Nothing.

Mathu and staff are very kind and attentive. Nothing is too much trouble. It is a small boutique hotel with a very traditional design and decor. The atmosphere is delightful. The local area is interesting and people are very friendly. We went for a few walks. Highly recommended. Great tours are also offered :) The swimming pool is lovely and very welcoming after a busy day.

Stayed in April 2024

Best hotel we booked during our trip to Sri Lanka. Our room was spacious and the AC and a fan worked wonders during the hot nights. Swimming pool is not huge but is enough to sit in and relax in the afternoon. Believe there are only 4 rooms on the property so it’s a perfectly quiet place away from busy and/or touristy areas. Staff was on point, very helpful and welcoming. Breakfast was very good quality and cheap! We were able to walk anywhere in Jaffna city in around 30min. A true hidden gem. 100% worth the money! Do yourself a favour and stay here while in Jaffna!

Stayed in April 2024

Nothing.

Great property. Rooms very comfortable. Thank goodness for the pool - it provided a welcome relief from the heat. Breakfast very substantial and delicious. Staff were extremely helpful and welcoming.

Stayed in April 2024

We booked this place mainly because of the swimming pool. Unfortunately the pool itself is not in a good condition. We have stayed at different hotels in Sri Lanka having swimming pool. This one is not the one to remember honestly because it is obviously not as clean as it should be, especially for the price of this hotel.

Staff are friendly and always trying hard to make sure we have good stay. Atmosphere is nice with only 4 rooms in the whole hotel. Room AC is strong and nice, which is quite important in Jaffna.

Stayed in April 2024

One of the best accommodations we've had in Sri Lanka! Super friendly staff! 😊🙏

Stayed in March 2024

Loved the classical décor, filled with antiques that transported us back in time. The dining area and pool offered an intimate feel. The attentive and helpful staff enhanced the experience. Highly recommended!

Stayed in March 2024

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Comfortable room with aircon that worked well. Very helpful manager and staff. Not pushy at all but arranged anything and everything we requested brilliantly and gave us the best recommendations for how to get around, where to eat and what to see. They made Jaffna a great experience. The pool was especially nice to come home to too after a long hot day of sightseeing.

Stayed in March 2024

Nothing to say here!

Thambu illam was one of my favourite stays in Sri Lanka! I felt at home and comfortable. The staff were amazing including the night time security, Joseph, who kept us company and shared his story while we stayed up past midnight. Mathu the manager checked in with us when we didn’t arrive on time for our booking and he responded quickly to messages. The supervisor was exceptionally helpful and got us almost anything we requested for our meals. Thambu illam brings you a feeling of being in your ancestral home and the little details they paid attention makes it even magical. We will definitely come back here to stay with our family on our next trip.

Stayed in March 2024

A great place to stay. Very pleasant and helpful staff. We were helped with day trips which were very enjoyable. Tasty breakfasts. The building itself was lovely in the traditional Jaffna style. Would stay again.

Stayed in March 2024

This historic 4 room villa has been beautifully renovated and is a quiet oasis in a busy city. Its location is also very good, being a 20-30 minute walk to the fort, the Jaffna library, central markets and the impressive Nallur Kovil. The pool is lovely for a refreshing dip and downtime after a busy day sightseeing. Madhu, Sutha and all the staff were very friendly and helpful. I thoroughly enjoyed my stay at Thambu Illam.

Stayed in March 2024

The staff were incredibly attentive. Lovely common sitting areas and a pretty pool.

Stayed in February 2024

We loved everything.

Gorgeous boutique hotel. Such a calm, welcoming space. The pool was wonderful to cool down in. Staff were exceptional- friendliest we’ve meet in Sri Lanka. Rooms had high ceilings, polished concrete floors. Breakfast were scrumptious. The staff were 10/10!!!! Recommend this place to all who appreciate good things and great service

Stayed in February 2024

Nothing

A quiet oasis in a busy city. A small 4 room villa. It was the staff who made this place a delight. Nothing was too much trouble. There is not a restaurant on site but it wasn’t a problem as the staff will arrange for dinner to be brought in. An excellent breakfast is prepared on site. Thank you to all the staff

Stayed in February 2024

N/a

Reflects our culture

Stayed in January 2024

The Property was impeccably maintained and situated in close proximity to Nallur Kovil and Jaffna Markets. Sudha, Neranjan, and Madhu, the hosts, offered valuable assistance in our travel arrangements and shared insightful tips. Additionally, the food was amazing.

Stayed in January 2024

Not in their control but the mosquitoes were a problem and we could enjoy sitting outside very much. However the staff gave us plenty of insect repellent when we wanted it.

A beautiful historic property that we would love to visit again. The staff were super excellent and didn’t hesitate to help us with anything including transport and guidance to visit places we wanted to go to. The food was delicious.

Stayed in January 2024

Rooms are dark and not sure if window shutters were able to open. Take with you a mosquito spray - that‘s imperative

Beautiful 4 rooms hotel. We felt at home straight away. Especially Mr. Sutha made us feel great over new years - he‘s super friendly and will help where possible. Breakfast is very tasty too!

Stayed in January 2024

The property is a small, beautifully restored historic villa. This means the service is personalised, with staff very attentive to the needs of their guests. The food was absolutely outstanding and we enjoyed trying local Jaffna specialties. We also loved having a pool to cool off in at the end of a hot day exploring. There was good information provided which outlined the history of Jaffna and of the villa.

Stayed in December 2023

Very nice and relaxed place managed by equally nice and warm people. The manager of Thambu Illam, Mathu ensured that all our requirements met precisely and Sudha ensured that our stay at the property was comfortable. Both gentlemen said call their personal phone numbers anytime if we need any assistance. The team was very friendly with our children and the kids did not want to leave.

Stayed in December 2023

Very nice hotel with a kind personnel.. The pool is refreshing. For breakfast, you can choose anything you want and they will order it for you. Best of all is that they have warm water in the shower

Stayed in December 2023

We had a wonderful time at Thambu Illam! A beautiful boutique hotel in a convenient location in Jaffna. We were lucky to have the place to ourselves and the staff were very accommodating, and Mathu even reached out to us ahead of arrival to arrange pickup from the train station which was really appreciated! The food was great and we also enjoyed using the pool :)

Stayed in December 2023

Lovely boutique hotel in a central Jaffna location. We were the only guests staying at the time so had the whole property to ourselves, and the staff went out of their way to make us comfortable. Breakfast and dinner were delicious and the pool was great.

Stayed in December 2023

Staff connected us with TukTuk driver Prasath +97765851518. Very very useful and pleasant for local sightseeing and short drives to restaurants.

Stayed in September 2023

None

We loved everything about our stay. The room was so nice and clean. The breakfast was delicious and we could choose exactly what we wanted to eat the day before. The staff was kind and helpful. It's an old house with a gentle renovation so the spirit of the history was preserved in a beautiful way. All in all we had a wonderful time at Thambu Illam.

Stayed in October 2023