Why House

10/10

Why House is the most comfortable and relaxing place. Set in a lush garden with a stunning pool, our garden suite was stylishly decorated and had a very comfortable bed. Henrietta, hosts Why House like a house party and is so hospitable. Along with her friendly staff she makes you feel instantly relaxed and is always on hand should you have any queries. Little included extras such as aqua classes 3 mornings a week and afternoon tea are really welcome. But the best part of Why House is the FOOD .. wow it’s good. Henrietta has produced food for clients all around the world and has trained her chefs to produce superlative food. It is so good that you don’t want to eat elsewhere. If we’d known Why House was going to be this lovely we’d have booked longer than 5 nights. Reluctantly we had to say goodbye to head to our next destination but we’ll be back!

10/10

Fabulous boutique hotel with the friendliest staff. Located between the south coast surfing beaches and city of Galle. Nothing is too much trouble here and everyone’s smiling - especially the guests! Exceptional authentic Sri Lankan and international cuisine. We’ll be back soon.

10/10

We spent 5 nights at Why House in late February and had a wonderful time. The hotel itself is a lovely colonial-style collection of buildings set out around a central restaurant and pool. It feels incredibly luxurious and special whilst retaining a relaxed easy-going atmosphere, with gentle vibes consistent with the R&R we were looking for. We had room 5 which had a big bedroom (high quality linen) with super high ceilings, an expansive bathroom and walk-in wardrobe and private veranda with seating and a bell to ring for tea. The hotel also has a stylish sitting room and library with comfy sofas available for anyone to use. The location is great - close enough to walk to the beach, but far enough to secure peace and quiet when required; and an easy tuk-tuk into Galle for everything on offer there. Food was delicious, varied and plentiful. Hen has done a great job bringing together a long-standing team, who could not have looked after us any better - we didn’t want for anything and Hen was always around to offer helpful suggestions for things to see and do. And her 4-legged assistant Violet Elizabeth (Letty) is gorgeous too. Thanks so much for making our holiday special.

10/10

The accommodation,food and staff are absolutely amazing. Lovely pool area was extremely peaceful but close to Galle fort and cricket ground,highly recommend. We were welcomed by the owner Hettie and her friendly dog Lettie to make you feel at home.

10/10

The accommodation,food and staff are absolutely amazing. Lovely pool area was extremely peaceful but close to Galle fort and cricket ground,highly recommend.We were welcomed by the owner Hettie and her friendly dog Lettie to make you feel at home.

10/10

We had a totally fantastic stay at Why House. We had read a review of the hotel four years ago and finally had the opportunity to visit it, and the place completely exceeded our expectations. We stayed in Garden Bungalow and had two large, connected rooms, beautifully and cozyly decorated and with a huge private veranda with a nice green area in front. The hotel's location is perfect, withdrawn from the coast but only a short tuk-tuk trip from a lot of exciting activities. The best of the place was the service and the food. Henrietta and her team are so welcoming, sincere and attentive. The food is served in the hotel’s cosy restaurant, where each family has their own table throughout the stay. The food was unrivalled - so fresh, exciting and tasty. The best part was that there was not a long menu to deal with, but you could confidently rely on the kitchen and set yourself up every evening. Our four little children also enjoy every second and already miss Letty, Henrietta's sweetest burial dog. All in all, Why House is for us the concept of vacation and was the perfect start of our tour around Sri Lanka - thank you, we will be back!

10/10

Why House has the most incredible reviews, for good reason, this place is the best! Food, delicious, staff amazing, experience first class. We stayed with our 3 yr old, “could we possibly have some food for her at 5.30?” we asked. At any other hotel, the response would be, I’m sorry dinner starts at 7.30. At this place, absolutely, we have a full menu available at any time, just ask. Out came the most delicious pasta, ice cream, etc. We had lobster, prawns, delicious drinks all at a very reasonable price. Pool amazing . . .15/20 minutes from Galle. I could go on. We will be back, for sure. Thank you.

10/10

The location is beautiful. Beautiful large rooms and bathroom with air conditioning, lovely pool with plenty of sunbeds in the shade and breakfast is fantastic. The hostess is also really great and if you are staying here, definitely join the dinner once. Best dinner we have had in Sri Lanka!

