would have been welcome. The best feature is the beautiful gardens.
Stayed 3 nights in May 2018

8/10 Good

Sarath, New Zealand

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Nice, convenient location within the sacred area. An old government rest house, not a modern hotel, but clean and spacious rooms, good food and very friendly and helpful staff. Colonial style building in spacious and tranquil grounds. Highly recommended for a relaxing stay. We enjoyed exploring the area using bicycles provided free of charge. Call hotel for directions as Google maps doesn't show the correct location.
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2018