Reading all the reviews in advance, most of them did say that they wished they had been able to stay longer... I think Sri Lanka is just that king of place though - maybe on a 2nd or 3rd visit, but a first time visitor usually has a fairly fast paced itinerary to follow...

We arranged the airport pick up and our driver was waiting for us - with lovely cool bottles of water (in their own reusable bottles as they have a no-single-use-plastic policy) and a nice air-con 4x4 to take us on the short drive to the hotel. Our first sights of Sri Lanka and it made us all smile - cows in the road, colourful tuk-tuks and friendly people. It was great to drive through the smaller back roads instead of heading straight onto the busier main roads.

And then the hotel - wow! The bathrooms are amazing... the family suite we had was amazing... the grounds, gardens, pool and restaurant were amazing. Unfortunately after a long connecting overnight flight, we had a lovely lunch and a swim, and then crashed out for the whole afternoon which felt like a waste...

After a lovely shower we headed for a drink on the terrace and the stunning sunset - accompanied by fruit bats. The waiters showed us how to play the traditional board game of carrom before a really enjoyable dinner. We then had a look round the hotel and off to bed, such a comfortable bed ensured that we all slept well, despite the good sleep in the afternoon too.

My first taste of a traditional Sri Lankan breakfast the following day was a highlight! And before we knew it, it was time to leave.

The weather - I was a bit worried about the forecast, but we had lovely hot sunshine during the morning - it clouded over in the afternoon and then heavy rain and thunder at night. It was perfect to be honest.

If you've just landed in Sri Lanka or have a day to spare before leaving, I'd highly recommend booking a stay at The Walawwa - it's located just 15-20 mins away from the airport. It's secluded, peaceful and absolutely beautiful in terms of space and surrounding. The food was an absolute delight - super yummy and wholesome! One thing - the cheesecake was a bit off and the house-made ice-cream hadn't been churned in a long time so I wouldn't recommend those two items. I would however, suggest you give the crab curry a try - YUM!!! Service is pretty good too and the rooms are large, spacious and comfortable. Can't wait to go back :)