We noticed that you're using an unsupported browser. The Tripadvisor website may not display properly.We support the following browsers: Windows: Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome. Mac: Safari.
Location of “Self-Catering Tranquility”
The space is located in a highly residential area of Colombo, surrounded by a number of foreign missions such as Japanese, British, Australian, Swiss, Canadian etc. Its uniquely convenient location ensures that guests can easily reach many local points of interest; while being surrounded by streets with lush greenery.
The city's numerous attractions such as the National Art Gallery, Museum, Independence Square, Viharamahadevi Park, The Nelum Pokuna (Lotus Pond) Theatre - fully equipped performance centre in Colombo, Sambodhi Vihara Temple, International Meditation Centre, Bandaranaike International Conference Hall etc. are within ten minute walk from the flat.
Despite the absence of the noise and pollution typical for a city center, it is only a 1...Location of “Self-Catering Tranquility”
The space is located in a highly residential area of Colombo, surrounded by a number of foreign missions such as Japanese, British, Australian, Swiss, Canadian etc. Its uniquely convenient location ensures that guests can easily reach many local points of interest; while being surrounded by streets with lush greenery.
The city's numerous attractions such as the National Art Gallery, Museum, Independence Square, Viharamahadevi Park, The Nelum Pokuna (Lotus Pond) Theatre - fully equipped performance centre in Colombo, Sambodhi Vihara Temple, International Meditation Centre, Bandaranaike International Conference Hall etc. are within ten minute walk from the flat.
Despite the absence of the noise and pollution typical for a city center, it is only a 10-15 minutes ride to many key locations in town. Many restaurants and fast food outlets are located in the neighborhood such as McDonald's, KFC, Coffee Bean, Coco Veranda, Odel food outlets, Urban Kitchen, Bread Talk and many more. Cargills, ARPICO and Laugfs super markets are within a ten minute ride. The latest high-end shopping malls: 'Racecourse Shopping Precinct' and 'Arcade Independence Square' are within a fifteen minute walk.
Several cycling tracks are around for you to enjoy riding, and two bicycles are provided, free of charge, to experience this pleasure; which is becoming increasingly popular among Colombo folks..!
This flat is a superb base to discover the many facets of the city, while living in self-catering tranquility.
About the property
A single air-conditioned large bed room with wooden furniture, artificial timbre flooring (in bedroom) and a separate bathroom with hot-water, offers travelers a quiet and comfortable haven to rest and recuperate. The bed-room has a large collection of books, including cookery books, and a reading table, to cater to different tastes. The bedroom opens, at the back, to our home garden and children's play area, but access will be provided once the pet dogs are locked up.
The living cum dining room is separately air-conditioned and has cable TV, Wi-Fi connectivity, refrigerator, water-cooler, leather chairs and dining table, and ironing board.
The kitchenette is fully equipped with gas and electric utensils and various other appliances, such as electric bread-toaster, rice-cooker, kettle, and microwave-oven are available and these could be supplemented, on request, with special appliances such as barbecue oven, bread-maker, electric deep-oil fryer etc.
The flat has a separate gate and an entrance. The guests will be given the keys to enable them to can move about freely. The open space at the entrance to the flat has an exercise machine “Total-Gym” for the guests' exclusive use.
Guest Access
Meals
Meals are not provided but provisions are made available, free of charge, for two days to prepare breakfast such as milk, coffee, sugar, eggs, butter, yogurt, cereal and tropical fruits.
House Keeping
Linen and towels are provided and an extra set is provided for long term visitors.
A fully automatic washing machine and washing powder are available for the guests to do their own washing.
A cloth-rack for drying washed clothes is available in the open-yard in front.
Toiletries including soap, bath liquid, shampoo, toothpaste, shaving cream, cologne, air-freshener and toilet paper are provided.
Dust pans are provided in the kitchen and bathroom with a large garbage can outside which will be collected daily.
Airport pick up
Airport pick up can be arranged. But it is more convenient to get an Air Port taxi which will cost Sri Lanka Rupees
2500 and extra 300 for the highway toll. The ride will take around 20 minutes on a typical day.
Check-in and check-out times
Check in time is flexible subject to the previous days booking. Very late checking-in is not encouraged.
Check out time is 12 noon but could be made flexible depending on the next booking.
Interaction with Guests
Depending on the interests, the guests could discuss Eastern philosophy and Tai Chi Qigong practice.
The Neighborhood
It is the most expensive residential area in Colombo with large houses in the neighborhood.
The Canadian, Swiss, Japanese and Australian embassies are all on Gregory's Road.
Several restaurants are within walking distance from the house.
Getting around
The main public roads namely, Buller's Road and Horton Place, are just a five minute walk from the flat.
