Frequently asked questions

Reach our reservations team by email at stay@aranayala.com, by phone on +94 11 401 0101, or by WhatsApp on +94 70 632 0101. For general enquiries, write to info@aranayala.com.

Travel agents and tour operators are welcome to contact us directly for contracted rates and commission information.

Indicative rates are approximately USD 80–100 per room per night during peak months, on a bed and breakfast or room-only basis. Rates are demand-based and vary by season and room category.

For current availability and pricing, please contact stay@aranayala.com.

Yes. Arana works with inbound DMCs and specialist tour operators through a travel agent channel with contracted rates and commission. Please contact stay@aranayala.com to discuss trade terms.

Cancellations made more than 48 hours before arrival are free of charge. Cancellations within 48 hours of arrival are charged. Specific packages or offers may carry their own terms.

No. One-night bookings are welcome. A minimum stay applies only to certain packages or special offers, not to standard bookings.

Arana by Forest Trails is at No. 1, Diyawara Gammanaya, Yala Junction, Tissa-Kirinda 82600, Sri Lanka. The property sits within the village of Diyawara Gammanaya — a fishing village near Yala Junction — in the Hambantota District of Sri Lanka's Southern Province.

The hotel is approximately 12 kilometres from the main Block I entrance of Yala National Park, and roughly 20 minutes from Kirinda fishing village and beach.

Coordinates: 6.2322° N, 81.3323° E

Approximately 12 kilometres from the main Block I ticket office of Yala National Park — about a 15-to-20-minute drive, slowed by the speed bumps that Sri Lanka's Department of Wildlife Conservation has placed along the road to protect animals crossing near the park. Yala is one of Sri Lanka's most visited national parks and has one of the highest leopard densities in the world.

Yes — we arrange private transfers. The nearest international gateway is Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo, roughly five and a half hours away; Mattala (Hambantota) is not currently operating as an international airport.

Most guests reach us as part of a wider route through Sri Lanka's south-east and south-west coasts or the hill country, rather than travelling directly to and from the airport.

Transfer rates are available on request — contact stay@aranayala.com and we will quote your specific route.

Tissamaharama town is approximately 10 minutes away. Kirinda fishing village, beach, and the historic Kirinda temple are roughly 20 minutes south. Kataragama — one of Sri Lanka's most sacred pilgrimage cities — is within day-trip distance, as is Sithulpawwa rock temple within the Yala park boundary.

Nearby national parks include Yala NP, Bundala NP (excellent birding, flamingos), Lunugamvehera NP (elephant herds), and Ussangoda NP (coastal landscape). Hambantota, the nearest port city, is also accessible from the hotel.

Arana has 24 rooms across two categories:

Superior Rooms (12 total, available as Superior Double or Superior Twin): spacious rooms with a private balcony or terrace, pool and garden views, and an en-suite bathroom.

Deluxe Rooms (12 total, available as Deluxe Double or Deluxe Twin): rooms with a private balcony or terrace, pool and garden views, and an en-suite bathroom.

All rooms include: king-size or twin beds, a private balcony or terrace, an en-suite bathroom, air conditioning, ceiling fans, free WiFi, satellite TV, a hairdryer, and a mini fridge. All rooms have pool and garden views.

Yes. Arana has a 60-foot infinity pool set within the hotel gardens.

No. Guests are welcome to swim throughout the day and into the evening. The only brief exception is just after the pool is chlorinated — added early in the morning or at night — until the water is safe to enter again.

Yes. Free WiFi is available throughout the property, including in all rooms.

A valid passport is required at check-in. Please have it available on arrival.

Arana's open-kitchen restaurant serves a fusion of traditional Sri Lankan and Western cuisine, incorporating Ayurvedic principles. Both al fresco and indoor seating are available.

The menu includes a daily rotating Sri Lankan rice and curry (chicken, beef, pork, fish, or vegetarian, with accompanying curries, mallum, papadums, sambol, and chutney), fresh seafood — including seer fish, ocean lobster, prawns, and fish and chips — grilled meats, pasta, and desserts such as curd and treacle and banana fritters with cinnamon ice cream and kitul pani.

A bush dinner is an outdoor dining experience held in Arana's six luxury garden cabanas, shaded by neem trees. It is an evening in the grounds of the property — unhurried, under open sky.

At present, the restaurant serves in-house guests only. We may open it to outside diners in the future, but it is not currently available to non-residents.

Yes. Yala National Park game drives are arranged for guests through local licensed jeep operators. There are two options:

Half-day: approximately 4 hours, available as a morning or afternoon drive.

Full-day: 12 hours, including a packed lunch and a sundowner.

Game drives can also be arranged to Bundala, Lunugamvehera, and Ussangoda national parks.

Yala National Park has one of the world's highest densities of leopards. Other wildlife commonly seen includes elephant, sloth bear, crocodile, jackal, monitor lizard, and peacock. The park and surrounding reserves host hundreds of bird species. Bird watching is also possible from the hotel grounds.

Beyond the Yala safari, Arana arranges or hosts:

Wildlife and bird watching — on safari and from the property grounds.

Elephant tracking — at the Udawalawa plains.

Stargazing dinner — night dining under clear, low-light-pollution skies.

Cultural visits — Kirinda temple, Kataragama sacred city, Sithulpawwa rock temple.

Nature trails — self-guided walks from the property perimeter into the surrounding landscape.

Bush dinner — outdoor dining in the garden cabanas.

Check-in is from 2:00 PM and check-out is by 12:00 noon.

Yes. Baby cots, child-minding, and an extra bed are available free of charge in any room category. Please request these when you book so we can have them ready for your arrival.

Pets are not permitted as standard. We do consider requests on a case-by-case basis, so please contact us before booking if you would like to bring a pet.

February to July is generally the best period for safari. This is the dry season in the Yala zone — animals concentrate at waterholes, vegetation thins, and wildlife sightings are typically more frequent.

October to January is the wet season: the landscape is lush and vivid, but some park areas may close temporarily. The hotel is open year-round.

Sri Lanka's currency is the Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR). Cards are widely accepted at the hotel.

Sri Lanka uses 230V / 50Hz electricity with Type G plugs — the three-pin rectangular style used in the UK. Guests from countries using other plug standards should bring a universal travel adapter.

English is widely spoken by Arana's team. Sinhala is the local language.

Reservations: stay@aranayala.com

General enquiries: info@aranayala.com

Phone: +94 11 401 0101

WhatsApp: +94 70 632 0101

Address: No. 1, Diyawara Gammanaya, Yala Junction, Tissa-Kirinda 82600, Sri Lanka