We stayed at the Villa--a short walk from the hotel-- that is owned by the owner of Drifters. It was great for our family of 5 (3 children 11, 8, 5 and 2 adults). The booking process was very easy. We called via Skype and spoke with the owner. His English was excellent. The owner and his family were very helpful the entire time we were there. He organized our roundtrip transfer from Colombo for a very reasonable rate and the van that picked us up was great and had air con. He also helped us to arrange a quick trip to Galle via the train. I would highly recommend the quick train trip as it is a great experience. Our children loved it.

The villa was beautiful and had all the needed amenities + air con--which was a must for us. The best part is that his family is in the house downstairs and so anything we needed at anytime was no problem. His whole family were very helpful and they spoke excellent English. We ate regularly at the hotel restaurant and we loved the food and the service was fantastic. The pool was clean and great for when we did not want to spend all day in the ocean. There is no internet/tv at the villa. This was actually great and allowed us to "unplug" the kids for a bit. There is internet at the hotel/pool.

Everything was extremely clean and well kept in the villa. You will need to bring shampoo and soap, but this is common for any apartment rentals. Everything you may need can be found right near the hotel. We had laundry done across the street and it was quite reasonable. There was a washing machine in the villa but we did not use it.

You can buy sunscreen at the shops next to the hotel as well. The only two things we were glad we brought were aloe vera and bug spray. Both a must and not readily available where we looked. We would definitely recommend this hotel/restaurant/villa to any of our friends and we would return if we come back to Sri Lanka.

We stayed here for two nights and enjoyed our stay. Our hotel room was pretty basic but with AC, wifi access and it was very clean. The hotel has a great location right on the beach and it was lovely to sit out in the morning with the sea view while eating breakfast.

We actually ate there both nights. It was a slightly strange experience as it was so quiet and we were the only ones eating, so it would seem most people go elsewhere to eat, however the food was very good. The Sri Lankan breakfast was lovely there.

The staff were also all very smiley and welcoming.

Highlight - beachfront property
Low-light - the owner
Insider tip - "Top Secret" bar/restaurant 100m away.

The Good:
Relaxed guesthouse, rooms fine.
Pool is clean and good size.
Staff around the hotel are super friendly and helpful.

The Bad:
Electricity cuts, no backup generator.

The Ugly:
We got far more bang for buck for US$60 a night in other locations around Sri Lanka, but didn't look at other hotels in Hikka, so take with a pinch of salt.

*We would return to this hotel

I left my first Trip Adviser Review around the same time last year,once again i stayed at Drifters Hotel.
Lalith and all his staff will do anything to make sure your stay at the hotel is just lets say Relaxing ! This year again fantastic all round experience.
Thanks Lalith see you next year.
Cerith

Prior to arrival, booking was very very easy. I had good communication with the owner, Lalith about prices and pick ups. There was a hiccup with the pick up, but that was sorted quickly.

We arrived very early in the morning so we were allowed a sleep in a spare room, before being transferred to another, better room. The rooms were very basic with a bed, a desk, a wardrobe and bathroom, but with the location, you won't do much except sleep in there anyway.

The location is what you pay for. Yes it may be a bit more pricey than other places, but the location is extremely central on the beach, with great surf for surfing and bodyboarding, it is right in the centre of the strip for restaurants and bars, and next to 3/4 surf rental shops.

The staff were fantastic, special praise for Didula the barman and restaurant worker who catered to our every need and was always smiling and up for a chat. Kris, the owners brother, was also amazing and took us to lots of different places in his car and tuktuk, he will help you out and show you places and be your own personal tour guide for a very small price!

Overall, we will return for sure, just for the location and the staff. Excellent hotel.

The only reasons it hasn't got 5* is for a) the Internet is quite tempremental and sometimes cuts out, b) while we were there (5nights), the restaurant only had one special, so there were better places to eat, and c) the rooms are very close together with thin doors/walls - when people wake up early or staff begin work early, you hear them and get woken up fairly early!

We were only able to stay here one night after moving from another hotel but wished we could have stayed longer.

The location is perfect. On the beach front and right in the middle of all the shops/restaurants. There are beach beds as well as a nice spot in the centre of the hotel to lounge.

The staff were very friendly and helpful. We had a budget room, but still clean and comfortable. The owner also arranged a taxi to the airport for a great price.

Fantastic value. We would definitely stay again.

Cannot heap enough praise on this place. Great location but the realisation of just how good this place is grows on you the longer you stay. This place is quiet and well run by Lalith and his awesome staff, but if you want to party its within walking distance to the noise, then return for a peaceful sleep. Comfortable, clean, well maintained rooms. I'm a surfer from Oz and the main Hikkaduwa break is only a couple of hundred metres away and visible from the hotel. Food is beautiful, beer is cold. My wife fell ill before we checked in and got worse during our stay. We couldn't leave until she was better, and in hindsight, could not have lucked in to a better place to stay. Kilty, the restaurant manager and owner Lalith were brilliant and could not do enough for my wife. Special mention has to go to Kilty for going above and beyond taking genuine care of her. 3 times a day checking how she was and bringing up to our room his local remedies and food so she could rest and recover. The most comfortable spot on the beach, cold beer, good food and the best wi-fi in Hikkaduwa. Definatly my hotel of choice in Hikkaduwa, would not even look anywhere else, and I've travelled indo for many years.......Thanks again Lalith and staff......stay here people.

We have been here for three years and each time there has been a very warm and friendly welcome. Service has really been high level. It is unimaginably great opportunity to enjoy breakfast at the beach. Place is very secure - the gate from the beach side and front gate is closed at nightime, and there is a guard also at the front. In this hotel you do not have to worry about your personal belongings. Owner is kind and attentive - always there to give his best for the guests and we have always very pleased staying here. We would definitely recommend this hotel!

arrived at drifters hotel foyer really angry as we had booked another hotel which to say the least was not what we saw or booked we departed this hotel and I wandered into drifters hotel I met and explained to the manager what had happened he showed us great room with all the things air con fan nice roomy bathroom we agreed a price there and then and really enjoyed our stay here on our tour of sri lanka

I stayed three nights at Drifter's together with two friends, and we had a wonderful time. The room was basic, but very big and with well-functioning wifi, fan, aircon and shower.

The hotel seems a little worn, but the location and the serviceminded staff makes up for it completely, and I would say that we got great value for money. They were very helpful, e.g. when we checked out in the morning, but stayed the whole day before going to the airport. Our luggage was kept in a locked room, and we were offered to shower in their staff-room (since all the rooms were booked).

The location is perfect, right on the beach at the southend of hikkaduwa, where the restaurants and bars are all close together, and you have the perfect view to all the surfers, riding the huge waves in the beautiful (and hot) Indian Ocean.

The breakfast was ok, don't expect too much, but the service from the poolbar was good. We were easily served both fresh juices, snacks, sodas and beers, when we were sunbathing at their sunbeds outside the hotel.

The pool area is small, but it's clean, and it's nice to be able to take a swim, if you are tired of the waves in the sea.

We didn't eat at the restaurant at the hotel, so I cannot rate it, but the hotel is very close to other good restaurants and bars. All in all I can only give my recommandations to stay here.