Mellow Hostel, Ahangama, Sri Lanka

Considering the price, this is an amazing place! I slept really well. Temperature was great. Off the main road, so quiet at night. You get discount for the café which is excellent! Just no working lockers in the rooms which I disliked! And when I wanted to store my luggage after check-out they just left it in a corner which didn't feel safe to me.

Mellow is such a great place to stay! Chill, great location, and the café is perfect for after a good surf session. Great staff too!

Great place to base yourself to surf and work. Good internet, clean rooms, friendly staff, and lots of solo travellers who are social but not the intense party crowd. Best hostel I stayed in for my 10 weeks. Only improvement could be to include breakfast and communal dinners in the price for in-house guests.

Such a beautiful and chill hostel! The location on Kabalana beach is stunning, and the atmosphere is great. Esther and Zoe are fantastic hosts. Highly recommend for anyone visiting Ahangama!

I stayed in a double room for 4 nights and I had an amazing stay. The too room and washroom were quite spacious It’s right by the beach and I just used to walk for my surf lesson. The wifi was excellent since I was working from home and faced no issue. The staff is also really great. They have a cafe as well where I used to have almost all my meals cause the food is also great. A great vibe and a great stay.

Very nice place to meet people, there are many event like yoga, tournaments of tennis table.. A very nice cafe is just next to. And also a beach where you could surf. That’s not exactly in the center but it’s pretty close. You don’t hear the noise of the road so that’s a good point too. I recommand it

Very nice place to chill, meet people, do a lot of different activities, the staff is attentive and you are ready for the beach. Nothing better.

Ross Gardiner

Apr 9, 2026

★★★☆☆

Mellow is a mixed bag. On the positive side: the location is fantastic. Just walk across the road and straight onto the excellent Kabalana Beach. The cafe is nice. The staff were generally fairly helpful. However the private rooms leave a lot to be desired. The pricing is fairly premium for Sri Lanka but the rooms are really basic: you can forget having things like a fridge or bedside table. In addition, our bathroom had a leaky toilet and mouldy shower. Privacy was limited, with zero sound isolation between the room, bathroom and the walkway outside. Visually there is a barely-opaque curtain that only just covers the glass in the door.

It’s a nice hostel, the bed in the dorm was very comfortable, lockers and curtains around the beds were provided. They also organise activities. The hostel is very close to the beach and the main road but a bit outside of Ahangama town (about 20min by foot). Unfortunately the AC in the coworking area was broken, otherwise I would have stayed longer.

Hostel itself is super nice. Beds are comfortable and the room is super clean. Coffee was great as well. Location 10/10 super nice close to the beach and some restaurants. I will say that I was here for only one night but not really a social vibe, better for people who jus want a good nights sleep:)

I stayed two days at Mellow Hostel in single rooms. The first one was good looking on ground level, but it smelled very musty and had a lot of black mold. As I'm allergic, I asked for another room the day after. It was marginally better, but still moldy and I was starting to feel sick. It seems like they have just painted it over instead of dealing with the cause. They showed me a third room on second floor, but upon seeing the shower I realized it wouldn't work either. After this I asked for a refund for my third night as I wanted to move on early. I got a full refund and the staff was being really nice and understanding. So location, staff and service was great, but because of the condition of the rooms I cannot really recommend it.

Awesome hostel!! I recommend it to everyone

Simone Calò

Apr 1, 2026

★★★★★

Amaxing hostel! Very clean, well organized and spacious dormitories. They also have a space for practicing yoga and they organize different activities every day. Plus the volunteers Zoe and Esther are amazing! Wish I stayed longer

Had a private room and it was luxurious

Pricier side for a hostel, which is unfortunate... But maybe that's just me haha. The rest was amazing. Good vibe, people, co-working, AC, events, flexibility, kitchen, restaurant, yoga/workout area/ classes. I loved it all.

Top Hostel, good vibe and good food

Superb place, I highly recommend it

Lucrèce Abergel

Mar 30, 2026

★★★★★

Great hostel! I highly recommend it.

Mariya Zoheb

Mar 28, 2026

★★★★★

I had a fabulous stay at Mellow Hostel and cannot recommend it enough! From the moment I arrived, I felt right at home. A special mention must go to Michelle, whose warm and welcoming energy truly makes this place feel like a community. She goes above and beyond to ensure everyone is comfortable and taken care of. The hostel itself is fantastic, the dorms are peaceful and clean. The Cafe: Absolutely wonderful! The food and drinks were delicious, making it the perfect spot to start the morning or unwind after a day out. The Staff: Every team member I encountered was incredibly helpful, friendly, and always ready with a great recommendation. Location: Super convenient. Having the beach within walking distance was a total game-changer for sunrise walks and afternoon swims. If you are planning a visit, do yourself a favor and book a stay here. It’s a gem of a find!

The location of mellow its really nice. At one point its directly in front of the Kabalanabeach. Around 15 min you can reach the center by feet, for an short walk itsperfect. The staff is always so nice and help you with everything you need. And btw the coffee from the hostel is also really nice!

Chiara Luber

Mar 28, 2026

★★★★★

Had an amazing stay at Mellow Hostel! Clean rooms with AC, great sense of community, very engaged volunteers. Kabalana beach right in front with surf lessons. Great café in the hostel. Ping pong table, yoga classes, common dinners... Will definitely come back. Strongly recommend

Bhavaish R Bhatijaa

Mar 27, 2026

★★★★★

Had an absolutely wonderful stay at Mellow Hostel! The vibe here is truly excellent 🙌 super warm, welcoming, and perfect for meeting fellow travellers from around the world 🌎 A special mention to Michele, who surprised us by greeting us in Hindi and telling us she’s a Bollywood fan 😬 That instantly made the experience feel even more special and homely. The café was another highlight ☕️ — great atmosphere and the perfect spot to relax, work, or just unwind between plans. Also, if you’re staying here, don’t miss the Friday community meet-ups. They’re a fantastic way to connect with people and really experience the hostel’s lively spirit. Totally recommend this place to anyone looking for good vibes, friendly hosts, and a memorable stay!

Best Hostel in Ahangama! Amazing people and vibes

Chloe Bradley

Mar 23, 2026

★★★★★

Food was so good - super healthy and nourishing. All the staff were SUPER friendly especially Nimashi! (Forgive me for my inevitable spelling mistake). Love the sweet treats and also the open light space but also reasonably cool temp wise as they have AC. 💚 Thank you Mellow - I’ll be back!!!

Amazing hospitality! Service was excellent, food and cafes perfect! Everything super clean and all the staff extremely welcoming and helpful. Will be back for sure .

Amazing stay at Mellow’s !! Great people great food and great vibes, would 100% recommend if you want to have a good time. Big thanks to Sarah and Esther had the best last brunch ! 🫡

Staff is very friendly and helpful, the facilities are very clean. Cozy beds, even the upper bunks are nice. Location is nice if you like Kabbalana :) Would a huge improvement if breakfast were included:) Otherwise a really good experience!

Best place to stay in Ahangama. Staff and owners are great! The vibe, social activities, food and coffee...everything makes the full package.