Other Things to Note
If the guests are interested Eastern cooking could be demonstrated using modern kitchen equipment.
Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
If you have submitted a review for a holiday rental property, we may also ask that you provide us with proof of your stay to ensure that your review is attached to the correct rental property.
Holiday rental reviews collected via the VRBO website (formerly Homeaway) and syndicated to the Tripadvisor website are not currently subject to Tripadvisor’s standard moderation processes.
This is hands down the best place to stay in all of Colombo! Beautiful neighborhood with easy access to restaurants, shops, banks/ATM. The flat is outfitted with everything you could possibly need for a home away from home--full kitchen, washer/dryer, full bath, AC/ceiling fans, walk-in shower, TV with cable, mosquito net for the bed, Wifi, drinking water. The owner Gamini K. is wonderful! Whatever he can do to make your stay more comfortable and interesting, he will do. Any problems with the flat were immediately addressed. If I ever travel to Colombo again, there's no where else I would stay! I was here for 2 months and had the most wonderful time!!
Visited September 2017
Written 4 November 2017. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
gamini k
It was a pleasure to host Crystal who was very appreciative of that we could offer.
gamini
Written 5 November 2017. This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Araliya13
Oxford, United Kingdom34 contributions
Tranquillity, it was!
My son of 10 and I stayed at Gamini's Self Catering Tranquillity for 5 days; then my Husband joined us and three of us stayed for further 3 days. Gamini, from the beginning had been so helpful and kind and he is one of the kindest and most helpful and most generous Hosts we have ever met!
Since everyone was concerned about Dengue mosquitoes in Sri Lanka at the time we travelled there, I was overly protective over my son regarding mossie bites but I did not see a single mossie at Gamini's place. Yes we saw 2 (or maybe it was the same one we saw twice!) cockroaches who have lost their way but we chased them away- (believe me, I am one of those who REALLY do not like cockroaches AND I managed to chase them off:-))
We had clean towels, and clean sheets and the AC and WiFi was brilliant! Gamini has basically filled the fridge with the usual essentials for few days when we arrived and also provided us with dry rations with fruits (Gamini even asked me what we would prefer in advance!!) for few days which we could not finish during our stay! In addition to all that he has generously provided us, he also shared his Chocolate Cookies and Almond Cookies!! (oh Yes! He is a brilliant Baker!) We were also treated with some fruits from his garden which we brought back with us when we returned to Kandy.
We may have heard the Dog bark just few times and kids sing and talk few times but that was never a problem for us, basically Gamini's place is very quiet and no traffic sound from the road even though it is only a few minutes walk from a main road.
Most of the places are within walking distance and we even managed to walk up to Colpetty one day. There is a lovely place that sells traditional Sri Lankan food (we bought breakfast from them) which is just in front of the lane that leads to Gamini's place.
Gamini's place is also quite secured and very residential and you have your own entrance which gives you privacy. Gamini is just next door and if you have a problem (which we never had!) you can always give him a shout and he will be there for you.Gamini kept in touch with us via emails and had been extremely helpful in every way he can.
We will definitely stay at Gamini's place again and recommend it to anyone who wants to stay in Colombo, it is such a lovely place for the money you pay!
We wish Gamini all the best and hope to see him again soon!
Visited August 2017
Written 10 August 2017. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
northoftheborder2013
Glasgow, United Kingdom15 contributions
Location was great for us
Right from the day I booked this apartment Gamini was very helpful sending details of events in and around Colombo, a map of the immediate area and directions to the apartment for the taxi dropping us from the airport. Our flight arrived early in the morning and we arrived at the apartment around 6am, Gamini was there to meet us and show us around, he also provided us with milk, breakfast cereal, butter, cheese, eggs, fruit and veg from his garden to keep us going until we found our way around. He was always just a text away if we needed any help and during our stay continued to give us information about local events.
The apartment itself is comfortable, spacious and well equipped with everything you will need to make your stay here enjoyable. The bedroom is the largest area it has huge glass doors which lead out to the family garden, Gamini did offer to let us sit out there but advised to let him know first so he could put the dogs inside. The kitchen area is fairly long and narrow it has been recently painted Gamini told us he started the work himself after the person he hired didn't turn up on the day, I'm sure once he finishes the painting it will brighten the area up as we felt this was fairly dark.
As previous reviewers have said this is an annex to a much larger home with an extended family including small children and as such it can be noisy, personally the children didn't disturb our holiday in any way, we are early risers so were awake normally before they were and therefore we didn't lose any sleep with the noise. The dogs barked if they saw us I am more frightened of dogs then my partner so although the barking worried me it didn't bother him.
