From eco-lodges in the jungle, to glitzy five-star beach resorts, these are the best family-friendly hotels in Sri Lanka.
We’ve just returned from an amazing family trip to Sri Lanka. Our two-year-old toddler loved it as much as we did. We spent warm mornings on jeep safaris, afternoons relaxing on the beaches and enjoyed outings to temples, famous sights and characterful towns.
While we loved our days exploring, we also loved relaxing at hotels in between! Sri Lanka is an adventurous destination, so you’ll want to plot in plenty of downtime.
A huge perk of visiting Sri Lanka, is that the hotels are very reasonable. We only stayed in four and five star hotels, and most of them were under £100 per night. They all had lovely pools, decent breakfast buffets and offered cots or extra beds for kids. Some even had kids clubs, games rooms or children’s areas at the buffets!
In this guide I’ll give you a quick rundown of some of my favourite hotels in Sri Lanka for families. If you’re just starting to plan your trip, don’t miss my other family guides:
- Sri Lanka With Kids: Itinerary and Top Things To Do
- 10 Essential Tips For Travelling To Sri Lanka With A Baby Or Toddler
The Best Family-Friendly Hotels in Sri Lanka
Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams, Colombo
Located in the heart of Colombo, Cinnamon Life is a great place to kick off your Sri Lankan adventure. This brand-new five-star resort feels more like a mini city, with shops, entertainment, swimming pools and dining all under one roof.
We thought it was perfect for families. In fact, we saw so many parents with little ones here, it made us feel at home. We loved the swimming pool with the view of the Lotus Tower. While we didn’t have time to try out the Kids Club, it looked like somewhere our son would have loved!
We adored the breakfast and dinner buffet at this hotel. It’s one of the best we’ve ever experienced, with everything from Sri Lankan curries, to dim sum, sashimi, homemade ice cream, pastries and more! I also felt like staff went above and beyond to make our son feel welcome.
Cinnamon Lodge Habarana
Tucked away in the cultural triangle, Cinnamon Lodge is a peaceful retreat on the banks of banks of Habarana Lake. It’s close to Sigiriya, Pidurangala and the safari options within Minneriya National Park.
Surrounded by nature, the grounds were alive with playful monkeys swinging through the trees, lime green lizards on the trees and exotic birds darting through the air. It felt like the ideal escape for families seeking a touch of the wild. Our son was so excited to spot the monkeys each day. What a change from the squirrels in the park in England!
There’s a large swimming pool with a really lovely shallow area for smaller kids. There’s also a games room and a diverse buffet catering to all tastes. I’ve stayed at a few hotels close to Sigiriya, but I’d say this is the best option for a family adventure in the region.
Grand Kandyan, Kandy
If you’re looking for hotel in Kandy for you and your family, this is a good option. It’s extremely grand, but perhaps not in the most sophisticated of ways. Think glitzy chandeliers and colourful carpets! Still, it’s fun, and adds something different to your Sri Lanka experience.
Rooms are large and have balconies. They are spacious enough for extra beds or a cot (provided free of charge). There’s a rooftop pool too, and a large selection at the breakfast and dinner buffets. Its location makes exploring Kandy easy, while providing a calm space to relax at the end of a busy day.
Araliya Green City, Nuwara Eliya
If you’re taking the train from Kandy to the tea plantations, you might want to spend a day or two around Nuwara Eliya. We stayed at Araliya Green City, a four-star hotel close to the town centre.
Our room was very spacious and had plenty of room for a cot. However, I should mention the cot we were given was very small and rocked – not ideal for a wriggly toddler! There was also a small kitchenette and dining table within our room.
We didn’t have a chance to use the swimming pool, but it’s a great place for little ones to burn off some energy. The buffet at dinner and breakfast had a decent selection. Our son loved all the colourful cakes and desserts, while us parents loved the Sri Lankan curries and freshly-made naan breads!