One of the best hostels I’ve stayed at. The rooms are comfortable with good air conditioning, the coworking space is perfect for working, and the café is great. Highly recommended! ⭐

Alice Scarmagnan

Mar 7, 2026

★★★★★

Best hostel in Ahangama, just in front of Kabalana beach, with best sunset spot ever. The hostel Cafe offers good food, from breakfast to dinner all day long. Dorm Rooms are big and comfortable, with private bathroom with daily cleaning. Lots of activities so that you can easily meet people. There’s also a big terrace with yoga mats that you can use for your own workout or with yoga instructor. Thank you Mellow! You are the best! Lots of love and see you soon! (Book directly for best price ..and you will keep on extend more days!)

Mellow cafe is one of the best in Ahangama just across Kabalana beach. Ran by a lovely Turkish man with great friendly staff. They have a wide selection of Yummy pastries, great coffee and some delicious herbal tea... Love the brealfast bowl, super healthy tasty ingredients. ✌🏼❤

Best hostel in Sri Lanka!! Rooms were super nice the cafe is amazing food and coffee - nice activities they put on. It’s less than a minute walk to Kabalana Beach. Very good value for money

I stayed here for a bit over 2 weeks in single room on second floor with its own bathroom. The room was very clean and plenty large for one person. Bathroom always had hot water in a relatively short period of time and air conditioning and fan worked well. I thought it was very good value. They also offered some group meals and yoga sessions that I was able to take advantage of (extra cost but very reasonable). I usually had to be up earlier for surfing and never had a problem getting to sleep due to noise. Very calm and relaxed place. There is a nice coffee shop/restaurant out front as well as several good independent restaurants nearby.

Well organized community activities, very friendly and helpful staff 😊 Opportunity to do yoga there or go surfing on the other side of the street. The surrounding area is very busy and along the main road, but the dormroom I stayed in was calm with enough space and a large bed. Enjoyed my stay there.

Came with children but waitress favoured another female customer over us so I was told I had to wait 35 mins for a burger

Danila Merola

Feb 18, 2026

★★★★★

Very clean, good location for surfing The Rock and the most mazing staff! Lovely people! The vibe is a good balance between very social (multiple events and family dinners) and quiet (good to sleep early for surfing and coworking)! The cafe is amazing! Highly recommended!!

Elaine Ramirez

Feb 16, 2026

★★★★★

Great spot for a digital nomad - coworking space, all day restaurant cafe, and just steps from Kalabana beach and the great Rock surf point. Far from the downtown noise of ahangama but still several food options around. The best thing was that everyone surfs and appreciates a good night's sleep to be ready for dawn patrol. I would be glad to return some day.

The hostelroom is clean and comfortable. The café is extremely cute and delicious!

Neasa O'Donovan

Feb 10, 2026

★★★★★

Location couldn’t be better, just off Kabalana beach which is directly across the road. The vibes are the best part of Mellow, I stayed here for a few weeks between the private rooms and the dorms. The guests that come to Mellow are typically staying a little longer, are open minded and mostly in their late twenties or 30s - and many surfers. It’s a very easy place to go alone and meet people ; especially as there are events you can participate in almost twice a day; yoga, table tennis, community dinners, conversation workshops etc. Mellow felt like home to me, and the staff are all incredibly kind and welcoming. The food at the cafe is super. As per the dorms, they are perfect - even the 6 bed dorm has plenty of space and doesn’t feel crowded and is super comfortable. I’ll be back to Mellow for sure

Mellow was an amazing hostel in a great location! Highly recommend and thanks to Sarah for being so welcoming!

Noam Arik

Feb 7, 2026

★★★★★

Nice people and great place. Definitely a vibe if you are looking to meet new people and have a great time.

I was here for about 12 days. I stayed longer because after a few days I knew - that's my place to be. Sara and the others offer a lot of nice activities and they all have been very nice. The rooms are new and everything is always clean. They have hot showers, vents and Ac's. The hostel kitchen has everything you need. But there is also an amazing restaurant direct at the hostel. You also can do Yoga here with ocean and palms view. All in one - I wanna come back! It's an amazing place where you can find everything you need ❤️

Loved every minute, Clean rooms, super friendly staff. Felt at home and made so many friends. Perfect for a surfcation.

Nice hostel at a very nice location. Staff is very friendly and helpful. I would also say its the perfect amount of social activities, not too much but enough!

Very nice place!

Very nice hostel and friendly people right by the beach

Ramona

Feb 1, 2026

★★★★★

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Mellow Hostel. The atmosphere was very relaxed, and we visited the hostel café every day. The beach right across the street is perfect for watching a beautiful sunset.

An incredible stay at Mellow! The place is fantastic, very clean, with hot water, which is a real plus. The staff are exceptionally kind, both the social hosts and the local staff, always smiling and available. Access to the cafe is a real bonus and makes the place even more welcoming. Events are regularly organized, which makes it easy to meet people and creates a great atmosphere, especially for solo travelers. They also offer yoga sessions that are very well explained and adapted to all levels, which is a real plus. The accommodation is located just a minute from Kabalana Beach, perfect for enjoying the beach, going surfing, or admiring magnificent sunsets. The day I return to Kabalana, you'll definitely find me at Mellow. I highly recommend it!

My friend and I decided to stay at this hostel for three nights. Overall, everything was excellent, although we did hear a man snoring at night, but that's part of the experience. The service was quite good, and they made it easy for us to order a tuk-tuk. The café was elegant, and the food was delicious. The common areas were quite unique, with ping-pong tables, a coworking space, and activities like yoga and family dinners—we especially loved the chicken curry!

Polly Stewart

Jan 29, 2026

★★★★★

Lovely cafe and food. The poke bowl was great!

Salla Lindgren

Jan 29, 2026

★★★★★

Very nice hostel. Rooms were clean and staff were super friendly. Location was also perfect.

Very good!

Best hangout around

Valeria Gentile

Jan 20, 2026

★★★★★

The best place!!!! ❤️

There aren't enough words! We are a family of 5. Traveling for 6 weeks in Sri Lanka. We stumbled upon Mellow Hostel when we came to Kabalana beach and fell in love. We were just staying for 4 nights and we were, always, asking to extend more and more. Until we had to go home 😂. Everything is perfect. The rooms, the beds, the pillows... are impeccable. But, the most important are the people, everyone made our staying memorable and special. We will never forget it and will, definitely, come back. Thank you ❤️

No words to describe how good Mellow was for us! If we could give 6 stars we would definitely give it !! Thank you all for everything 😘🚀😍💫💚

best hospitality + best community safe and clean

A really nice hostel. I found it a bit pricey. When I was there, I didn't find it very social; everyone was in small groups and didn't seem interested in connecting. I had imagined it would be different. There are activities for meeting people, but unfortunately, the guests hardly take advantage of them. The air conditioning gave almost everyone in our room a cold. That's annoying, of course, but at least there's air conditioning :) The location is right on the beach, so it's great. The hostel was clean and had a kitchen (unfortunately, there were only forks and two knives, but otherwise it was well-equipped).

Aslı Öztürk

Jan 4, 2026

★★★★★

Lovely hostel. This is my second stay at Mellow. It feels like my home in Sri Lanka. The location, the accommodation, and the staff are all amazing. You can stay here with total peace of mind.

Sajal Porwal

Dec 27, 2025

★★★★★

Perfect hostel to stay in Ahangama right in front of beach. Would highly recommend staying here if you are in Ahangama for surfing.

