Name: Rathna Gems Halt
Address: 153/47/5, Outer Circular Road, 70000, Ratnapura, Sri Lanka, Ratnapura, Ratnapura, Ratnapura, 70000, Sri Lanka
Rating: 8

Air conditioning

Currency exchange

Terrace

Private check-in/check-out

General

Room service

Rooms

Laundry

Luggage storage

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Breakfast

Breakfast in the room

Restaurant

Bottled water (at extra charge)

Meals

Free Wi-Fi

Internet

Car rental

Airport transportation

Transfer

Parking

Pets Not Allowed

Pets

Location

At the hotel

Castlereigh Reservoir Waterdrome

Bentota River Airport

Rathna Gems Halt

Ratnapura

child-bed

child-bed-fee

external-private-bathroom

private-bathroom

shared-bathroom

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limited-time

lounge

treatment

no-window

bay-view

bosphorus-view

canal-view

city-view

courtyard-view

garden-view

golf-view

harbour-view

inland-view

lake-view

land-view

mountain-view

ocean-front

ocean-view

oceanside

panoramic-view

park-view

partial-ocean-view

partial-sea-view

partial-view

pool-view

river-view

sea-front

sea-view

street-view

sunrise-view

sunset-view

water-view

with-view

annex

basement

main-building

1-bedroom

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not-guaranteed

wired-internet-access

smoking

sauna

duplex

safe

mini-bar

breakfast-for-1

breakfast-for-2

pets-allowed

wi-fi

kitchen

We stayed in Ratnapura for a short while to check out the gem capital, and it was a great experience. The rooms are great value, and the owner is super nice and friendly. He also offers tours to the facilities around the area, and gem cutting classes. Highly recommended.

Great place, friendly staff, highly recommended.

I visited this place two times on my Lanka-trip, both for a couple days. The place is just simply amazing. Thought I rented the cheapest room, I felt so comfortable. The staff is so nice, welcoming and they are expert of gemstones, have an amazing collection (with no push to buy, but they have reasonable prices). You can also get a gem-cutting course here.
The view from the common areas and upper rooms are beautiful and the place has a good vibe.
The guesthouse is on a hill whitch is 15mins far from the bus stand by foot, also a nice walk. Or you can get a tuktuk quite cheap.
The food is delicious and huge portion, reasonably priced.
If you love gems I definitely recommend you to stay here at least for 2-3 days, best base to go mine-trips and learn about gemstones.

Calm and stylish stay in Lanka

Affordable, big rooms, attentive staff, hot water and traditional Sri Lankan breakfast. 

We were recommended this place as an alternative to modern hotels, and as an example of an extant colonial rest house in Sri Lanka. 

The building is massively built and for all the space there are only 12 rooms, meaning that each room is vast (upstairs). We paid 4000 rupees with breakfast included, so about £22. 

The room had a/c and hot water though was in need of renovation with some fixtures worse for wear of broken.

The drinks are reasonably priced and the traditional breakfast delicious.

Authentic

We really enjoyed our stay here. We stayed in the cheapest rooms that everyone says are awful and we found it really pleasant. Extremely clean, nice ambiance, amazing view. The owner is passionate about gems and is very helpful and honest. 

Food was also great.

Can't really fault this place!

Unsure why this place has bad reviews.

We are confused about the negative reviews- we had a wonderful stay for a great price. Clean, delicious food, beautiful view- we "splurged" and got the upper level rooms with a/c and hot water- (which, mind you, was priced at half the cost of most places we have been in Sri Lanka. We've been traveling now for 1 month.)
We found this place after visiting the #2 and #3 rated places in trip advisor- one was dark and dirty, the other only had a shared room. A tuk tuk driver led us to this place, which was priced cheaper AND has a much better view than the other two. It overlooks the mountains and is very peaceful. The dal, sambal, string hoppers, and coconut roti for breakfast were delicious- some of the best we have had. 

Beautiful view and lovely stay!

Ratna Gem Halt is a pleasant small hotel with 10 rooms of three quality tiers. It is relatively inexpensive (top price room 3000Rs with a/c, 2500 without- £15 incl breakfast) with beautiful views, down to lower rate rooms which we did not really see but did not appear to be too bad. We stayed in the higher rate 2500Rs room. It was perfectly acceptable. Mosquito nets were provided.Cleanliness was good and the welcome was friendly. The food was also pleasant, with breakfast included, and a good value and broad menu.

We had one of our most interesting experiences organised by the owner of the hotel, who took us to a working gem mine which we were able to explore, as well as some gem museums which also were shops. These were reputable establishments and there was no pressure to purchase, in our experience. We were also able to have a tour of the gem market in the town with the hotel guide and see gem traders and cutters working in the area. We were also able to visit a tea factory. Ayervedic treatments could  be arranged and were reasonably priced, bookable from reception although we did not try these wing to time. These excursions were both informative and good value.

Wifi is available, works better on level 2.

The place is conveniently located for the bus station, but a three wheeler will be required if you have luggage, as it is up a hill, but should not cost more than 50-100 Rs.

Despite being put off by the initial tripadvisor reviews I have reached the conclusion, as did a previous reviewer, that the experience may be specific to the room you book, and expectations should be managed. You should not be expecting 5* hotel at this price and provided you are not, you will have a pleasant stay.

My ratings are given on the basis of the rate paid.

Rathna Gems Halt

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