All in all we enjoyed our stay here and would definitely return there next time we visit Sri Lanka.
Visited March 2016 Travelled as a couple
Written 15 March 2016. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
aroundthenextcorner4
Ottawa, Canada111 contributions
Fantastic Host, but misnamed “Tranquility”
How you feel about this apartment will depend on what is important to you and your tolerance for the noise of an extended family.
Gamini, without any doubt, is the kindest, most helpful, and intelligent host one could ever hope for. He truly wants you to enjoy the apartment and Colombo and does everything he can to help it happen. He is simply a wonderful person.
The apartment is spacious, well equipped, comfortable, and located in a beautiful part of Colombo within walking distance of stores, restaurants, and attractions. It is an easy 250 rupee tuktuk ride to go to the centre.
My husband and I stayed a total of five weeks in the apartment in four and one week segments separated by a month of travel around Sri Lanka. We enjoyed the neighbourhood, Colombo as a whole, our interactions with Gamini, and the the overall comfort and facilities of the apartment.
The big “however” is that the apartment is part of a larger house, and continues to be closely connected to it such that one shares the noise of daily life in the whole building. At this stage, this includes energised young children (crying, yelling, slamming doors, etc), parents and grandparents interacting with them, and the larger of the two dogs (a Rhodesian Ridgeback) barking loudly (we felt a bit intimidated even though she is described as just excited).
In addition, the most inviting part of the apartment is the bedroom, with a nice seating area looking out at the lovely green garden through sliding glass doors. The “however” here is that a standard interior-type door links the apartment to the rest of the house, which makes this the noisiest part of the apartment. With kids, the noise begins early.
Also, maybe it’s just our own personalities, but we sometimes felt quite uncomfortable sitting in the bedroom with the drapes open as playing kids ran by the sliding doors looking at us or other family members used the back garden to do normal things like hanging clothes or watering plants. We were physically connected to the back, but we were very conscious that it was not part of our space.
There are ways to improve the sound issues, but they would involve expense and would not work perfectly. And of course a family is obviously allowed to enjoy its home as it wishes — kids are kids, and some dogs are big and bark loudly. We were at the apartment longer than most people normally stay, and other guests will have their own levels of sensitivity. We just wanted to make people aware of the wonderful elements of a stay here and those potential “howevers.”
Visited December 2015 Travelled as a couple
Written 24 February 2016. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
gamini k
Tranquility has several connotations. One is a state of mind realized by insight and it is not dependent on external factors. The other common understanding is that the environment generates tranquility.
However, we will look into reducing sound level.
Written 25 February 2016. This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
tsumwanyi
Singapore, Singapore5 contributions
Great Place to stay!
I stayed here with a friend for one month and I couldn't be happier with my stay. The location was great, we could walk to our place of work. The neighbourhood is very safe and tuk-tuks are easily available. There are many great places to eat around the area as well, such as The Bayleaf, Barnesbury and even japanese food at the Independence arcade. Other ammenities nearby include a bank and a Cargills supermarket.
About the residence, Gamini (the owner) and his wife were both very kind, providing fruits and chocolate in the fridge upon arrival. There is a water dispenser and the kitchen is well-equipped. You can easily cook your own meals. My only suggestion is to perhaps place the microwave at a lower height for us vertically challenged to access it with greater ease. Bedsheets and towels come freshly laundered as well.
Gamini and his wife are also both very approachable! Thank you for the great stay :)
Visited June 2015 Travelled with friends
Written 4 July 2015. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Indra20
1 contribution
Great location
I had a remarkable time during my stay. Great location, easy access to several offices and recreation centers.
Spacious bedroom has a
sitting area for reading while facing to the garden. Dining area seats for four people, complementing the well equipped kitchen providing all the comforts of a home. Gamini provides excellent service. Highly recommended.
Visited December 2014
Written 10 January 2015. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
gamini k
It was a pleasure to host them, they kept a very tidy and clean flat and were very helpful in managing the flat during their stay.
Gamini
Written 9 July 2015. This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Gamed77
Kandy, Sri Lanka45 contributions
Very Affordable, Very Classy
Recently the two of us were in Colombo to attend a professional gathering in BMICH, and were directed to “Self catering tranquility “ by a mutual friend. We stayed there for 2 nights.
The location was perfect. It is situated In the center of posh Colombo 7, in a peaceful prime residential area. Finding the place takes a little effort, but if you have a navigator, or follow the directions given in the website, the problem doesn’t arise.
Ambience is excellent. Quiet and tranquil, just as the advertisement claims. There is a lot of green around. The owner is a retired academic with a friendly disposition, well read and informed, is extremely helpful if you want to know anything.
