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Laya Safari

4.0 star property
Family-friendly beachfront location with outdoor pool

Photo gallery for Laya Safari

Front of property
Front of property
Front of property - evening/night
Beach bar
Jungle Retreat (Standard Double Room)

Reviews

7.8 out of 10
Good

Popular amenities

  • Bar
  • All-inclusive
  • Spa
  • Pool
  • Gym
  • Breakfast available
The current price is NZ$231
includes taxes & fees
25 July - 26 July

Explore the area

Map
Palatupana, Yala, Thissamaharama
  • Palatupana Beach
  • Yala National Park
    ‪9 min drive‬
  • Kirinda Beach
    ‪20 min drive‬

Room options

View all photos for Jungle Retreat (Standard Double Room)

Jungle Retreat (Standard Double Room)

Jungle Retreat (Standard Double Room)

Highlights

Balcony or patio
Separate sitting area
Air conditioning
Flat-screen TV
Down duvet
Premium bedding
Blackout curtains
Private bathroom
  • 57 sq m
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 Queen Bed

View all photos for Deluxe Double Room with Balcony and Sea View

Deluxe Double Room with Balcony and Sea View

Deluxe Double Room with Balcony and Sea View

8.0 out of 10
Very good
(2 reviews)

Highlights

Balcony or patio
Separate sitting area
Private plunge pool
Air conditioning
Flat-screen TV
Down duvet
Premium bedding
Blackout curtains
  • 61 sq m
  • Sea view
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 Queen Bed and 1 Single Bed

About the area

Palatupana

A family-friendly stay in Palatupana awaits you at Laya Safari. You'll be 4.3 km (2.7 mi) from Yala National Park and 7.2 km (4.5 mi) from Palatupana Beach. Highlights at this beachfront hotel include a restaurant, an outdoor swimming pool and free self-parking. .The hotel's own lounge bar and beach bar are nice places to enjoy a drink. Spend the day at the beach where you'll find sunloungers, and enjoy the on-site gym and kids' swimming pool. Business amenities include meeting rooms and a business centre. Additionally, you'll find free Wi-Fi in public areas, a coffee shop/cafe and massage/treatment rooms. Each morning full breakfast is served between 7:30 AM and 10:00 AM. There's also the convenience of an airport shuttle. .Places within a 30-minute drive of this 4-property class Palatupana hotel include Kirinda Temple and Kirinda Beach.

What's nearby

  • Yala National Park - 9 min drive - 5.2 km
  • Kirinda Beach - 20 min drive - 14.5 km
  • Kirinda Temple - 20 min drive - 14.5 km
  • Tissa Lake - 29 min drive - 23.6 km
  • Kataragama Temple - 49 min drive - 43.3 km

Restaurants

  • ‪restaurant@jetwingyala - ‬7 min walk
  • ‪Bar at Jetwing Yala - ‬7 min walk
  • ‪Roof Top Bar @ Cinnamon Wild Yala - ‬10 min drive
  • ‪Main Restaurant - ‬7 min walk
  • Laya Safari - Restaurant

About this property

Laya Safari

Family-friendly beachfront location with outdoor pool
Some rates at Laya Safari are all-inclusive. These rates include on-site meals and beverages, and may include taxes and gratuities. Additional charges may apply for meals at some restaurants, special dinners and dishes, certain beverages and other amenities.

Lie back and work on your tan with relaxing beach amenities, such as umbrellas and sunloungers. After a day at the beach, enjoy amenities at Laya Safari such as an outdoor pool, a children's pool and a fitness centre.

Along with a restaurant, there's a coffee shop/cafe on site. You can enjoy a drink at one of the bars, which include a beach bar, a poolside bar and a bar/lounge. WiFi is free in public spaces. This beach hotel also offers a garden and a terrace. Free self parking is available.

Smoking is allowed in designated areas at this 4-star Palatupana hotel.

