Palm Garden Guest House
This place offers respite for the weary backpacker. You can get meals here, rent a bike or just relax in the shade of a palm tree. It’s affiliated with the Manel Guest House.
Polonnaruwa hotels and hostels
Hotel Sudu Araliya
With a flashy lobby, well-tended grounds and an idyllic setting, Sudu Araliya would be the best place in town if it weren’t for the bland rooms and old furnishings. However, it does have a top-notch Ayurvedic centre and a garden-themed bar.
Village Polonnaruwa
The bland 1970s motel-style is nothing to write home about, but on the bright side, it’s clean, friendly and close to the lake. Non-guests may use the pool if they buy a drink or meal. There’s also a tennis court and a spa.
Gajaba Hotel
The Gajaba is a well-worn place (one of the oldest in town) and noise can be a problem; on the upside, it has a decent garden restaurant and a central location. Five rooms come with air-con and two with hot water.
Samudra Guest House
A rambling old house with a friendly owner, the Samudra offers pleasant service and basic rooms. For a little more privacy, have a look at the cabana at the bottom of the garden.
Orchid Guest House
Near the Samudra, this is not the cleanest option in town, but it's one of the cheapest.
Aruna Guesthouse & Chinese Restaurant
This place has small, boxlike rooms along a long corridor behind a Chinese restaurant. The food is not bad.
Polonnaruwa Rest House
Perched over Topa Wewa, this ageing rest house has some of the best views in town. Built in the early 1950s specifically for a visit by Queen Elizabeth II, the hotel has been a local landmark ever since.
Devi Tourist Home
Among the cheapies, this one is probably the best in terms of service and cleanliness. It has five rooms arranged around a garden. The guest house is about 1km south of the Old Town centre and down Church Rd (there’s a sign on the main road).
Lake Inn Guesthouse
Just off the main road in the Old Town and next to Seylan Bank, Lake Inn has four dim but passable rooms. Service is pretty lacklustre, so the only real reason to stay is the handy location.
Nirmala Guest House
This place has clean rooms in both the modern family home and separate buildings.
Manel Guest House
In a quiet spot just outside the Old Town wall, friendly Manel’s spacious rooms differ in price according to the bathroom standards. Very good meals are served under the veranda.