Penthouse on the rock is one unique place at the center on Unawatuna. The view and the huge balcony/terrace is to die for. The rooms are spacious and designed with heart, all materials come from ocean or from jungle, so if you love good taste and natural materials with good quality, you will love Tony's place. There are so many lovely details and hidden nuances at that place which can not be seen on the pictures - it is perfect for families up to 6 people.

I stayed there with my husband and 2 small children. Though it is not the place which is designed for children (you have to watch their safety as it is not childproofed) we still loved it. Yes, you have to park couple hundred metres away if you go with car as we did and you might have difficulties finding parking space, so it's more convenient and cheaper just to walk around and use tuk-tuk but if you still decide to go with car to travel around yourself they will assist you to find the parking lot and the shop and restaurant owners are kind enough to allow short stopping in front of their businesses until you take all your luggage. Yes, you have to climb almost 100 steps each time you go to apartment and it might be tough with 30+ C degrees and me carrying the baby but it was all worth it. And the staff will carry all heavier suitcases or other luggage that you might have.

It is just 100 metres from famous Unawatuna beach with great swimming and sunbathing, lots of choices of restaurants and nightlife. Still you will feel private and away from the crowds as you are so high. I felt no privacy problems which can be read in some of the reviews - the windows are darkened and there are some shades as well, so if you go with your own family it is definately fine.

There might be some noise during Friday and Saturday nights as you are so close to beach were people are having fun, but you're on vacation, so go ahead and have some too or be kind and use earplugs that they supply if you need some sleep. In the main bedroom it was not so loud at all, it was louder in the other room where children slept but they did not care.

The rooms are suitable for one family, wouldn't recommend it to 2 friend families / 2 couples actually. The master bedroom has 1 dbl bed which is not the biggest as they aren't in most Sri Lankan places but big enough for us. They provided baby cot with mosquito net as well. The room next to it is living room actually but on request they will place another dbl bed there and there is still enough room for sitting at the table. There is also a tower with the best view at the house and one small bedroom with bunk bed next to it - we didn't use it, but for bigger children or teenagers I quess it would be a fun place to stay. Also there is kitchen, a spacious bathroom with huge bath, wardrobe and another washroom.

Another great thing that came with the accommodation is family of Pathma who we met through the owner. Pathma runs a small beach restaurant That's it and cooks breakfast there or up in the penthouse which is a little bit more expensive but a very convenient solution. The omlets were mediocre but her Sri Lankan breakfast (or more like an early morning desert) cracked rice with fresh coconut curd and fruits was the best. She reserves sunbeds with roof for you if you want and it's free of charge if you just have some drinks or food from restaurant while you stay there. She, her husband and daughter who all work at the restaurant were lovely.

There are two smaller apartments at the same building, which I did not see inside but the view is definately the best and the apartment the most luxurious at penthouse.

There is wifi which worked fine during the whole stay and at all the places of apartment which is not typical at Sri Lanka. Also you will not find so many places that have own kitchen with all utensils - at penthouse there is everything (only technical equipment like blender or dishwasher excluded, but still fine enough).

I would recommend the place to everyone going to Sri Lanka - you will have a wow experience at the penthouse and some monkeys and other wild animals and birds to watch right from there in addition.

The only big con is the lack of air conditioner - there are plenty of fans, but still would have slept better with AC as it is really hot outside. Also I would have liked to have washer inside the house but there are many paid laundry services close.

We stayed at this property for 4 days in the standard one bedroom apartment.
We enjoyed the nice balcony with superb view and the rock concept but were honestly expecting something different.

At our arrival we found the towels provided badly stained and had to ask two replacements before getting something clean. No toiletries at all, just a small soap was provided. Bear it in mind when packing your stuff. The wardrobe available is too small to be really useful.

The narrow street to reach the property is creepy at night since the first part is in complete darkness and gets muddy/flooded after rain.

There are quite a lot of stairs to climb to reach the property, making it not recommendable for people with special needs or conditions.

No curtains on the windows. It is great in the morning when you wake up with the sea view, but we felt uncomfortable at night when the mirrored glass are actually see trough.

The bed is small and can accommodate 2 people not taller than 1.70 m. We are both above 1.85 and struggled to get a good sleep.

