Areas for Improvement: The Bed: The bed was comfortable but on the firm side and a bit short. It was pushed against the wall, making it awkward for two people. Lighting: The curtains didn't fully block the light, and an uncovered window with an outside light stayed on all night, which was a bit distracting. Bathroom: A few more hooks would be a helpful addition.

The Good: Location: Great spot, just outside the busiest parts of town. Host: Nilmini was an exceptionally friendly and helpful host, who even arranged a tuk-tuk for our sightseeing. Cleanliness: Both the room and bathroom were small but very clean. Sleep Quality: Despite being on a suburban road, the thick walls and effective AC made for a wonderfully quiet and cool night. Shower: Excellent water pressure and temperature. Breakfast: Absolutely delicious!

Stayed in August 2025

Noisy AC. No curtains. Sheet too small to properly make the bed.

Basic accommodation with good food.

Stayed in July 2025

We had some wonderful days at Goalma Family. A warm and heartfelt welcome. The family is very helpful and always willing to think along with you. From here, we did a day trip to Wilpattu, everything was arranged for us. Delicious food. Truly a top recommendation

Stayed in July 2025

Very nice place to stay

Stayed in July 2025

Great food and very helpful host

Stayed in July 2025

The place was simple yet super clean. We had a great few nights sleep here. It was super comfy. Anil, the owner is such a helpful and genuine guy. He was a great help to us. Breakfast was great too !!

Stayed in July 2025

Absolutely nothing.

The host is very very helpful. He made our stay absolutely wonderful. He arranged good activities for us: safari and guided tour to the city. Found the best guides and drivers. We absolutely loved the food. Last but not least the rooms are very comfortable. We had a modern newly renovated bathroom.

Stayed in July 2025

Nothing

Calm & quiet place. Very well maintained. The room was good. The staff were good and supportive.

Stayed in July 2025

Goalma Family Holiday Resort & Restaurant is a lovely, small accommodation run by a welcoming family. After a long drive, we received a very warm welcome and were even able to order authentic and delicious food for the evening. The hotel is very close to the temples in Anuradhapura. The rooms are nicely arranged, clean and equipped with everything you need (including air conditioning). We were especially impressed by the delicious breakfast. They served us string hoppers as well as plain and egg hoppers, but there were also other delicious items on the table. All in all, it was a very nice stay with a lovely family.

Stayed in June 2025

Arriving to find an all-day city wide power-cut, which meant no AC, or anywhere to eat until power was restored later in the evening. Whilst this was outside the control of the host, it effectively lost me a day as I was unable to do some work I had planned ahead of my next stage of travel, plus I was hungry. Whilst I understand it's the low season, a lot of work was taking place around the outdoor seating area, which didn't make it very comfortable for relaxing.

I chose to stay in Anuradhapura as it was where I needed to catch my train to Jaffna and would offer me a chance to visit some of the local temples prior to making my way further north. It's about 1.5hrs from Sigiriya by car which was perfect. The accommodation met my requirements which a good size, very comfortable room and bed. The bathroom was spotless and the shower was perfect. The AC and ceiling fan as an option were welcomed. It's a quiet location and the host was welcoming, offering me a fruit platter in light of the city wide power-cut. The WiFi was welcomed once power was restored as it meant I could make arrangements for the next part of my journey north. Breakfast was fine.

Stayed in June 2025

The owner was absolutely lovely and helpful.

Stayed in May 2025

Not much

Good friendly helpful host who suggested good places to visit. Room was clean and beds comfortable and the breakfast was exceptional! Overall a great place to stay

Stayed in April 2025

Perfect for an overnight stay, had everything that was needed including water bottles and hot water in the bathroom.

Stayed in March 2025

Great host beautiful city, lovely people

Stayed in March 2025

The owner continued to push me to take a private car even when I told them repeatedly I was taking the bus to Dambulla. He did this three times.

Food, ambience, comfort, cleanliness = all 10/10.

Stayed in March 2025

no objections

Incredibly nice service, great atmosphere, delicious food, clean rooms and a sincere smile from the Lady who served us.

Stayed in March 2025

This is an outstanding family run guesthouse and would be my only choice for a return to Anuradhapura. An absolute highlight is the kind hearted and affable owner - Anil. He is both meticulous and conscientious in his service and nothing is too much trouble for him. My room (101) which catches the beautiful Sri Lankan sunrise was cosy, comfortable and clean. It is very quiet at night so you’re assured a good nights sleep. The included breakfast is delicious (the coconut and honey pancakes are amazing) and substantial. Lunch and dinner are also available and receive glowing reviews. The guesthouse is perfectly located between the new city and the sacred ancient city. Many restaurants and amenities are within easy walking distance. English speaking Anil is also able to advise and arrange various sightseeing trips at very reasonable prices, including safaris to Wilpattu National Park. I cannot recommend Goalma Family Holiday Resort & Restaurant highly enough. As it is a small guesthouse (formerly Anil’s family home) I would advise booking ahead to avoid disappointment. Everything about my stay was perfect and I could not have asked for more. I stayed for three very comfortable nights and my only regret is that I could not stay for longer. Thank you!!

Stayed in March 2025

Super place to stay,really helpfull family and really good food for breakfast and dinner. Thank you again.

Stayed in March 2025

Our room had no windows

Lots of information ,services & advice from the owner and a large tasty breakfast

Stayed in March 2025

No complaints. Simple place which covers your needs while in Anuradhapura.

-Anil (the manager) is super helpful, kind, and accomodating of special requests. He even took me to a nice lunch spot and the train station when I left -The breakfast is amazing and very generous. You will be given the leftovers packed as a snack. Dinner was also delicious. -The rooms and bathroom were clean and the bed is comfy. Dont leave any food lying about though -> ants -The area is quite and seemed pretty safe. There is also a nice outdoor seating area which you can enjoy -The staff are helpful and professional (shout out to Dan) -Value for money is on point

Stayed in February 2025

This was a great find, a lovely relaxed atmosphere with a very attentive host. The breakfast was enormous and delicious, we also ate in the evenings and it was very tasty. We were well situated for the ancient city and only a 45 minute drive to Wilpattu.

Stayed in February 2025

Nothing

Great place to stay in Anuradhapura! Nice and clean rooms, wonderfull service, great breakfast and dinner. As mentioned in the other reviews Anil is a great host. He is friendly, respectfull, informs you about the sights and if you want you can book a tour with him to Wilpattu national park or around the city. He really wants the best for his guests. For example, I got scratced quite badly by a monkey at Minhitale (tip; don’t eat a sandwich there, they will charge you immediately and try and steal in from you). So, I had to go to the hospital to get a booster vaccination for Rabies. Anil went with me three times and helped me navigate through the chaos of a govermental Sri Lankan hospital (the only place they have vaccines). If it wasn’t for him it would have been a real challenge. Thanks again Anil! His family place is an absolute recommondation to stay at!

Stayed in February 2025

Nothing

Great value for the money. The host, Anil, was of great service, he arranged our Wilpattu safari, our visit to Mihintale, bike rental, and our drive to Sigiriya. He was also a great source of information for things to do and things to see. I definitely recommend this place. Anil was so helpful and warm. He welcomed us and did everything he could to make our stay so wonderful.

Stayed in February 2025

Nothing. All great.

Excellent place to stay in Anuradhapura. Clean rooms, good bathrooms, fantastic breakfasts. Best of all is the owner who goes out of his way to make sure that you get a tailor-made experience in Anuradhapura, all for a very competitive price. You really feel that he wants the best for his guests. Highly recommended.

Stayed in February 2025