EKHO Safari Tissa, Near Yala National Park
If spotting elephants and leopards is on your family’s wish list, this hotel is in an ideal location for safaris in Yala National Park. EKHO Safari Tissa overlooks Tissa Lake, giving you stunning sunrise views and plenty of birdlife right outside your room. There’s a ‘bird island’ in the water, where we were mesmerised by the huge flocks of birds enjoying the trees!
There are two outdoor swimming pools, one with a shallower depth for kids. There’s also a swing over the lake and several ponds in the reception area filled with frogs and colourful fish. It turned out we could show our son all the animals in the wild in Sri Lanka, but he was happiest when perched over that pond spotting fish!
Yala National Park is around 30 minutes away, and safari jeeps pick up from the hotel reception every day. I should add that Yala isn’t my favourite place to go on safari in Sri Lanka, but it’s a popular spot for families.
Eliyanth Udawalawe, Near Udawalawe National Park
This highly-rated boutique hotel is located a short drive from the entrance to Udawalawe National Park. I remember spotting it during my research and immediately loving its vibe. It’s got that cool treehouse-in-the-jungle look, with lots of wooden accents and floor-to-ceiling glass.
It didn’t disappoint! Our room was gorgeous, with massive windows overlooking lush greenery. And wow, nature was everywhere. There were lizards darting across the paths and colourful birds squawking in the trees. It felt like we were smack in the middle of the wild!
The staff also organised our safari in Udawalawe – one of our favourite experiences in Sri Lanka.
It’s a popular resort with families. We saw plenty staying there, enjoying the lovely swimming pool. It’s the cheapest of the family-friendly hotels in Sri Lanka that I’m recommending, and a good reminder that you don’t need to splurge to have an amazing experience!
Araliya Beach Resort & Spa, Unawatuna
We finished our most recent trip in the small beach town of Unawatuna. This coastal resort has a seafront lined with hotels, restaurants, juice bars and cafes. There were lots of families in the area.
This wouldn’t be my usual choice of hotel, as it’s quite a big resort. However, for families it really does tick all the boxes! It’s got two swimming pools by the beach, including a kids pool. It has a beach area, so you can relax on loungers while your kids play in the sand or the waves.
There’s a kids club and a daily schedule of family activities. The buffet has lots of variety for little ones including a kids station. There’s also a big playground with slides, climbing frames and swings.
Unawantuna is a short drive to Galle, ideal for a little sightseeing between beach days. It’s also a short drive from Mirissa, where you’ll find opportunities to go whale watching.
Before you book a family hotel in Sri Lanka
Your requirements will probably depend on the ages of your children, but here are a few things you might want to consider:
- Do you need cots or extra beds? Request these in advance. Cots aren’t always guaranteed at all hotels, so you may need to bring a travel cot.
- Do you need a high chair? Sometimes we found the options available weren’t safe for our son. We were glad we packed our travel high chair, which straps onto pretty much any seat.
- Kids clubs are available at some hotels in Sri Lanka. I’d recommend contacting the hotel in advance to find out if they require prior bookings.
- Some hotels offer babysitting services. Again, it’s best to enquire about services like this in advance and to read reviews to check you feel confident.
I hope you’ve found my guide helpful. We had an amazing trip with our family, I’m sure you will too!
Looking for more travel inspiration for visiting Sri Lanka? Check out these posts:
- The Perfect Two-Week Sri Lanka Itinerary: Beaches, Safari and Culture
- How To Spend 1 Week In Sri Lanka: 7-Day Itinerary
- Sri Lanka With Kids: Family Itinerary and Top Things To Do
- What To Wear In Sri Lanka For Women And Men: Sri Lanka Packing Guide
- 10 Essential Tips For Travelling To Sri Lanka With A Baby Or Toddler
- 7 Amazing Family-Friendly Hotels in Sri Lanka
- How To Plan A Safari In Udawalawe National Park, Sri Lanka
- The Best Honeymoon Hotels In Sri Lanka
- 9 Amazing Things To Do In Ella, Sri Lanka
- 16 Best Places To Stay In Ella, Sri Lanka
- 12 Best Places To Stay In Mirissa, Sri Lanka