We enjoyed the great wildlife living all around. Varans, monkeys, bats and lots of birds are easy to spot from the property.

Other good thing is the free Wi-Fi installed in the room and the nice flower decoration prepared for our special celebration.

We loved Penthouse on the Rocks!! Meeting Tony and staying at his wonderful penthouse topped our amazing Sri Lankan holiday ten fold. Tonys larger than life personality is a special treat! He is very helpful and genuine sharing his local knowledge to ensure you have the best holiday experience. Pathma makes the yummiest breakfast and is super helpful too. The 2 bedroom top Penthouse we stayed in was Spectacular! Beautiful 180 degree beach views across Unawatuna with monkeys and squirrels in the trees. The penthouse is wonderful the workmanship and materials are fantastic. You feel like you are in your private hideaway on top of the world!

Having explored all of the accomdation options in Unawatuna, I think anyone would struggle to find an apartment as beautiful or well-located as Tony's. The views are dramatic and worth the 99 steps you have to clamber up to reach the place. The location is set back from the touristy main road of Unawatuna and there is a sense of privacy from being up in the rockface. The bathroom is unlike any you will have seen before and the apartment is full of qwerky but tasteful decorations that give the place its own charm. The only small improvment would be blinds in the master bedroom, although it is nice being woken up my natural light in the morning.

Anyone visiting the Galle area for the first time needs a Tony in their life - he was incredibly helpful in recommending activities, restaurants and places to see and is a top bloke as well. Padma, who arranges the cooking if you require it, is a very friendly and warm person who makes a mean sri lankan breakfast. The apartment is cleaned daily and sheets/towels every three days, which was a bonus.

Highly recommended and I would return to Tony's apartment if I was ever back in the area.

We stayed here for our last 5 days in Sri Lanka to have some beach time after hauling all over climbing and hiking for 2 weeks.

We were greeted by Tony as if we were old friends. He made us immediately feel welcome. He sent 2 guys down to fetch our bags and they hauled them up the 100 or so steps to the room for us.

Once we had a beer and settled in Tony gave us some tips about the room and even the best spots for local food including how much a tuk tuk should cost to get to them. His advice was all spot on as we visited at least three of his recommendations (which I hope to review soon-Lucky Tuna, Happy Spice, Pink Elephant).

He also told us that just a week prior to us coming, the beach was virtually non-existent. There was a company there dredging sand from out deeper and pumping it back to shore to build up the beach. Lucky for us!

As per all the reviews, the room was amazing in its rustic and open nature built into the side of the mountain with all local sourced materials. It's not right on the beach (2 minute walk) but the views are amazing! It had no A/C, but had a fan and small fridge. It also had a very convenient charging power bar for electronics. The WiFi as about the best we had since in Sri Lanka. There was a small hot water tank (which we never needed-the cool showers were a relief in the heat). It also had some dishes and a kettle so we could make our own coffee in the morning and sip it on our balcony while overlooking the ocean and the monkeys in the trees. One improvement could be lighting. Could have used some brighter lighting.

Some have commented on the privacy issue in the bathroom at night when the light is on. Frankly, there is nobody that would be randomly walking by your room to look inside, so we didn't see it as a problem. Also, the door and windows all had curtains that could be shut do there would not be any view inside.

The fridge was the best thing as we made ice for drinks, kept some snacks (cheese, crackers, milk and sugar for coffee, etc) and of course beers!

Our room was right next to Padma's. She and her family seem to be the actual "owners" of the land and Tony runs it, or something like that. She was very friendly and you can get her to make breakfasts and other meals. We had the breakfast once. It was far too much food to eat, but good and slightly overpriced compared to other local places. I guess you pay for the convenience of not having to climb down then back up the stairs!
Although Padma was friendly, over time she seemed to always have something to sell us-masks, car service etc. Her intentions were good, but we had all we needed already.

The boys cleaned our room each day. They did an excellent job. They even lined up all my pens, batteries, etc neatly on the table, and did the same with lotions etc in the bathroom.

Overall, I would recommend this place for 2-3 nights. However in that heat, climbing 100 steps to get to a non-A/C room can get tiring. We needed to get to our next stop soon to cool down for a couple days before going home!

