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The Sanctuary at Tissawewa

3.0 star property
3-star hotel near Mirisawetiya Stupa

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Photo gallery for The Sanctuary at Tissawewa

Bicycling
Front of property
Premium bedding, minibar, in-room safe, desk
Daily full breakfast (USD 7 per person)
Hair dryer, bathrobes, bidet, towels
Reviews
8.0

Very good

Popular amenities

  • Breakfast availableBreakfast availableBreakfast available
  • SpaSpaSpa
  • Parking includedParking includedParking included
  • Free WiFiFree WiFiFree WiFi
  • LaundryLaundryLaundry
  • RestaurantRestaurantRestaurant

Explore the area

Map
Old Puttalam road, Old Town, Anuradhapura, 50000
  • Popular LocationMirisawetiya Stupa10 min walk
  • Popular LocationSri Maha Bodhi13 min walk
  • Popular LocationRuwanwelisaya4 min drive

Room options

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About the neighborhood

Anuradhapura

In historical district.You'll find Mirisawetiya Stupa and Anuradhapura Archaeological Museum within a 15-minute walk of this Anuradhapura hotel. Sri Maha Bodhi and Brazen Palace are also within 2 miles (3 km).

What's nearby

  • Mirisawetiya Stupa - 10 min walk
  • Anuradhapura Archaeological Museum - 12 min walk
  • Sri Maha Bodhi - 13 min walk
  • Ruwanwelisaya - 4 min drive
  • Thuparamaya - 4 min drive

Restaurants

  • Banana Cafe - 5 min drive
  • Seedevi Family Restaurant - 4 min drive
  • Gemi Gedara - 6 min drive
  • Mango Mango - 5 min drive
  • Walkers - 5 min drive

About this property

The Sanctuary at Tissawewa

3-star hotel near Mirisawetiya Stupa
There's a restaurant on site. WiFi is free in public spaces. An airport shuttle (available 24 hours) and an area shuttle are available for a fee. Spa services, a terrace, and tour/ticket assistance are also featured at The Sanctuary at Tissawewa. Self parking is free.

Smoking is allowed in designated areas at this 3-star Anuradhapura hotel.

  • 21 guestrooms or units
  • Built in 1906
  • Breakfast available (surcharge)
  • Self-service laundry
  • Front desk (24 hours)
  • Storage area for luggage
  • Front-desk safe
  • Tour and ticket information
  • Concierge
  • Terrace
  • Garden
  • Outdoor picnic space
  • Newspapers in lobby (free)
  • Smoking in designated areas
  • Dining venue
The Sanctuary at Tissawewa offers 21 accommodations with minibars and safes. Accommodations offer separate dining areas. Beds feature premium bedding. Televisions come with premium satellite channels. Bathrooms include bathtubs or showers, bathrobes, and bidets.

Guests can surf the web using the complimentary wireless Internet access. Business-friendly amenities include desks and phones. Additionally, rooms include complimentary bottled water and ceiling fans. A nightly turndown service is provided and housekeeping is offered daily. Amenities available on request include hair dryers.

Guests can pamper themselves by indulging in the onsite spa services. Services include massages and facials. A variety of treatment therapies are provided, including Ayurvedic.

Languages

English

Property amenities

Family friendly

  • In-room refrigerator
  • Laundry facilities
  • Playground
  • Separate in-room dining area

Internet

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

Parking and transportation

  • 24-hour roundtrip airport shuttle on request for a surcharge
  • Area shuttle (surcharge)
  • Onsite parking available only on request
  • Free secured self parking on site

Food and drink

  • Daily full breakfast available 7:00 AM to 9:30 AM for a fee: USD 7 for adults and USD 7 for children
  • A restaurant

Things to do

  • Bicycle rentals
  • Playground

Accessibility

  • If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
  • Lever door handles
  • Upper floors accessible by stairs only
  • Well-lit path to entrance

Room amenities

Entertainment

  • TV with premium satellite channels

Bedroom

  • Premium bedding

Bathroom

  • Bathrobes
  • Bathtub or shower
  • Bidet
  • Hair dryer (on request)
  • Private bathroom
  • Towels