Overall, I really enjoyed my stay at Mellow. I stayed for nine days and had a great time. I met many nice people, and the staff was always extremely helpful and attentive. I also really enjoyed the community dinners, both the people and the food was great. One small improvement could be adding a mosquito net to the bathroom window; however, I didn’t experience any issues since I usually kept the air conditioning on. Thank you for everything and whenever I’m back in Ahangama, I’ll definitely stay here again.

Magdalena Marycz

Dec 16, 2025

★★★☆☆

I had booked a private room. The photos and reality are completely different. The room only had a bed. The mattress was 3 cm thick and the wooden boards underneath were crooked. The common areas were poorly maintained. I canceled my stay.

Stephanie Pozo Mcintyre

Dec 14, 2025

★★★★★

We had a fantastic time, the room was clean, and the beds perfect. All tje staff was brillant. Thank you for our stay!! See you soon 😊

Lovely hostel!! Stayed in one of the private rooms, and this was quiet and well equipped. Literally a 60 second walk away from the beach, and about a 20 minute flat walk from the main ahangama area, although still really close to lots of restaurants and cafes, including one on site which did excellent food! I also joined for their community dinner which was a great way to meet other travellers ☺️

Lady boss was very kind and help full im glad that we came here. Also it was close to the point of surfing the rock in kabbalana Beach, across the street. Food places around to eat or drink. Recommended.

Best place to stay in Kabalana beach, very good vibes, nice environment, everybody works here is very friendly and helpful, I recommend it 100%.

Sarah Aydinogullari

Nov 30, 2025

★★★★★

Best place to connect with people and create a family vibe! close to everything and the café area is perfect

Manuela del Río Herraz

Nov 27, 2025

★★★★★

I love Mellow's coffee

It's very difficult to sleep. The train is shaking the house.

Amazing staff love it!!

Shaked Gibli

Nov 11, 2025

★★★★★

Amazing place! The hostel is clean, spacious, and super cozy with a relaxed and positive vibe. Their café is incredible – great coffee, fresh food, and a warm atmosphere right by the waves. The local staff are so kind and helpful. Definitely the best place to stay in Kabalana! Amazing place! The hostel is clean, spacious, and super cozy with a relaxed and positive vibe. Their café is incredible – great coffee, fresh food, and a warm atmosphere right by the waves. The local staff are so kind and helpful. Definitely the best place to stay in Kabalana!

Saskia van Driel

Oct 31, 2025

★★★★★

I loved the vibe straight away of the hostel when I met Michelle (see photo). I booked for 3 nights wiyh her and extended for 3 more in the mixed 6 bedroom dorm. Was hard to leave. Everybody was so friendly. Across the street from Kabalana beach! The free yoga from Shaked and the lovely activities by social host Emily were all so nice and fun. Would stay there again!!!

Was very nice comfortable stay

I recently stayed at Mellow Hostel, and overall, it was a great experience! The location is super convenient, close to the beach and the bus making it easy to explore the area. The staff were incredibly friendly and helpful, always ready to give tips or help with bookings. The rooms were clean and comfortable and perfect for budget travelers. I stayed in a 4 bed dorm and the beds were comfortable, sturdy, clean. Each bed had a curtain, personal light, charging port which was a nice touch. The common areas were cozy and social. Overall, I’d definitely recommend to anyone looking for an affordable, friendly place to stay 🤩💗

Lodovico Feroldi

Aug 11, 2025

★★★☆☆

The room is very nice (one of the best showers on the island). It's just steps from the beach and a 20-minute walk from the town center. Unfortunately, we weren't informed that the shop, bar, restaurant, and organized activities are closed in the low season. Most of the local businesses are closed, so it feels like a ghost town. It's certainly a magnificent place, but only in high season.

Exelent place

Madhavee Narampanawa

Jun 10, 2025

★★★☆☆

We spent two nights here and cozy and clean rooms. But didn't have water bottles, kettles or toiletries (only a hand wash). Felt like they should give a bit of a more welcoming feeling to the guests.

A good manager and good staff.

Very quiet hostel. Hardly any contact with other guests. 2-minute walk from the beach.

I spent ten fantastic days in Mellow, I stayed in one of their private rooms, working remotely from Sri Lanka. I highly recommend this hostel :) It is the best place to meet people (they organize social events everyday), you have all the infrastructure to work (either from the café, the coworking space or the outside cosy areas), people are extremely kind and the food from the Mellow café is just delicious. I would like to especially thank Deniz, the owner, for his warm welcome, Emma, the super cool volunteer and all the staff for their daily smiles! Kabalana beach is at the other side of the street so you can't really find better location. The rooms are confortable and I heard the dorms too.

Andrei Nazarov

Apr 26, 2025

★★★★★

Great accomodation, nice people around.

Best place ever!! I’ve never stayed anywhere more than 3 nights and I just couldn’t leave mellow, I ended up staying for 11 nights. The place is beautiful, super clean and everyone is really friendly (guests and staff) it just feels like home. Location is great too- right at the beach. Can’t recommend it enough!

Had an amazing time at Mellow! 🌺🌞 Easily the best spot in Ahangama — super clean, incredibly welcoming, and full of kind, friendly people. It's a very social place with events happening every day, creating a great vibe. Perfect for relaxing between yoga sessions and surfing. Plus, it’s right next to Kabalana Beach, which makes the location unbeatable. Definitely recommend it!✨

Amazing stuff and service. Good spot to meet great people and relax. Right by Kabalana beach. Great cafe and good local restaurants around.

Gözde Konca

Apr 12, 2025

★★★★★

My favorite spot in Ahangama with its perfect and delicious menu, kind and friendly host and staff, great community, best location and of course its community dinners. Plus a very cozy working area. I will miss the dog hosts so much and definetely come back again.

This is a little more than a hostel, family, good food, good coffee and nice conversations with people. What more could you ask for?🤍

It was a mistake to book a double room at Mellow. As one of our last days in Sri Lanka we wanted to treat ourselves on a bit of a premium stay. This place looked liked that, and the price is definitely premium. However, it is very basic and not worth the money. The pictures on internet and booking.com do not reflect the room we actually stayed in. It does not offer the facilities you would expect for this kind of money. There is no seating inside or outside of your room, toiletries, tv, hairdryer of kettle. The 'garden view' is simply a view at the neighbours fence with people continuously walking across your doorstep. The bed is thin and morning shower is not warm. We have been travelling Sri Lanka for four weeks now, and this price-quality ratio is simply ridiculous. At the front is a good looking cafe, but crazy expensive once more. The space where the hostel is feels neglected and empty. Most seating is taken by the staff. We were struggling with the luggage in front of the bar and not one person tried to help us. Nothing like we have seen in the rest of the country. There is lots of place for parking, but not allowed. We were "friendly" told to get our tuktuk out of the way and onto the street. The motorbikes randomly parked throughout the terrace are still there..

Cem Önel

Mar 22, 2025

★★★★★

I stayed in a 4-bed dorm for 3 weeks. Mellow is by far the cleanest and most comfortable hostel I’ve ever stayed at. The rooms are well-designed and very practical. Thanks to the curtains on the beds, you can isolate yourself whenever you want, and since the bunk beds are made of concrete, it feels like sleeping in a single bed — you don’t feel any movement from the person in the other bunk. The common areas are functional and cozy. The hostel organizes events and community dinners on certain days of the week, which helped me meet great new people and build wonderful friendships. The menu at the hostel’s café is also rich, and the food was delicious. The staff are good at what they do, very helpful, and friendly. I had an unforgettable 3 weeks at Mellow and I highly recommend it to everyone.

