Why House

What can I say. Stayed for 5 nights and had the most amazing time. Room was perfect. We had our 18 year old daughter who had the mezzanine which was a separate room with her own bathroom and completely separate from our room. Swimming pool is beautiful and there’s also a great mini gym which is perfect. Breakfast was perfect but it was the evening meals that really showed off the chefs talents. Giant prawns, perfectly balanced curries and probably the best tuna I’ve ever had. Staff were super friendly and couldn’t do enough for us. Our host Henrietta was amazing, always on hand to suggest an excursion. Henrietta and her team reminded me of why I enjoyed my 30 odd years in hospitality. Have to also mention the four legged star of the show who is under the impression that she is in charge of Why House! Don’t stay for 2 nights. Stay for at least 5. Relax by the pool, visit Galle, go on a safari and see a tea plantation. You will arrive a stranger and leave as one of the family.

It’s a beautiful property and my deluxe room was exceptional. The service was great and everyone working there was very friendly. The food was all absolutely delicious and it felt like nothing was too much trouble for the people working there. I felt very well looked after and my room was amazing.

We (granny, daughter and granddaughter) all loved our stay in Henrietta's beautiful and serene hotel. I say hotel, it was more like a stay with a friend in a tranquil home from home, surrounded by multiple trees and plants. We even saw monkeys one day. All our needs were catered for, even to finding some chocolate croissants for the three year-old. The food was locally sourced and freshly prepared with Henrietta overseeing the menus and trying new recipes. Afternoon tea could be taken in the shade by the pool. Coming back to Why House after a hectic trip out, was like coming home. Magical!

After a multi-stop tour round Sri Lanka we knew we wanted to end up at the Why House. Why? Tranquility, a warm welcome from Henrietta and the great staff, the beautiful environment and rooms, and the proximity to beaches and Galle. Our kids adore it and were so excited to be back. It didn’t disappoint. Henrietta greeted us like long lost friends, the food was even better than previous visits (the tuna and the Weligama chicken were sensational) and our double room villa near the pool was genuinely stunning. Things don’t stand still despite the timeless, elegant feel of the place - and since our last visit the gym had arrived plus Netflix in the rooms (not that we spent much time there). The atmosphere and easy nature of the place are impossible to better. Nothing is any trouble, you can be as sociable or antisocial as you want to be, you can chill for the day and eat all meals there, or can just use it as a base. All in all it’s a slice of heaven at the tip of a magical island. We are already planning to return in two years time.

It’s safe to say we couldn’t have enjoyed our time at Why House any more than we did. The idyllic setting – surrounded by luscious Sri Lankan greenery and drenched in sunlight – was everything we could’ve hoped for for an incredibly relaxing stay. The staff were as hospitable as they come, and they were particularly sweet with my 1-year old baby and my friends’ 9-month old. The food was delicious and it was unsurprising to hear that the proprietor trained at Le Cordon Bleu. Beyond orchestrating the food, she was a wonderful host and looked after us attentively and thoughtfully, adding so much to our experience. We can’t wait to return.

De locatie is schitterend. Mooie grote kamers en badkamer met airco, heerlijk zwembad met voldoende ligbedden in de schaduw en het ontbijt is fantastisch. De gastvrouw is ook echt geweldig en als je hier verblijft, doe zeker ook een keer het dinner mee. Beste dinner dat wij hebben gehad op Sri Lanka!