10/10

Utter heaven! This boutique hotel within beautiful gardens has rooms in the main building and tucked away around the grounds 15 minutes from the hustle and bustle or Galle. Incredibly comfortable rooms, private terraces, and a large enticing pool. This was the highlight of our trip where we totally relaxed knowing we were in good hands. Henrietta and her wonderful team ensure nothing is too much trouble with their attention to detail and utter charm. We had to tear ourselves away.

10/10

It’s safe to say we couldn’t have enjoyed our time at Why House any more than we did. The idyllic setting – surrounded by luscious Sri Lankan greenery and drenched in sunlight – was everything we could’ve hoped for for an incredibly relaxing stay. The staff were as hospitable as they come, and they were particularly sweet with my 1-year old baby and my friends’ 9-month old. The food was delicious and it was unsurprising to hear that the proprietor trained at Le Cordon Bleu. Beyond orchestrating the food, she was a wonderful host and looked after us attentively and thoughtfully, adding so much to our experience. We can’t wait to return.

10/10

On a brief vacation in Sri Lanka, our friends booked The Why House for a two nights getaway and what a getaway it has been! While I have been travelling to Colombo on work quite frequently over the last couple of years, this was first outing away from Colombo. Coming to Galle and the Why House has been a real discovery and reinforces our view on why Sri Lanka is just such a wonderful vacation with so much to offer. The Why House is such a lovely boutique resort which offers the best mix of luxurious creative comforts without the typical expanse and trappings of a conventional hotel. Beautifully appointed with serene and very well laid & manicured landscaping. The Why House mood elevates from the moment you arrive. What make it even more special is the team that runs it with NAME (ken maybe) being the leader this place deserves

10/10

first visit to Sri Lanka and staying at Why House Galle, we were a little concerned that the transfer from the airport would be a drama but fortunately it went with out a hitch, met by a smiling driver and transported safely in an air conditioned mini bus there is now a motorway part way to Galle, our transfer took just over 2 hours including a pit stop. Nice greeting at the hotel from Sanet the general manager quickly joined by Henrietta the effervescent hotel director who showed us to our room. well appointed beautifully clean with huge bathroom and shower area. Sri Lanka hospitality and brilliant food throughout our stay, we happened to mention to Henrietta that we liked lobster by magic they arrived for our lunch ! nothing is to much trouble they really are keen to please. the poole area is brilliant all in all this is a great place to stay, we could easily have stayed for a month.

10/10

My wife & I wanted a special holiday for our wedding anniversary & were recommended to the Why House. We were not disappointed at all. What a fantastic few days where nothing was too much trouble to the smiley, happy polite staff, Sanat & Henrietta etc. We both felt so so relaxed & welcom. Lovely beaches a tuc tuc drive away (an experience in itself) & we met such nice people in the same frame of mind - Thank you so much everyone x

10/10

Just returned from a simply wonderful holiday at The Why House. We stayed in a garden room which was perfect, as we had our own private out side space from which we could watch monkeys, chipmunks, fireflies and the most beautiful bird life. What really makes this place special is the staff, so friendly and clearly want to make your stay perfect. Travelling with 2 children can be at times a little stressful, but the staff made them welcome and provided them with care and attention not to mention the best hot chocolate ever (my sons words). The Why House provided us with transport to and from the airport and were able to provide TukTuks for trips around the area. Highly recommended and I'm sure we will return again in the future.

10/10

Our family, all 19 of them, have just returned from an amazing holiday at The Why House. We stayed over Christmas and Hen pulled out all the stops to make it feel like home, which was truly fantastic as we have two smaller children. We all felt so relaxed as nothing was too much trouble for the team at Why House. The accommodation was perfect, it really has been the most amazing experience we as a family have had for a long time, thank you.

10/10

Such a delightful location in the forest and perfectly tranquil. Comfort, great food and and service and even the other guests were pleasant! The GM (Henrietta) is a hospitality veteran from England with a perfect understanding of the needs of the leisure traveler and nothing is too much trouble. If you enjoy the small country house ambiance, but with plenty of space, this is the location to chill out..