Juat the perfect spot infront of The Rock surf point. Rooms are big, air conditioner, hot shower. The local crew is the best! Feels like a true family! You have all you need in the hostel, they have a cafe place and tasty food. Enjoy!

We live nearby, found Mellow on maps with a good rating, and decided to come for breakfast. And, wow! It's a cozy place, with really delicious coffee! The food also delighted our taste buds. Shakshuka, potato pancakes, and a very pleasant and delicious cafe! We highly recommend it.

Perfect place!! Excellent staff and service Excellent food in the restaurant Comfortable rooms and hot water. My room was located on the second floor, and I loved it Great playlist in the restaurant

Sivan Palones

Mar 9, 2025

★★★★★

Great stuff Great location

Lovly place Feels like home Best shower Best food at mellow Best service Loved it

Minindu Thiranjaya

Mar 4, 2025

★★★★★

One of the best place in south. Internet is super fast.

JotaDiaz

Feb 25, 2025

★★★★☆

Poor coordination with the reception staff. I explained that I had arrived on an international flight at 2 a.m., there was no one waiting, and I had to spend the night sitting down. If it weren't for the security guard, I would have been out on the street. Because of this bad experience, I canceled my reservation and booked elsewhere.

The love for the ocean and my intent to “reset”, before taking on a new work assignment took me to Ahangama. Their close proximity to Kabalana beach, good pricing and their great digital content on social media made to choose Mellow hostel.||What made me book a second trip and return to Mellow Hostel was because it made me feel at home… ||Sure enough the rooms were not as fancy as the pictures (they come very close though), and yes the food at some eateries in close proximity might be better (and slightly more expensive), but what you don’t see in the pictures are the warmth of the staff, the fact that it’s a smelting pot of people from different parts of the world, the opportunity for insightful conversations and deep friendships with likeminded people of different walks of life, the multiple activities to fill your day (and a good break from surfing) and a good balance of balancing work and tasting paradise. ||I highly recommend Mellow Hostels (they do have private single/double occupancy rooms too) irrespective if you are a traveling solo, with friends or with family. ||They are purpose driven and it shows in the way they lead their people and serve their guests. ||It’s only a matter of time they I go back to Mellow Hostels for some vitamin sea 😉🌊🏄☀️❤️

HOME away from home The love for the ocean and my intent to “reset”, before taking on a new work assignment took me to Ahangama. Their close proximity to Kabalana beach, good pricing and their great digital content on social media made to choose Mellow hostel. What made me book a second trip and return to Mellow Hostel was because it made me feel at home… Sure enough the rooms were not as fancy as the pictures (they come very close though), and yes the food at some eateries in close proximity might be better (and slightly more expensive), but what you don’t see in the pictures are the warmth of the staff, the fact that it’s a smelting pot of people from different parts of the world, the opportunity for insightful conversations and deep friendships with likeminded people of different walks of life, the multiple activities to fill your day (and a good break from surfing) and a good balance of balancing work and tasting paradise. I highly recommend Mellow Hostels (they do have private single/double occupancy rooms too) irrespective if you are a traveling solo, with friends or with family. They are purpose driven and it shows in the way they lead their people and serve their guests. It’s only a matter of time they I go back to Mellow Hostels for some vitamin sea 😉🌊🏄☀️❤️

We were very well treated in this place. The staff were very friendly and the food was excellent. Would definitely recommend this place to anyone visiting Sri Lanka with interest in Surfing and local culture.

If you want your trip to be the most fun, dynamic and familiar, you should definitely come to Mellow. The rooms are beautiful, the dorms are really cozy and the sharing area is very nice to hang out with the people of the hostel. They have activities and plans almost every day, which you can join and get to meet the people from the hostel and outside of the hostel. The staff from the hostel is really nice and kind, and you feel like at home. It’s one of the best hostels I’ve been so far 🙏🏼 Furthermore it’s not on the most chaotic part of Ahangama so you still have your space and calmness. 💛

I had the Poké Ball dish with chicken. It comes with excellent rice - not too sticky, with salad, cabbage, cilantro and avocado. A large, satisfying and very tasty dish. I recommend you try it.

Eri C

Feb 5, 2025

★★★☆☆

TLDR - The rooms are very hit or miss. Overall, this hostel felt and looked very different from the photos online. The first room I stayed in (room 6) was awful. * The fan constantly squeaked and swung when it was on, which was nerve-wracking * The bathroom light was super dim and the fan was so loud and disruptive you couldn't relax (you couldn't turn on the light without turning on the fan). * Floors were not not clean * There were no hangers on the clothing rod * The room has no windows (except for the glass door), but there were people doing construction in the next room so I ended up with no light the whole time. *Also tons of flying gnats so that whenever I was laying in bed trying to relax, I just get tons of gnats landing on my arms and face all the time. I wanted to leave. I ended up asking to switch rooms, and that was a much better experience. It was brighter and the room and bathroom fans were normal, and you could leave the curtains open to let in light. The rest of my stay was fine and acceptable there. Overall, place felt like it needed more love, and not at all what you would expect at that price. The grounds felt abandoned. And the fact that the 2 rooms felt so different (one was just a regular room and the other was a queen bed room) just showed the lack of care the owner and staff had in the upkeep of their rooms. It also wasn't super close to the rest of town, not terribly far, but it was a further walk. Felt like it was terrible value. I stayed in a place in Indonesia for the same price also across the street from the beach (with a view of the beach!) but it felt like heaven. There are other bed and breakfasts up and down the block that have a less trendy website that are much cheaper. -- The pesto pasta was delicious though! And the roof deck was not bad.

Onur Kızılkaya

Jan 26, 2025

★★☆☆☆

I have booked two nights here yet stayed only one night. Decided to leave after spending some time in the common area. The cafe part was great with various options including Turkish cuisine. The Sri Lankan staff were super helpful and friendly yet i cannot say the same for the others. Most of the guests are Turkish. Therefore, if you want to experience Turkish culture in Sri Lanka this a place for you to stay, especially, if you’re a Turkish person visiting Ahangama and feeling difficulty to blend in, which personally i would not recommend. Turkish guests were feeling superior due to the owner being Turkish and were loud. The room and the cafe were good, however, you can find similar priced places to stay with better options. The main reason i gave two stars is that I didn’t feel welcomed in this hostel, even though i am Turkish which is the opposite of my overall experience in anywhere in Sri Lanka.

Susana Soromenho Pereira

Jan 24, 2025

★★★★★

I stayed in Mellow for 3 weeks and if I could I would have kept extending my stay. It's definitely the BEST hostel in Sri Lanka, so organized, comfy and cleaned and nice to stay. I tried other places, but coming back to Mellow was like a breeze of fresh air. I highly recommend booking a room here! Everyone is suuuper friendly, welcoming and always smiling and making sure you are having a good time. Michelle is the BEST and super funny! Apparently, it used to be a not so special hostel, but it has definitely changed and I made friends that turned into family and that shared so many laughs and good moments :)) If you are looking to have some hours or work done, there's a coworking space with great wifi that works in all the areas of the hostel. Thanks Mellow family for a great start to 2025, I'll miss you!!!