The flat has a large, air conditioned, comfy bedroom, with comfortable bed and laundered sheets, a lot of reading material ( definitely not my area !! ) There is a TV with satellite connection. The room has a large glass door / window which overlooks a small , green, home garden.
It also has a adjoining well-equipped pantry/kitchen if you fancy doing your own meal. All the tea and coffee items are provided including some snacks. We did not bother to do any of our meals as there are so many high end to reasonable, safe food outlets well within walking distance from the property. There is a fridge, Microwave, electric oven, washing machine and ironing stuff, so don’t need anything else. There is also free WIFI.
The wash area is designed comfortably, spaciously and tastefully, and all wall electric fittings are accessible at a lower level , making it wheel-chair friendly as well.
If you fancy a cycle ride, there are two bicycles provided, free of charge. The fantastic Racecourse arcade, Independence Square, Independence walking area, Viharamahadewi Park, and a must-see Independence Arcade are well within walking distance and will definitely give a foreign visitor, something to remember about my lovely Sri Lanka. ( after out function, we were able to visi these places as they were so closely situated –see my pictures ) Cab services are available, and you can get to any important site in the metropolis very soon and very safely.
So, as the name assured, we enjoyed a peaceful stay away from our home, away from our hectic working days.
We wish we could have stayed longer, to harness our cooking skills, and learn some Tai-chi, both
of which Dr.GK , the owner , happens to be an expert.
Fully worth for the prize you pay. Cheap , yet Classy. Five stars.
Visited September 2014 Travelled as a couple
Written 1 October 2014. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
gamini k
It was a pleasure hosting a couple like you and I am thankful for the kind review you have posted. You surely were able to grasp the essence of the location. I would be more than glad to welcome you, on your next visit to Colombo as well.
Written 7 October 2014. This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
jvelliott65
Royal Tunbridge Wells, United Kingdom
excellent in every respect
It is impossible to speak too highly of my stay in this excellent accommodation. The owner provides a great choice of kitchen equipment, a very comfortable double bed, a good tv, an outdoor area that catches the sun but includes areas of shade, double sliding full length windows open onto a rear garden, and all within a quiet quarter of Colombo that is a 200-250 rupee taxi drive from the very centre of the city (ie less than a couple of pounds sterling).
Visited February 2014
Written 20 February 2014. This review is the subjective opinion of an individual traveller and not of Tripadvisor LLC nor of its partners. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
gamini k
On the guest's suggestion the kitchen lighting and power supply to various appliances were improved.
The guest left behind his chess board for the use of other guests. I have now supplemented it with a Scrabble Board and two packs of playing cards.
Gamini
Written 23 February 2014. This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Showing results 1-8 of 8
What this rental offers
Indoor amenities
Air conditioning
Internet access
Cable television
Parking
Secure parking available
Kitchen and dining
Freezer
Refrigerator
Kettle
Microwave
Cooker
Toaster
Property features
Ceiling Fans
Things to do
Watersports
Cycling areas
Nearby
Golf course (within 15 min walk)
Tennis court
Hiking areas
Wi-fi and internet
Wi-fi
Location info
City getaway
Entertainment
DVD player
Television
Bathroom and laundry
Linens provided
Towels provided
Washer
Outdoor amenities
Garage
Map
Getting there
Bandaranayake Intl Airport
29.6 km
Diyawanna Oya Seaplane Base
4.3 km
Restaurants
Cafe Shaze
3 min
Indian Summer Restaurant
4 min
Seed Cafe
2 min
Milk and Honey Cafe
4 min
Attractions
Aashkii
6 min • Speciality & Gift Shops
The Galleries of Sapumal Foundation
5 min • Art Museums
The Love Bar
2 min • Bars & Clubs
Sri Sambodhi Viharaya
1 min • Points of Interest & Landmarks
Access
Car not needed
Activities nearby
Golf course (within 15 min walk)Tennis courtWatersports
About this property
First, check the Availability tab on this page to see if your dates are available. If they are, contact the owner via the Tripadvisor Rental Inbox to confirm availability.
Initially, you may contact the owner via the Tripadvisor Rental Inbox. This inbox is created after you send your first message or booking request to the owner. After you've made your first payment, you'll be able to see the owner's contact information.
This owner will contact you via the Tripadvisor Rental Inbox.
You can send another message via the Tripadvisor Rental Inbox to ask if the property is still available.
For this property, please use a credit card to pay via the Tripadvisor Rental Inbox. Once the owner approves your stay, he or she will send you a quote, which will include payment instructions.
Yes. Payments made via the Tripadvisor inbox are covered by our Peace of Mind Protection.
All bookings are direct with the owner 