10/10

We really enjoyed our week-long stay at the Why House. Located approximately 2.5 hours away from Colombo airport, it was worth the travel. The hotel can send a chauffeur to pick you up for around 150$. The hotel is very charming, clean and staff is very friendly! They cannot do enough to help. - Food: good selection and quality. I particularly enjoyed the very fresh seafood they sourced for us on demand! Some days the hotel will organise theme nights such as seafood grill, Sri Lankan or Japanese. Sometimes they join all tables together so guests can enjoy a convivial meal. It is not to everyone's taste so you can choose to go out or not to join. We enjoyed it, particularly Sri Lankan night as we had a 25mins local dance demo at the start of the night. Now we would highly recommend to have lunch at the Amangalla hotel at some point during your stay. - Massages: no need to go to any expensive spa, the hotel's therapist Rochan is really good. You can have a massage in your bedroom or in an empty room. Highly recommended. We went to Galle Fort spa on day 1 and Rochan was much better for half the price! - Things to do: whale watching is a MUST if in season. We used a company called Merissa Water sports. It is a bit dearer than others but boat is smaller so can turn around quicker to get to the whales when spotted. It also holds only 10 to 15 people. We saw some extremely crowned boats! Tea plantation and factory tour including a free tasting was good fun. Bike ride around the paddy fields was beautiful. Tour of Galle Fort. Jewellers, please ensure you ask the hotel where to go, as there are many of them. You can get some cheap jewellery made, copied or from the stand. Choosing your own stones is an experience. - Transport: they have dedicated Tuk Tuk with lower prices. They can take you on tours. It is good fun. Rochan runs a very professional service. Cars can also be provided if Tuk Tuk is not your cup of tea. Tortoise sanctuary was disappointing, not recommended. Overall we loved it. - Wi Fi: only weakness of the hotel I am afraid. Pretty slow, not working all the time and was not available in our bedroom. Now as weather is beautiful, we did not mind going by the pool or at the open restaurant to be on the net but some people may find it frustrating. - Rooms: we have a small villa by the pool. Bed was really comfy, TV and safe in the room. You can ask for a DVD player if required. Private massive bathroom was separated by an outside corridor. Not sure about this, as not ideal in middle of the night but shower was great. Overall: magical relaxing place. Highly recommended!

10/10

Just completed a weeks stay at the Why House which is a really great place. House, pool and rooms are top draw, and a perfect environment for R&R. Staff are incredibly friendly and helpful, nothing is too much trouble, and they will point you in the right direction for trips, tours etc should you want them. Food is terrific too, with amazing Sri Lankan curries and supremely fresh fish, together with sushi nights and other cuisines. Watapallan dessert is a must try,and the In house masseuse is both very cheap, and as good as you will find in Gale. In short, the management and staff will cater for your every need here, leaving you to focus on the relaxing. Few tips for Galle, whale watching a must if your there in the season Lunch at the Amangalla, visit the tea plantation nearby, take the 2 hour bike ride with idle bikes, very leisurely pace and some amazing sites. Wifi was a bit sketchy whilst we were there, but understand the team are working on this. All in all, kick back and relax.

10/10

We enjoyed a week with the team at Why House. Our first 4 nights was at the beautiful and social Why House, and our last 3 at their stunning villa on the beach - 23 Palm. Turns out it was a brilliant combination. The Why House is everything you can expect from the glowing reviews. The property is a hidden oasis 5 minutes from the main road. The food is fantastic. Some of the best Sri Lankan curries we had on our trip. Sanath and his delightful team made sure everyone in our family (2 adults, 3 kids under 7) were well taken care of during our stay. Henrietta, the GM, a constant and lovely presence was an absolute wealth of local knowledge, and committed to us making the most of our stay. We stayed in a family room in the main house and it was superb. The attention to detail in all areas (food, cleanliness, staff, etc) was terrific. Was also great having Roshan the resident tuk tuk driver available with consistent rates. Moving 10 minutes away to 23 Palm was a mind-blowing experience. This property is massive and simply stunning. We couldn't believe that it was all ours for 3 nights. At 23 Palm you get your own staff but Henrietta and Sanath are also very much involved in this property so you still get to enjoy the Why experience. The breakfasts on the verandah are something I will treasure forever. When booking this part of our trip we did question the worth of moving between properties only 10 minutes away from each other but we are so glad we did. Both properties offer very different experiences and we are really pleased we got to enjoy both. It was the perfect end to our Sri Lankan holiday.

10/10

Thank you Henrietta and your devoted and hard working team. Your smiles (particularly Babu's) will be missed as well as the wonderfully prepared bloody marys. Henrietta is a source of recommendations as to how to make the most of your time. Our seafood grill was unforgettable as were relaxing days taking it easy by the gorgeous pool. Don't hesitate in booking this place.