I loved it!! This experience was unforgettable, the beauty and tranquility of the surroundings were wonderful. The rooms were very clean and comfortable. There were crocodiles in the ocean, but even so, the crocodiles didn't do anything 😌

Clean, comfortable, and friendly. Even though I'm miles away from home, I felt right at home... I was very pleased; the spaciousness and comfort of the environment captivated me. It was wonderful ❤️☺️

İt was very confortable!!i went with my famiy and we really like that.we felt like we our home.!

I had an amazing stay at Mellow Hostel Sri Lanka. Its location close to the beach allowed me to fully enjoy the sun and the sea.The rooms were incredibly clean and comfortable. The common areas were perfect for meeting other travelers and spending enjoyable moments. It's definitely a place I’d love to visit again. Thank you, Mellow Hostel.

it was greatful i will go again

Excellent

it was very comfortable it was great

Descent room in a very convenient location.

We had a great week at Mellows! Very good vibe with organised brunch, dinner and yoga. Would definitely recommend!

Mellow is a clam and friendly place to stay and the meal was very delicious. My room was cleaned well everyday and I wanna thanks for the cleaning lady Mrs.sumudu. specially this time, every room and doms have been renovated and there were no any cockroaches like before and thank for the all stuff.

Mellow is very nice place. They have very good coffee and food. They have also very nice rooms, free WiFi and air conditioning. Great place and very nice staff. I like this place . ❤️

" MELLOW " is the best place. Very nice place and WiFi and Air conditioning. They have healthy and delicious food and coffee. Great place with great staff.

Really good place .The rooms are clean and orderly .A place with all the facilities and Wi-Fi is available for free . They have good customer service. The food is tasty and delicious.

Rooms are very nice and they have good service. Food is very tasty

I had a great 4 day stay at Mellow Hostel! It’s very close to the beach, perfect for surfing and relaxation. The hostel has a cozy cafe with delicious food, and the space is large and airy. They also have two adorable dogs, which made my stay even better. The staff was friendly and welcoming. Highly recommend it to anyone visiting the area, especially if you love surfing and good food!

came for coffee became the hub for me.

Ekin Kuzu

Sep 22, 2024

★★★★★

It was one of the best experiences I had with my friends 😌 the surfing we experienced there was an unforgettable moment for us, and their interest and service made us very happy. I can't wait to go there againnnn 🤩🤩

It has a very good location for surfers There is a very good surf spot opposite the hostel and there is also a cafe where we had a great time, it was very enjoyable (:

i lived the most beautiful moments of my life.i had fun very very much.they were very interested in us.i felt like i am in my house.

Sena Köse

Sep 22, 2024

★★★★★

A perfect hotel, the friendliness and sincerity of the people gave me peace. Very tidy and clean, I loved it

It was the best place in Sri Lanka, people was so nice and sincere. Feel me like i am at home with friend :) Good service also so important for me.They're really good about it. And the surf experiences best thing in there but not without you guys thank you for all your help, service and friendship : )

clean and positive environment

Best hostel around the place. The service, the cleanliness of the rooms, the atmosphere, the foods/drinks. The perfect place to stay in Ahangama...

Unfortunately quite a bad stay! The café in the front is really fancy but once you get in the back and to the rooms, all the love is gone. Rooms are really worn down, everything is old and feels dirty. The bathroom is smelly, no window and only one bathroom/shower/toilet for 8 people! Had cockroaches in the room multiple times. Also the "coworking" is very very basic, just a few chairs and tables on the sides of the room, that's it. Also it was quite loud, people talking all the time, so not very nice to work focused. The worst for me though was the service. I needed to leave a bit earlier (also because I was very unsatisfied, which I told them) and even though I told them beforehand, they still charged me for nights I did not stay. So unflexable! Even though in their reservation policy they write "Just let us know, if you need to make changes". But you really can't trust what they tell you on their website anyway. There it's also claimed to have one yoga lessons free every day, which was not true. Overall cannot recommend!!

My recent stay at Mellow Hostel last week was unfortunately quite disappointing. Upon arrival, I was shocked to find the rooms in a dreadful state. There was visible mold, a persistent unpleasant odor, and the air conditioner was malfunctioning. The overall cleanliness of the room left much to be desired, with mold in the bathroom and intermittent electrical issues. Moreover, I found the staff to be unhelpful and uncooperative. The room rates seemed unreasonably high compared to other options in the area, especially considering the poor conditions. It was particularly frustrating to discover that there was no distinction in pricing between dorms accommodating four or six people. Additionally, I was surprised to learn that guests could negotiate a lower rate by contacting the reception directly, which made me question the fairness of their pricing system. Despite my dissatisfaction, when I attempted to cancel my reservation due to the unacceptable conditions, I was met with resistance and faced with charges for the entire duration of my stay. Overall, I strongly advise against staying at Mellow Hostel until they address these serious issues. It's regrettable that such a promising location near the sea is overshadowed by substandard accommodation and a lack of regard for customer satisfaction. I will not be recommending this hostel to anyone in my network, and I urge others to heed this warning. The photographs I took during my stay speak volumes about the unacceptable conditions.

Located opposite a wonderful beach but on a very noisy main road, tastefully and stylishly furnished, the cafe could use some updating. The coffee was watery, the desserts tasteless and, in my opinion, neither good nor tasty. The prices were high, why? I didn't like anything, sorry.

karim tousbih

Jan 26, 2024

★★★★★

Great coffee

עינת אורן

Jan 9, 2024

★★★★★

Good morning A lovely cafe! Nicely decorated with comfortable seating, they have very tasty coffee, everything you choose from the menu is excellent!!! Beautiful and clean service, the staff at the cafe is charming and smiling, they have good energy 🌟. The cafe has a small shop where they sell clothes made of good fabrics that are suitable for the Sri Lankan weather, designer bags, tea and souvenirs :-). Roxanne and Dennis are the owners of the cafe, kind, smiling 🥰, and pleasant to talk to. It is always fun to reach them at any time of the day, thank you 🩵

Natalia Grybovska

Jan 9, 2024

★★☆☆☆

They charge $40 a night (a price close to a fancy airbnb in the area) for a single room that shouldn’t cost more than $15-20, particularly: - The room has no windows (except for the glass door), therefore it’s quite dark and creepy, especially on a rainy day. - The walls, the desk and other surfaces are far from clean and need repainting. - The towel I was provided with is the size of A4 and didn’t look fresh. - The mosquito net had a big gap which is not possible to overlap. Makes the whole mosquito net pointless. - On a rainy day the room felt quite damp. - Other minor things like the glass on the door is cracked, the light in the bathroom wasn’t working etc. Generally there was no sense of care and maintenance at the place, which might be fine for a budget room, but not for its price. It left me quite frustrated and I didn’t feel like staying at all, was still charged for the first 2 nights. The good things: - Great location - Friendly stuff - Amazing cafe

Kristian Engen Ødegård

Dec 25, 2023

★★☆☆☆

My least favourite hostel after three weeks in Sri Lanka. You really just pay for the location (which is amazingly close to beautiful Ahangama beach, just across the road). First place on my travel where I’m not impressed by the Sri Lanka hospitality. Had the 8 beds dorm and it’s overpriced compared to what you get. Cockroaches in the dorm, very messy and not the best cleanliness. They started to change the beds 9 in the morning when having super early check-out time (10:30). The hostel also lacking a vibe, even though it really has potential!

