La Veranda Di Serena

To say it is beachfront is an understatement! The waves come right up to the hotel! Gazing out to sea from the shared balcony is lovely, especially when a turtle comes swimming by. The villa is very pretty and is positioned on the coastal road (10 minutes walk to the main town areas or 3 min tuk tuk). It is on a small beach with rocky outcrops each side making it private, Swimming is possible but there are waves. Beach beds/towels are available. It is just around the corner to the main Unawatuna beach area, with it's multiple bars, restaurants, etc. The main beach can be lively at night with music etc from the beach bars. This villa is near enough to get involved should you wish, and also quiet enough should you not. Our room was a little compact, but everything worked, it was very clean and the bed was very comfortable. No real road noise but you will hear the sea. Quite mesmerising. Tea/coffee and a small fridge, A/C, safe, but no tv in our room. The owner and his family live adjacent. He and the staff are very friendly. Room made up daily should you wish. Breakfast overlooking the sea was good: European, with eggs, toast, jam, fruit and a very nice smoothie. Tea/Coffee. The owner can arrange trips if you wish and also provided our onward transport. Easy access by tuk tuk to Galle Fort and other surrounding areas. We enjoyed our stay at La Veranda di Serena.

Review for La Veranda di Serena: La Veranda di Serena is a very special place for me! In 2017, I had a random picture from the internet as my phone wallpaper—palm trees, sand, and the ocean. I loved looking at that picture, imagining myself there. In February 2018, my friends traveled with us to Sri Lanka and booked a room at La Veranda di Serena. When I arrived, I had this strange feeling that I’d been there before, but I couldn’t figure out why. Then I went up to the third floor, looked out from the balcony, and saw the exact view from my phone wallpaper! I still can’t believe it actually happened—it felt magical! This place is truly amazing, with breathtaking views. The owner of the hotel is incredibly friendly and attentive—huge thanks to him for making our stay so wonderful! And I must mention the breakfasts—they are absolutely divine!

Our stay was fantastic! I chose this hotel based on the glowing reviews, and they were absolutely spot on. It’s a charming boutique hotel with just seven rooms. The top-floor room we stayed in was incredibly spacious, featuring a generous living area. What stood out the most: 1. The owner personally manages the hotel and lives on-site. His hospitality was exceptional—he went above and beyond to ensure our comfort and assist with any requests. 2. The beach is literally steps away from the hotel (just 10 steps!). The rooms offer a stunning sea view, and you can even hear the soothing sound of the waves when the doors are open. Our kids loved heading straight to the beach every morning after breakfast.

The location is great, next to the Unawatuna beach. There is a small beach in front, but we didn't swim there because of the waves. There are many restaurants and shops nearby. The view from the terrace is fantastic. We went to the Jungle beach, a nice, small beach, but it was crowded with locals as we visited it on Sunday. The apartment is spotless; you have free coffee and tea, and a beer in the fridge for an additional charge of 750 rupias 🙂

Wow! We arrived early for our final 2 nights in Sri Lanka and were provided with beach towels so we could enjoy the sea whilst we waited for our room - having previously stayed in the heart of Unawatuna we felt truly spoilt to have the beach and sea outside the hotel to ourselves! By the time we got to our room the time on the beach and in the sea meant we really weren’t to worried about the room however it just got better - balcony overlooking the sea with comfortable chairs, a HOT shower (we hadn’t come across many in our 3 weeks) super soft towels, a comfortable bed, a fan and AC that worked and a stocked mini bar! The owner loves his hotel as much as we did telling us he had grown up with the palm tree that is growing out of the building, insisting it not be cut down when he changed the building from a restaurant to a hotel after the tsunami he instead build around it. Due to an early start we only had breakfast one morning however the fruit juice was the best we had during our time in Sri Lanka and the Sri Lankan omelet was done very well. Though away from the Main Strip of Unawatuna there are a few restaurants, shops, a ‘wine shop’ and dive shops within a short walk. The main strip is a quick trip in a Tuk tuk or a 15-20 walk.