  • 22 guestrooms or units
  • 2 levels
  • 15 buildings
  • Conference rooms
  • Built in 2012
  • Beach lounge chairs
  • Towels for the beach
  • Umbrellas for the beach
  • Cabanas by the pool (free)
  • Poolside lounge chairs
  • Umbrellas for the pool
  • Business facilities
  • Breakfast available (surcharge)
  • Dry cleaning
  • Self-service laundry
  • Front desk (24 hours)
  • Express check-out
  • Storage area for luggage
  • Front desk safe
  • Tour and ticket information
  • Concierge
  • Pool or billiards table
  • Terrace
  • Garden
  • BBQ grill(s)
  • Newspapers for purchase
  • Lift
  • Smoking in designated areas
  • Locker space
  • Bar or lounge
  • Bar on the beach
  • Coffee shop
  • Bar by the pool
  • Dining venue
Laya Safari offers 22 accommodations with minibars and a safe. Rooms open to balconies or patios. This accommodation offers separate sitting areas and includes desks. Beds feature down duvets and premium bedding. Flat-screen televisions come with satellite channels.

Bathrooms include a separate bath and shower with a deep soaking bath and a rainfall showerhead. Bathrooms are also outfitted with bathrobes, slippers and complimentary toiletries. Guests can surf the web using complimentary wireless Internet access. Additionally, rooms include complimentary bottles of water and coffee/tea makers. An iron/ironing board and hairdryers can be requested. A nightly turndown service is provided and housekeeping is offered on a daily basis.

Guests can pamper themselves by indulging in the on-site spa services. There are 2 treatment rooms including rooms for couples and outdoor treatment areas.

Languages

English, Hindi, Russian

Similar properties

2 restaurants, breakfast, lunch, dinner served; local cuisine

Jetwing Yala

  • Pool
  • Spa
  • Kids pool
  • Parking included
4.6 out of 5, Wonderful, 145 reviews
The price is NZ$331
includes taxes & fees
9 July - 10 July
Jetwing Yala

Property amenities

Internet

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

Parking and transport

  • Return airport shuttle (surcharge)
  • Free self parking on site
  • Wheelchair-accessible parking available

Food and drink

  • Daily full breakfast available 7:30 AM to 10:00 AM for a fee: USD 14 for adults and USD 10 for children
  • A bar/lounge
  • A beach bar
  • A coffee shop/cafe
  • A poolside bar
  • A restaurant
  • Couples/private dining

Things to do

  • Beach volleyball
  • Billiards/pool table
  • Children's pool
  • Gym
  • Outdoor pool
  • Playground
  • Private wine tours

Family friendly

  • Children's pool
  • Laundry facilities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Playground
  • Rollaway/extra bed (surcharge)

Conveniences

  • 24-hour front desk
  • Laundry facilities
  • Lockers
  • Luggage storage
  • Newspapers in lobby
  • Safe at front desk

Guest services

  • Concierge services
  • Dry cleaning/laundry service
  • Housekeeping (daily)
  • Proposal/romance packages
  • Tour and ticket assistance
  • Turndown service

Business services

  • Business centre
  • Meeting rooms

Outdoors

  • Barbecue grill
  • Beach loungers
  • Beach towels
  • Beach umbrellas
  • Free pool cabanas
  • Garden
  • On the beach
  • Pool loungers
  • Pool umbrellas
  • Terrace

Spa

  • 2 treatment rooms
  • Couples treatment rooms
  • Outdoor treatment areas

Accessibility

  • If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
  • Lift
  • Wheelchair-accessible parking
  • Wheelchair-accessible path of travel

More

  • 15 buildings
  • 2 floors
  • Banquet hall
  • Built in 2012
  • Designated smoking areas

Room amenities

Bedroom

  • Blackout drapes
  • Down comforter
  • Premium bedding
  • Rollaway/extra bed (surcharge)

Bathroom

  • Deep soaking bathtub
  • Dressing gowns
  • Free toiletries
  • Hair dryer (on request)
  • Private bathroom
  • Rainfall showerhead
  • Separate bathtub and shower
  • Slippers
  • Towels provided

Entertainment

  • Flat-screen TV with satellite channels

Food and drink

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Electric kettle
  • Free bottled water
  • Limited room service
  • Minibar