Food and drink

  • Electric kettle
  • Free bottled water
  • Limited room service
  • Minibar
  • Refrigerator
  • Restaurant dining guides
  • Separate dining area

More

  • Air conditioning (climate-controlled)
  • Ceiling fan
  • Desk
  • Phone
  • Safe

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 2 PM; Check-in end time: midnight
Late check-in subject to availability
Minimum check-in age: 18

Check-out

Check-out before noon

Special check-in instructions

Front desk staff will greet guests on arrival

Access methods

Staffed front desk

Pets

  • Pets and service animals are not allowed at The Sanctuary at Tissawewa

Children and extra beds

  • Children are welcome.
  • Rollaway/extra beds are not available.

Property payment types

Important information

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: approximately USD 7 for adults and USD 7 for children
  • Airport shuttle fee: USD 110 per vehicle (one-way, maximum occupancy 3)

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
Guests must contact this property in advance to reserve onsite parking
This property accepts credit cards, debit cards, and cash
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.
    Guests must contact this property in advance to reserve onsite parking. This property accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Union Pay, debit cards, and cash.

We should mention

  • Reservations are needed for spa treatments. For reservations, contact the hotel before arrival using the contact information on the booking confirmation.
  • For stays on 24 December, the total price shown includes a charge for a mandatory Christmas Eve gala dinner.
  • For stays on 31 December, the total price shown includes a charge for a mandatory New Year's Eve gala dinner.
  • Pets and service animals are not allowed on site.

Property is also known as

Sanctuary Tissawewa Hotel Anuradhapura
Sanctuary Tissawewa Hotel
Sanctuary Tissawewa Anuradhapura
Sanctuary Tissawewa
Tissawewa Resthouse Anuradhapura
The Sanctuary at Tissawewa Hotel
The Sanctuary at Tissawewa Anuradhapura
The Sanctuary at Tissawewa Hotel Anuradhapura

Frequently asked questions

How close is The Sanctuary at Tissawewa to the airport?

The Sanctuary at Tissawewa is 111.7 mi (239-min drive) away from the Bandaranaike Intl. Airport (CMB) airport, the closest popular airport to the property.

Does The Sanctuary at Tissawewa have an airport shuttle?

The Sanctuary at Tissawewa offers an airport shuttle 24 hours a day, on request, for a charge of USD 110 per vehicle, one-way.

Does The Sanctuary at Tissawewa offer free breakfast?

Free breakfast isn’t provided at The Sanctuary at Tissawewa, but full breakfast is offered for a fee of USD 7 for adults and USD 7 for children. It's available every day from 7 AM to 9:30 AM.

Is there a casino at The Sanctuary at Tissawewa?

No, there is no casino at this hotel.

What time is check-in at The Sanctuary at Tissawewa?

Check-in start time: 2 PM; Check-in end time: midnight.

Is there free parking at The Sanctuary at Tissawewa?

This hotel offers free self parking.

Does The Sanctuary at Tissawewa have a pool?

The Sanctuary at Tissawewa does not have a pool.

Does The Sanctuary at Tissawewa have a restaurant?

Yes, there is a restaurant on site.

Does The Sanctuary at Tissawewa have a spa?

This hotel doesn't have a spa, but it does offer massages, facials, and Ayurvedic treatments.

How close is The Sanctuary at Tissawewa to downtown Anuradhapura?

The Sanctuary at Tissawewa is 2.3 mi away from Anuradhapura.