Saasha khanna

Nov 26, 2023

★★★☆☆

The hostel is at a great location and the locals running the place are very welcoming. They host events every day but can do some more work in socialising those. The common kitchen was extremely dirty, there were lizards on the kitchen counter and the common utensils were also super dirty. A bit steep for the price.

אוריאל גדז

Sep 24, 2023

★★★★★

Excellent place to stay in your journey. I was at off season so not a lot happend there which was exactly the thing for me. Bu on high season there is yoga class and more people. The hosts were extremely nice.

Staff were nice and the place was set back from the road so was quiet, we didn’t hear road or train noise at all. Stayed in the double room, good aircon and the shower pressure was great. Hired a scooter also for a reasonable price. If you stay here definitely check out Veda Cafe next door also.

Arcan Ozgur

Apr 11, 2023

★★★★☆

If you’re thinking to surf and rest, this place is a good choice. Coworking space is also good enough and the internet connection is good for zoom meetings. All the employees are amazing especially Nadir on the bar.

Conclusion: At $30 a night in a private room, the price-performance ratio is not right. But the dorms are supposed to be cool, and there the price-performance ratio is right again.

Andrei Lubochnikov

Mar 13, 2023

★★★★★

Nice hostel, where I spent almost a month and made a lot of friends. There you can have daily activities: yoga, surfing together, community dinners and so on. Special thanks to Deniz and Ranga for hospitality and to cheif Dilara for her amazing dishes.

Nice place with special people 💛

Eleonora Riss

Feb 21, 2023

★★☆☆☆

If you leave a good review you will get a discount on the menu which says a lot.. When I was there a big group of people stayed for weeks at mellow and kinda know each other and are not that interested in meeting new people. The place didn't give me the typical hostel vibe. The owner is a foreigner but most of the staff are locals. The owner seems to have kinda a cold personality. You wouldn't expect he is the owner of a hostel. The toilet doesn't have a window and it wasn't cleaned daily in my case. It was nice though that I got an upgrade to a smaller room when I arrived.

Great people in the staff, amazing looking with Kabalana beach just in front of it, great dorms, great food. Super chill vibe!

רעות בן

Feb 8, 2023

★★★★★

Good rooms, hot water (!) and excellent food.

Oskar Oskarsson

Feb 1, 2023

★★★★★

Loved every minute of staying there. Lived here for a month during my stay in Sri Lanka. Deniz and Ranga, the owner and the manager are two very light hearted and kind people. The rest of the staff is also amazing.

Amit Levy

Jan 29, 2023

★★★★★

Really enjoyed at the Mellow Very nice atmosphere and food The people were amazing Definitely come back

Hakan Aksu

Jan 28, 2023

★★☆☆☆

The place is never safe. My helmet was stolen from my motorcycle while it was parked in front of four security guards. The guards laughed at the possibility of it falling off. The owner of the place said, "I wish I'd locked it; these things happen all the time." It's a joke. I usually leave the keys in, but it's sad that this happened at this place, which has never happened to me. The venue's indifference is even sadder. A great night ended badly!

Sanjiva Gautamadasa

Jan 27, 2023

★★★★★

A wonderful evening of music by The Soul - friendly service and good food.

I recently had the pleasure of staying at the Mellow Hostel, which is connected to a fantastic restaurant. The hostel itself was clean and well-maintained, with comfortable beds and private bathrooms. The staff were incredibly welcoming and helpful, and the atmosphere was lively and fun. The common areas were perfect for mingling with other travelers and making new friends. The convenience of having the restaurant connected to the hostel made it easy to grab a meal without ever having to leave the building. The location of the hostel was also great, right in front of the Kabalana beach and close to other surf spots. All in all, I would highly recommend the Mellow Hostel and its connected restaurant for anyone looking for a comfortable place to stay and delicious food in one place.

Really delicious food, and a stunning hotel with a good social experience❤️

Marta Perez camats

Jan 21, 2023

★★★★★

I stayed 3 weeks in Mellow in a double room and I can only recommend it! Suuuper comfortable :) Great place for digital nomads and solo travelers - the coworking space is all you could ask for, and there are also other areas like the cafe or common places where you can also work. Kabalana beach right across the street, daily yoga class, friday dinners and all the vibe in general is awesome! Loved the food, all the dishes are very carefully prepared and have a unique taste you can’t find anywhere else around. Thanks to all the people at Mellow for making me feel like home😄🙏🏽

What a special place! A real home away from home with an amazing family of people 🤗 And the food is always creative and delicious 🇹🇷 😋

Food was very good

the food was amazing

Kasia Jadaluk

Nov 13, 2022

★★★★★

Best place even for long stays! Great people

Teresa B

Sep 21, 2022

★★★★★

We spent one night at Mellow Hostel and it was perfect! The facilities are great, with a yoga area, exercise equipment, and a huge garden! ♥️ And we made friends forever! 🐶🫶🏼

As soon as I arrived, the receptionist asked me to cancel the reservation I made through Booking.com, promising a better price! In the end, the difference was only US$1! Then the hotel owner asked me a lot of questions, and I felt like a criminal! There's no breakfast, and everything in the hostel is extremely expensive! The hostel is near surf spots and nothing else, so if you don't surf, it's best not to go to this hostel! The sheets are very thin and small, and the pillow and bed are bad! The room is damp and stuffy! They said there was a generator, but it didn't work during my stay! The hostel was also designed in a way that doesn't allow for interaction! In short! It was the most expensive hostel I've ever stayed in! I paid for 3 days and left on the second day!

Good Internet, amazing staff and energy. Not 5 stars because there are no desks in the bed rooms to work. But right perfect location for surf 🌻

Siddarth Jain

Feb 24, 2022

★★★★★

The place is run by Deniz- one of the owners. Its a beautiful property with compact but cozy rooms, a beautiful cafe and lot of open space. Good for digital nomads and remote workers, the Wi-Fi is good and even the lunch thali is yum

Clean and vibrant. Super friendly staff. Great value for money. Just cross the road from the Kabalana beach suitable for beginners as well as more advanced surfers. Was fully booked in February. Better to reserve in advance.

Ive never slept there but food is lovely - i reccomend wraps especially :)

Ariel Eldar

Jan 4, 2022

★★★★★

Perfect location on the best surf spot in the area, always good vibes, beautiful rooms Very comfortable to work remote from, and lots of things to do around the hostel 🙏

Kobi Fein

Dec 15, 2021

★★★★★

great hospitality, great location, great service.

I got here by pure chance and I can say that i was really lucky :)|The atmosphere is great, rooms and beds are clean and comfortable,shared spaces are equipped with books games, and sports tools (TRX , yoga equipments, etc..) |And the internet is perfect for digital nomads.|Not to forget how sweet and professional the manager Ranga is! I would’ve stayed more if i was a better surfer 😂|I felt like home, meeting people at the hostel and being close to the beach as well as great restaurants around.