A unique experience that we would recommend for a few days, but know in advance what you're getting into and decide if it's for you or not.

Stayed here with my wife for 6 nights in the lsrge penthouse apartment and it was simply a stunning experience. Awe inspiring views esoecially frim the viewing tower, a devine balciny, amazing bathroom and comfortable living space contributed to a hugely enjoyable experience and the design of the penthouse really msde you feel special and also privileged ti be able to be part of it. The building has a sensational location and is beatifully appointed - a really special place to stay. The building is highvabove Unawatuna andcreached up some steep steps but the climb is worth it as you are living level with a jungle canopy shared with amazing birdlife and monkeys as well as early morning visits from a porcupine.
We were met by Tony who msde us feel at home and gave us valuable advice on variius aspects of the locality and he was always available if advice was needed or just for a friendly chat - an excellent host.
Padma really looked after us and the fantastic breakfasts she brought us each morning were a real highlight and veryvreasonably priced with amazing cinamon tea fruit salads etc. Padma also made dinner fir us one night and it was memorable with a devine crab curry.We really recommend tgat visitors try this at least once and it is very eell priced and superb quality.
In conclusion this is an amazing place to stay and a beautiful building a real part of paradise

This place is above and beyond expectations! Overlooking the entire bay and beach of Unawatuna, it is only 100 meters or a 2 minute walk away from the water. Compared to the beachside hotels along the main (and only) road it is absolutely quiet and the unique location gives you an unforgettable view - day AND night.
Like a bird's nest the house clings to the rocks above Unawatuna. The materials used by the builder fit together in a perfect way. I don't have enough space to describe how wonderful it is to the senses to look at all those special bits and bobs matched together for the perfect surface feel..... We stayed in a large second story suite, but the penthouse is the one to see!!!!

You need to be able to go up and down stairs. So it is nothing for disabled people or the elderly with walking problems. I am not a sports freak myself, but I was easily able to manage those steps. And it was worth it every time!

I will be back - that for me is the ultimate recommendation!

This is a late review. Thought I already wrote one but couldn't find it anywhere. Me, my husband and my friend spent a week with Tony, Pathma and her family in this lovely place. We had a smaller room on the first floor which was good for us three. If you have a change, book the actual penthouse. It is gorgeous! And the view is amazing. Tony and his staff were very helpful right from the beginning and even before we arrived. He helped us to arrange a wedding ceremony for us, we couldn't have done it without him. The breakfast wasn't included but I highly recommend it. Pathma prepares and serves it at the time you want it and it's always fresh. Especially the fruit salad is delicious! Pathma also made us a special rice cake for our wedding day. The house is close to the jungle so you can hear the howler monkeys in the morning. You also might get some visitors in your room, mainly gekkos, but that's the way it is in the woods.

Travelling with my family we stayed ad this wonderfull penthouse. Nice and helpfull neighbour supplies wonderful breakfast served ad the balcony. Tony is a perfect host offering information about all the interesting things to know and answering all the things you want to know about the country and its people. Relaxed admosphere in the village. Nice close to Galle w which is only a nice short tuktuk drive away.

We stayed here for two nights during our ten day stay in Sri Lanka. It is a short 10minute tuk tuk (400rupee - £2) from Galle train or bus station.
If you like art and design this Penthouse set high on the rocks in Unawatuna bay (5mins from beach) is perfect for you. Crafted from only locally sourced stone and timber, this place is not like any other. When booking request the pent house, it has a large double bedroom, reception room, kitchen, large bathroom and a walk in wardrobe. But the best part of the penthouse is the views, the large balcony around the side of the living space has a large comfortable dining area with beautiful views of the bay but the penthouse also has a seperate viewing deck up two more flights of stairs to a small terrace with a hammock and chairs with the best panoramic views of Unawatuna.
The owner Tony is very helpful giving the best advice for where to drink and dine and also offers dining options to be served on your balcony.
Overall we had a lovely stay here, our only room for improvements would be air conditioning (but there is a fan provided) and blinds in the bedroom (the windows have black film for privacy from the balcony but let in a lot of light in the morning)