More

  • Air conditioning (climate-controlled)
  • Desk
  • Iron/ironing board on request
  • Safe
  • Separate sitting area

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 2 PM; check-in end time: midnight
Minimum check-in age - 16

Check-out

Check-out before noon
Late check-out subject to availability
A late check-out fee will be charged
Express check-out available

Special check-in instructions

Front desk staff will greet guests on arrival at the property

Access methods

Staffed front desk

Pets

  • Pets and service animals are not allowed at Laya Safari

Children and extra beds

  • Children are welcome.
  • Kids stay free! Up to 2 children 1 year old and younger stay free when using existing bedding.
  • Rollaway/extra beds are available for USD 10 per night.
  • Cots (infant beds) are not available.

Payment types

Important information

Fees

Guests will be asked to pay the following charges at the property:

  • Christmas Eve (24 December) Gala Dinner per adult: USD 60
  • Christmas Eve (24 December) Gala Dinner per child: USD 30 (from 3 to 11 years old)
  • New Year's Eve (31 December) Gala Dinner per adult: USD 60
  • New Year's Eve (31 December) Gala Dinner per child: USD 30 (from 3 to 11 years old)

We've listed all charges provided to us by the property.

Optional extras

The fees and deposits listed below will be charged at the time of service, check-in, or check-out.

  • Fee for full breakfast: from approximately USD 14 for adults and from USD 10 for children
  • Late check-out is available for a fee (subject to availability)
  • Rollaway bed fee: USD 10 per night

This may not be a comprehensive list. Fees and deposits are subject to change and might not include tax.

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
The name on the credit card used at check-in to pay for incidentals must be the primary name on the guestroom reservation
This property accepts credit cards, debit cards and cash
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a smoke detector, a security system and a first aid kit
This property has outdoor spaces, such as balconies, patios and terraces, which may not be suitable for children; if you have any concerns, we recommend contacting the property prior to your arrival to confirm that they can accommodate you in a suitable room
Charges for extra guests may apply and vary according to property policy.
A cash deposit, credit card or debit card for incidental charges and government-issued photo identification may be required upon check-in.
Special requests are subject to availability at the time of check-in. Special requests can't be guaranteed and may incur additional charges.
    This property is managed by a professional host. The provision of housing is linked to their trade, business or profession. This property has outdoor spaces, such as balconies, patios and terraces, which may not be suitable for children. If you have any concerns, we recommend contacting the property prior to your arrival to confirm that they can accommodate you in a suitable room. The name on the credit card used at check-in to pay for incidentals must be the primary name on the guest room reservation. This property accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express, debit cards and cash.
    For guests' safety, the property includes a fire extinguisher, a smoke detector, a security system and a first aid kit in all accommodation.

We should mention

  • Reservations are needed for spa treatments. For reservations, contact the hotel before arrival using the contact information on the booking confirmation.
  • Up to 2 children aged 1 year old and younger stay free in the same room as the parent or guardian when using existing bedding.
  • Pets and service animals are not allowed on site.

Property is also known as

Laya Safari Hotel Kirinda
Laya Safari Hotel
Laya Safari Kirinda
Laya Safari
Laya Safari Hotel Palatupana
Laya Safari Hotel Tissamaharama
Laya Safari Tissamaharama
Hotel Laya Safari Tissamaharama
Tissamaharama Laya Safari Hotel
Hotel Laya Safari
Laya Safari Hotel
Laya Safari Tissamaharama
Laya Safari Hotel
Laya Safari Thissamaharama
Laya Safari Hotel Thissamaharama

Frequently asked questions

What is the cancellation policy at Laya Safari?

Laya Safari offers free cancellation on select room rates. Check out the cancellation policy for more info.

How much does it cost to stay at Laya Safari?

As of 1 Jul 2025, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at Laya Safari on 25 Jul 2025 start from NZ$231.22, including taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.

Is parking available at Laya Safari?

Yep, Laya Safari has a free self car park.

Are there any beaches close to Laya Safari?

The closest beach to Laya Safari is Palatupana Beach (0.5 km).