Надежда Чумак

Nov 11, 2021

★★★★★

I was staying at mellow hostel for one year. During this year I also spent 3 long curfew periods here. It was amazing time I spent on the island. Ranga is the best manager I’ve ever met. He helped to get all our needs and always was kind and friendly. I was working remotely at my room. There wasn’t enough light inside for the streaming. From the very beginning Ranga provided additional light bulbs and helped with good WiFi connection. I had WiFi, personal bathroom, AC, room cleaning from lovely Ganeesha, drinking water, kitchen for cooking, washing mashing, etc. Everything at the property was clean due to Ganeesha’s work. We were like a family with stuff and other guests. We cooked together, shared the recipes of our national dishes with each other, organized the parties with all mellow family and had a lot of fun. It was a difficult time with many unpredictable challenges in the world. And my first experience living abroad for so long period of time. I felt free and safety and had a lot of support from Ranga, Ganeesha and neighbors. And the dogs! I was afraid of the dogs before coming to Sri Lanka. Dobby helped me to cope with this fear. He is a big dog, but friendly and cute. Also his mom and grandma) Highly recommend this place to stay.

I love Mellow Hostel!! Best place to stay when you're in the South of Srilanka!! Beautiful clean rooms, hot water, WiFi, kitchen(equipment with everything you need) and it's sooo close to the Beach!!!! The people are super friendly and helpful!! I can recommend Mellow Hostel from all my heart 💖

The best in Sri Lanka! Love everyone and every dog here, rooms are amazing, WiFi speed is amazing and everything else, can’t wait to be back soon

Best place to stay in whole Sri Lanka. Big spacious rooms, decent wifi, kitchen(with oven and awsome blender) , hot water,everything is very clean, free drinking water, company of friendly dogs, in the souranding garden you can find coconuts and basil, they provide bikes with racks for surfboards. It's located opposite KABALANA Beach - one of the most scenic beaches of the country and great surf spot. Ranga the menager is simply best possible menager: friendly, helpful and smart.

Best for see veiw lovers

Worst place to book||on 20th of December 2020, I booked mellow hostel online (booking.com) for 24th and 25th of December 2020.||They confirmed the booking on the same page. when I try to double check the booking thru a phone call, the number has given on google was not working.||I reached Ahanagama on 24th December at 2.30 pm and tried to check in Mellow hostel.||There was only one person working and he don't have any clue about the booking.||He said all the rooms are full. when i asked him, why did they confirm the booking if u don't have a room, he said " it was a auto generate message from the site.||I came from Colombo, Imagine if you book this place from another country and when u got in to a situation like this.||I had to travel extra 10 km to find another place to stay.||I never recommend this to anyone. Please don't book this place.||Also the person was working there, when he lost the argument, he said " without a PCR test report, you can't check in to any hotel here"||he never apologize regarding what happened. After the first wave I had been checked in to more than 4 hotels, no one asked about PCR reports.

RJ Perera

Jan 1, 2021

★☆☆☆☆

Worst place to book on 20th of December 2020, I booked mellow hostel online (booking.com) for 24th and 25th of December 2020. They confirmed the booking on the same page. when I try to double check the booking thru a phone call, the number has given on google was not working. I reached Ahanagama on 24th December at 2.30 pm and tried to check in Mellow hostel. There was only one person working and he don't have any clue about the booking. He said all the rooms are full. when i asked him, why did they confirm the booking if u don't have a room, he said " it was a auto generate message from the site. I came from Colombo, Imagine if you book this place from another country and when u got in to a situation like this. I had to travel extra 10 km to find another place to stay. I never recommend this to anyone. Please don't book this place. Also the person was working there, when he lost the argument, he said " without a PCR test report, you can't check in to any hotel here" he never apologize regarding what happened. After the first wave I had been checked in to more than 4 hotels, no one asked about PCR reports.

Tetiana Shchypun

Jul 15, 2020

★★★★★

Nice place

Amazing food

I can’t say enough good things about this hostel - they have created an atmosphere that feels like family. Evenings are spent sharing music, stories, and laughter amidst new and old friends. Yoga on site, ping pong tournaments, and the perfect location across from beautiful Kabalana beach. Come stay for a night and stay for a month!

It's a free educational centre

Samitha Tharanga

Mar 3, 2020

★★★★★

Nice Foods,Friendly Staff.Good Music.

The Mellow Hostel is located 20 meters opposite the beach and has a very relaxed location. I stayed there for 5 nights because I found it so relaxed and clean. The beds are freshly made on request and are also generally very clean. 13 Euro a night in the 8er Dorm is a fair price. Additionally there is as much water (from the dispenser) as you want. The hostel is directly connected to the restaurant GULLY and therefore offers the possibility to be cooked at any time of the day if you want. It also has its own kitchen with stove and refrigerator in the backyard, which you can use at any time. Right next door is another small restaurant where you can get daily freshly made Rotti for 50 Rupees and Kottu for 200 Rupees. I can only recommend it. Everywhere around the corner you can rent surfboards for small money and the beach offers great waves for beginners and more. I can only recommend this hostel to everybody. 5 stars for MELLOW!

My friends and I decided to stay at this hostel after our villa, literally for four days, before our flight home. Everything was great: the description on Booking.com, the photos, the ratings were good, and there was air conditioning. Nothing foreshadowed trouble. |A couple of weeks earlier, we booked three beds in an eight-person dorm through Booking. We arrived at the hostel and checked in at reception. We were asked to pay in full upon arrival, 13,000 rupees per person. This is where this hostel's trick lies. The eight-person dorm turned out to be tiny, about 3m by 8m. There was only one square window in the roof, measuring 50x50, which gave the room a persistent musty smell. |It was impossible to sleep at night; eight people in such a small room generated so much heat that no air conditioner could cope. The heat was scorching, and it was hard to breathe. After a sleepless night, we decided to check out of the hostel, as sleeping under a palm tree by the road would be more comfortable than staying in that room. We went to reception and told them we wanted to leave, but the staff immediately marked us as no-shows on Booking.com and informed us that their booking and cancellation policies stipulated a full refund. But so be it, they were willing to refund us 2,200 rupees out of the 13,000. We spent the whole day trying to negotiate, first with the receptionists, then with the manager, to no avail. We left the money, the tiny room, and simply left. |Funnily enough, the receptionists before us were trying to sort out exactly the same situation. There was also a girl in the room with us, and as far as I could tell, her purse was missing. |As it turns out, the hostel is losing its Booking.com rating, and apparently quite rapidly. The description doesn't quite match the reality. There's air conditioning, but it's useless at night. There are safes, but they're just wooden boxes with small, flimsy locks that can easily be opened with a screwdriver. The only good thing is the cleanliness; everything is fine here. And there are many interesting, friendly guests. I recommend stopping by the hostel before checking in, taking a look around, and if everything suits you, go ahead; the hostel is in a great location. And keep in mind that the room is still relatively cool during the day, since all the guests are out somewhere.

