It started with a conversation over a drink.
Back in 2019, I had just turned 18 and our family was building a small property with 10 rooms. The original idea was simple—we wanted to create comfortable monthly rental accommodation for local families in Negombo. Tourism wasn’t even part of the plan.
One evening, while having a drink with one of my closest friends, our conversation drifted towards travel. We spoke about how many foreigners visited Sri Lanka every year, yet so many struggled to find accommodation that was affordable, social, and genuinely welcoming. At one point he looked at me and said,
“You couldn’t run a hostel.”
It wasn’t meant to be anything serious. It was just friends challenging each other over a drink.
But something about that conversation stayed with me.
I went home that night thinking, why not?
What started as ten rooms for local rentals slowly became a much bigger idea. Instead of simply offering a place to sleep, we wanted to build a place where travellers from around the world could meet, share stories, and experience the warmth that Sri Lanka is known for.
Then COVID-19 arrived.
The tourism industry came to a complete standstill. Airports closed, travel stopped, and many people questioned whether continuing with the project made any sense.
Our family chose to keep building anyway.
Looking back, it was probably one of the biggest risks we have ever taken.
Today, those original ten rooms have grown into more than 17 rooms, including private doubles, apartments and backpacker dormitories. We’ve added a jacuzzi swimming pool, a gym, a restaurant and bar, a large social area with a pool table, and high-speed Starlink WiFi.
What hasn’t changed is the reason we do it.
We still believe the best part of travelling isn’t the destination.
It’s the people you meet along the way.