Is there a spa on site at Laya Safari?

There's no onsite spa, but this property does offer services like beachside massages.

Does Laya Safari have a pool?

Laya Safari has an outdoor pool and a kids' pool. Grab your bathers and lounge poolside while enjoying in a complimentary pool cabana and under the shade of an umbrella.

What makes Laya Safari a romantic place to stay?

Couples spa treatments and winery tours, as well as deep-soaking baths and premium bedding in the guestrooms, help set the scene for a romantic weekend at Laya Safari.

Is Laya Safari family-friendly?

You bet! With amenities such as a children's pool, a playground and laundry facilities, it's no surprise that Laya Safari is a hit with families.

Are there hot tubs in the rooms at Laya Safari?

No, but there are deep-soaking baths in the guestrooms.

Does Laya Safari serve breakfast?

Yep, full breakfast is offered daily between 7:30 AM and 10:00 AM.

Is there a free airport shuttle available at Laya Safari?

No, but there's an airport shuttle for a fee.

Is there a bar or restaurant at Laya Safari?

Yep, they've got a lounge bar and an onsite restaurant.

What time are check-in & check-out at Laya Safari?

Check-in begins at 2 PM. Check-out time is noon.

Are pets allowed at Laya Safari?

No, pets and service animals are not allowed.

Laya Safari Reviews

Reviews

7.8

Good

Rating 10 - Excellent. 62 out of 148 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 41 out of 148 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 19 out of 148 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 14 out of 148 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 12 out of 148 reviews

8.0/10

Cleanliness

8.4/10

Staff & service

6.6/10

Amenities

7.2/10

Property conditions & facilities

4.8/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

2/10 Terrible

Maciej

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Amenities, property conditions & facilities
Avoid. Derelict, ghost hotel, with crumbling infrastructure. Although staff are nice and helpful. Stayed March 2025.

2/10 Terrible

Michael

Travelled with family
Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
DO NOT STAY HERE. This is not a four star hotel. However they charge that way. Our room was filthy when we checked in. It did not looked like it had been cleaned in over a month. No hot water in main shower head. Electricity went out in middle of the night. Blinds broke and fell from wall leaving dust and dead bugs everywhere. The pictures told a story of a beautiful resort. It is no longer that. I have never written a bad review before. When we complained to the GM on departure (after telling staff of issues throughout stay) he was rude and told us we should have complained earlier. The Sri Lankan people are beautiful, this man was not. There is an advertised spa service that does not exist. The staff also did not honor the Expedia Gold Status deal we signed up for. AVOID, AVOID, AVOID.
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2025

2/10 Terrible

charlotte

Disliked: Staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities

2/10 Terrible

Jason

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Worst hotel I have stayed in my life. The shower was barely working, the place was dirty and smelled bad. If it wasn’t for the fact that my boyfriend and I arrived super late, we would have never stayed even one night there! I don’t recommend at all
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2025

6/10 Okay

Steven

Travelled with group
Liked: Staff & service, room comfort
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities

Great location for safari

Great location to Yala park for safaris and as soon as we arrived they booked this for us and arranged that we had a breakfast to take due to the early start. Nice pool. It is a really nice hotel but looks like it hasn’t been updated in many years, such as a snooker table with many tares on it. Room could have been cleaner. At checkout the staff member asked us to review for them when we were still there which I didn’t like so didn’t do.
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2025

2/10 Terrible

ramin

Stayed 1 night in Jan 2025

2/10 Terrible

Priya

Disliked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2024

6/10 Okay

Lalith

Travelled with partner
Didnleave the hotel after 1 day because of hot water issue
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2024

10/10 Excellent

Andie

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
I'll start by saying we would definitely stay here again! The property manager was a very friendly and interesting man and very helpful along with the other staff members and the rooms were incredibly spacious with a great view of the ocean! My only recommendations to the owners would be to really play up the view of the rooms and make sure the blinds are up and windows facing the ocean are freshly cleaned. Having chose this hotel over others mainly because of the amazing windows it was a little disappointing to find out that a lot of the blinds no longer worked and couldn't be opened all the way. We were there during slow season so it was very quiet and not all the facilities were open but I can imagine it's a lot of fun when it's more full. We enjoyed the quiet though. The hotel has lots going on as well, atv dune rides, swing bar, infinity pool, and very soon horses for beach and jungle rides! And the proximity to Yala is perfect. They even have a resident elephant that might wander through while you're there! I would definitely recommend this hotel!
Stayed 3 nights in May 2024