My friends and I decided to stay at this hostel after our villa, literally for four days, before our flight home. Everything was great: the description on Booking.com, the photos, the ratings were good, and there was air conditioning—nothing foreshadowed trouble. A couple of weeks earlier, we booked three beds in an eight-person dorm through Booking. We arrived at the hostel and checked in at reception. They asked us to pay in full upon arrival, 13,000 rupees per person. This is where the whole trick of this hostel lies. The eight-person dorm turned out to be a tiny space, about 3m x 8m. There was only one square window, a 50x50 cm square in the roof, which gave the room a persistent musty smell. It was impossible to sleep at night; eight people in such a small room generated so much heat that no air conditioner could cope. The heat was scorching, making it hard to breathe. After our first sleepless night, we decided to check out of the hostel, as sleeping under a palm tree by the road would be more comfortable than staying in that room. We went to reception and told them we wanted to leave, but the staff immediately flagged us as no-shows on Booking.com and informed us that their booking and cancellation policies stipulated a full refund. But so be it, they were willing to refund us 2,200 rupees out of the 13,000. We spent the whole day trying to negotiate, first with the receptionists, and then with the manager, to no avail. We left the money, the tiny room, and simply left. Funny enough, the receptionists before us were trying to resolve the exact same situation. There was also a girl in the room with us, and as far as I could tell, her purse had gone missing. Ultimately, it turns out the hostel is losing its Booking.com rating, and apparently quite rapidly. The description doesn't quite match the reality. There's air conditioning, but it's useless at night. There are safes, but they're just wooden boxes with small, flimsy locks that can easily be opened with a screwdriver. The only good thing is the cleanliness; everything's fine here. And there are lots of interesting, friendly guests. I'd recommend stopping by the hostel before checking in, taking a look around, and if everything looks good, go for it; it's in a great location. And keep in mind that the room gets even cooler during the day, as everyone's out and about.

Very comfortable! Simple and very well maintained. A good choice for the area.

Best hostel I've been to in Sri Lanka!! It's right in front of the beach, huge garden and spaces to socialise. The rooms are really beautiful and have A/C. I never had a shower this good since I started traveling! You can get yoga or surfing classes too! The food and coffee at their restaurant is really good too. Definitely treat yourself and spend some time here!!

Very welcoming place. Friendly staff. They have a ping pong table and offer yoga classes!

Great place to stay. Close to the waves and on its terrain a terrific restaurant to meet fellow stayers. Loved the rooftop yoga they offer too!

kartikaye kishore

Jan 2, 2020

★★★☆☆

Facilities could have been better as per the price charged. Many times they do not have electricity through out the day time and we had to use the nearby restaurants wifi and electricity.

From the relaxed vibe to the comfy beds, this place is THE place in the south. Overlooking the grounds with the ocean in the background is a great way to end the day after cruising around the south. A definite must place to be.

Good location to go surfing right at the spot. Very helpful staff and clean facilities. Location is in a very quiet area of Ahangama far from all the hustle and bustle of the big town like Weligama and Unawatuna. Good to calm down!

Álvaro Pérez Sánchez

Dec 18, 2019

★★★★★

I was there for an organized party with direct music. Very fun. Good prices

Hameez Azad

Dec 15, 2019

★★★★☆

Hss a good ambience...

Shoreline Snorkel

Nov 3, 2019

★☆☆☆☆

Very nice hostel physicalally built, across from the surf, The reason for 1 stars is, No surfboard rentals have to go 1km to rent a boars not that big of deal but come on... WiFi have to get every 24 hours a code and buy overpriced food from a kitchen that has HUNDREDS of FLIES and unsanitary conditions from after I saw the state of the kitchen I stopped buying food. The WiFi is also very slow 1mb down at best ping time around 250ms The other reason is the amount of cigarette smoke here they smoke all in the common areas and it is impossible to get away from, this is by far the worst, I could not eat upstairs or down due to this. Planned on a week here left after 1 night.

Fabulous food

N J

Oct 7, 2019

★★★★★

Great place and best food in Sri Lanka at the gully kitchen

Manuel Lemke

Sep 16, 2019

★★★★☆

My friend and me stayed at that hostel for about 10 days. The hostel is nice and clean. There is a outside kitchen so you can cook your own meel if you want to. Close by is Ahangama {5 minutes by bus 15 rupee} You can buy food and fruits there. When you want to surf you also can take the bus (15 minutes 30 rupee) and go to weligama Island. Do never ever take a tuktuk. They are just incredible expensive. The hostel itself we can recomand. We also recomand to eat at the restaurant which share with the hostel the same area. It is called gully.

Good vibes, great waves! First of the hostel has a great location. You pretty much just have to cross the street and you're instantly at the beach. Even if you don't surf it's always fun to watch other people doing their tricks on the water (besiedes that it's also a good place for beginners). But if you do this is pretty much the place to be. Here you can get boards in good conditions and the owner is always ready to give you helpful advices and tipps. On generel everybody was very supportive with each other and we had lots of good times in the water. The rooms were always clean and the staff always polite and friendly. Bonus: awesome showers. Extra bonus: there are dogs!!

Best hostel 👍👌👌

The name fits the place. Perfect place for surfers, with advanced, beginner AND intermediate spots in walking distance. Very stylish in an understated way. Super friendly staff. Community vibe of nice people staying there for a few nights or a few months.

Nishan Navaratne

May 22, 2019

★★★★☆

Excellent and chilled out hostel. Super beach and surf location

Yummy coffee and food

Mellow Hostel was above expectation. the dorm was amazing with a really comfortable bunk bed and air conditioning. The atmosphere is great. you can meet with nice people and if you are looking for a place to chill, you are at the right spot as well. The location is great, just few steps to the beach. There is kitchen and also a restaurant with delicious foods, and should add this; the best coffee in Ahangama. Deniz, the owner, is a great guy who make this place home for everyone. so i can definitely recommend to stay at Mellow.

Marloes Kranenburg

May 2, 2019

★★★★★

A really nice place with a good vibe. A good bed and a clean badroom. With aircon and fan the rooms stay cool! They have a watertap. So you don't have to buy plastic botles. Good for the environment. Early in the morning you can see the monkeys play in the trees surrounding the hostels ground. Near different surfspots. Also with (a basic) kitchen.

Friendly staff, flexible prices, close to the beach.

The rooms are nice and location is perfect. However, the hostel was in constructions and did not served breakfast, nobody told us.

Julia Knoche

Feb 22, 2019

★★★★★

Really nice hostel with a relaxed vibe, good crowd of people that cooks and surfs together and the perfect location with a 1 min walk to the beach!

Monte da Xara - Isabel Lobato

Feb 16, 2019

★★★☆☆

The rooms are nice and spacious and the location is perfect. The hostel was in constructions and nobody told us, so the atmosphere was not really nice. Also we were expecting breakfast but because of the constructions we didn't have it. The owner could be much more kind and nice. The rest of the staff was very nice.

So simple and so nice. With friendly staff and funny monkeys.🐒🐒🐒

Mellow hostel could be a relaxing place to stay however they are doing construction work to open a restaurant on the ground floor so the chill it’s not at its best. It does not say anything on on their website or other booking site about that. If you mind about mess, beware and contact the hostel directly before booking (apparently it’s planned to be completed by end of Jan). Location is fine just in front of Kabalana beach and a good choice of dining places around

Just a wonderful place to hang with the most friendly staff

Great location, just a few steps away from the ocean and its best surf and beach spot. Great comfortable hotel with clean rooms giant double beds very mellow garden, very friendly staff and very reasonable prices. Oh and fast WiFi and simple but good breakfast.

Jaan Kruusma

Apr 29, 2018

★★★★★

An awesome place with super cool vibes. There is room for everyone and everything!

Very good breakfast at fair prices!

Great place to stay. Chill vibes, great surf in front, hammocks for everyone. Private rooms and dorms, along with a view of the waves from the balcony. Very new and clean, can't ask for more!

Himesha Madushan

Sep 30, 2017

★★★★★

Grate Place Near Surf Point