The Sanctuary at Tissawewa Reviews

Reviews

8.0

Very Good

Rating 10 - Excellent. 24 out of 78 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 37 out of 78 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 14 out of 78 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 1 out of 78 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 2 out of 78 reviews" "

8.0/10

Cleanliness

8.4/10

Staff & service

8.4/10

Amenities

7.8/10

Property conditions & facilities

Reviews

8/10 Good

Paul

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
Nice heritage hotel
Very quiet when we stayed so lacking atmosphere, particularly in the the restaurant. The service in the restaurant was excellent but reception was less helpful, except the lady who seemed to be the manager. Room was nice but could easily be updated to a much higher standard. Lots of monkeys, and they get up close, we quite enjoyed watching on our veranda but others might be put off by.
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2020

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Beautiful, well maintained colonial mansion in large, tree-filled grounds, close to archaeological museum and sacred sites. No traffic noise, plenty of birdsong. Furnishings appropriate to period. Plain and simple but quite luxurious in an old-fashioned way. Very helpful staff. Good but limited menu. No alcohol. Nearest shops in new town a couple of kilometres away. If you like old-fashioned, you will love it.
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2020

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Beautiful, well maintained colonial building set in large grounds on the edge of the sacred sites. No traffic noise, lots of birdsong in the morning. Plain and simple but luxurious in an old-fashioned way. Good bathrooms, wi-if OK. Good food, set meal times. Complimentary bicycle loan. Downsides: no alcohol, service rather slow, monkeys in grounds may decide to storm unlocked bedrooms. We loved this place.
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2020

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
I chose this hotel for may last 3 days travelling in Sri Lanka. It is not cheap but the old colonial charm of a repurposed goverrners mansion in a large private park was irrisistsble. On top of that, it is about the only hotel that is actually inside the ancient Buddhist city of Anuradhapura which makes visiting the sites much easier. The rooms are of the epoch so don't expect all the facilities of a modern chain hotel. Rooms are fairly small but with pretty much all you need and of course clean. Beds are with mosquito nets. There are, for me essential, a chair and writing desk and on the wide veranda there are chairs and tables for books from which to appreciate the park with its families of monkeys, peacocks, parrots an a resident eagle. Take binoculars. WIFI is free and available seemingly everywhere even if only advertised in the WIFI Zone in the veranda lounge by the front desk. The staff are helpful and will organise trips to the sites, though I had not required that. There is of course a restaurant with good food served for breakfast, lunch and dinner. One niggle I had with the service was waiters pouring my tea. Milk is always poured first , then the tea. They couldn't get the hang of that and not pouring didn't appear to be an option. The front desk were happy to change the large denomination notes served by ATMs into the lower values needed for tipping, riding the tuc-tucs, eating in restaurants, visiting sites etc. An altogether plesent stay.
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Business traveler
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Very atmospheric
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Traveled with family and small children
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
In the middle of a nice park with animals everywhere ! The staff is great and very helpful.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2019

8/10 Good

Joyce

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Lovely, relaxing place to stay
We stayed 3 nights mid April. The grounds are very impressive. The hotel is set back on a hugh front lawn with mature trees and wandering peacocks. Checkin was quick. We had a deluxe king room on the upper floor. There are only 5 rooms on the upper floor. Our room was spacious, had good AC and a decent bathroom with shower. Shower had good pressure and hot water. Towels were okay but not luxury. Bed was comfortable. Furniture dark wood style. Room lighting very good. Breakfast good but coffee was so-so. Sri Lanka is better known for its tea which we had out on the main floor verandah in the afternoon after coming back by tuk tuk from seeing the ancient ruins - just lovely. I would recommend this hotel. The staff are nice. The hotel is in a good location near to the sites. The front desk will arrange a driver or guide if you would like. They arranged for us to do a morning safari to Wilpattu N.P. We would go back.
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2019

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Proximity to places of interest.excellent service from the staff. The old world charm maintained with a lot of effort
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2019

8/10 Good

philip

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Authentic British era rest house
We really enjoyed our stay in this old government resthouse. The building felt very authentic and had a nice atmosphere. We stayed in the deluxe rooms on the first floor that were very comfortable. For those wanting luxury and alcohol this isn’t the place to come. It is a bit spartan but in a way this makes it feel more authentic. The grounds are really nice in front of the hotel. In the evening there is often a cricket game. The hotel is well situated next to the sacred city and about 4km from the new city.. overall a memorable experience
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2019