4/10 Poor

Radhika

Stayed 1 night in Jan 2024

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort

Visiting Yala

We stayed here for four nights to visit Yala. The hotel is less than 10 minutes drive to the park. The service, and friendliness of the staff is superb. The view from the rooms, pool, and restaurant was beautiful. We could hear the waves crashing from our room. The wooden decks are definitely in need of replacement due to exposure to the salty ocean air, but the interior of our room was nice and comfortable. A lot of the rooms look like they were being upgraded during our stay as well.
Stayed 4 nights in Mar 2020

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2020

10/10 Excellent

eannine, Brentwood

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Amazing views, great food, friendly staff. The only downside is the hotel is a little tired but I would still recommend.
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2020

6/10 Okay

Lei, Vancouver, Canada

Travelled with family
Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Entire place is old and run down. Repairs are desperately needed. Restaurant staff were standoff-ish and certainly not inclined to move faster than a snail. Really very disappointed in this place.
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2020

4/10 Poor

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, room comfort
Disliked: Staff & service
Wildly overpriced with terrible food and relatively unclean premises.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2019

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Travelled with group
Liked: Staff & service
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2020

4/10 Poor

Charlotte

Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2020

2/10 Terrible

Tanja

Travelled with group
Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

2*, at MOST

The lenght of this review is directly related to my level of annoyance and irritation. 1. ROOMS The room advertised online /surrounding views is literally one of the 22 rooms - the other 21 has blinds around the entire place or everyone would look directly into their neighbours rooms. The shower also inexplicably has blinds - which has a nice gathering of black mould. Everything else in the room is old and shabby - shabby 'white' mats next to the bed, stained mustard couches, frayed towels. The bathroom window was so dirty you could barely see outside. The porch is worn out and faded, as well as the furniture. 2 pillows on the bed, with an additional 2 in the closet, sans pillow covers. The icetray was broken with hair in - still waiting for a replacement. Also the aircon was leaking and only one bedside lamp was working. 2. STAFF The young staff mean well, but has clearly not had any training - english is v v basic which can get rather frustrating. Also v unproffesional with check-in as they kept chatting in Sinhalese (I assume) and giggling like teenagers. On the first morning we returned to a dirty room at 1pm - when we called reception they informed us that we had our "Do not disturb" sign on the door - a tad impossible as we didn't even have one in the room. Also not ideal to walk out of your room and then have to step over 4 pairs of shoes that the cleaners have kicked of in front of your door. Room service is also a shambles- the wrong thing arr - see rest on TripAd
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2019

10/10 Excellent

DTLAdj, los angeles

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Perfect location for a Yala safari. Super clean rooms and soft mattress.
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2019

8/10 Good

Constan

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

zing Jungle life experince

Amazing jungle life experience. Excellent beautiful hotel. Only issue was staff not picking up the phone and service was not good.
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2019

8/10 Good

J

Travelled with family
Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
Needs upkeep and modernisation. Staff are excellent though.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2019

10/10 Excellent

Diane

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Fantastic base for a safari, lots of wildlife

Stunning location right on the beach, noone else around. The room was fab, second/third floors so great view from the balcony, sunset especially. Not many guests while we were there so dinner was table d'hote, several choices, all were tasty, well presented, fresh and plentiful. Staff friendly ans attentive. Best bit is wild elephant who seems to regularly roam around the grounds, eating the palm fronds and drinking the lily pond! Also saw boar, hares, iguana, plenty birds in grounds.
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2019

2/10 Terrible

Verified traveller

Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2019

10/10 Excellent

Andre

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Wonderful location. Service excellent.
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2019

8/10 Good

Deepak

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2019