I was so looking forward to stay here, mainly because of the interior and the breakfast. Unfortunately after I booked I received a message that they didn’t have a generator which surprised me because of the price. They also informed that the wifi was not unlimited so if needed I had to pay. Unfortunately I booked it the same day so I couldn’t cancel the reservation. When I arrived the owner was not there so I had to wait for a while. I was also informed when I checked in that the breakfast was not available even though it was included. The owner did reduce the price for the breakfast which was nice but I was still disappointed since that was one of the main reasons I wanted to stay there. The room (single) I got was not in the “main” building and didn’t at all came with the same standard as I expected. It was a good overall room but looked nothing like what I imagine and since nobody worked there during my stay I couldn’t enjoy the nice atmosphere or interior which was also why I picked this place. I asked to get my room cleaned but the owner sent a text and said nobody worked so they couldn’t clean my room. Overall I was disappointed. The room was totally fine for a budget regular guesthouse but for the price and what they’ve advertised on booking I felt like I stayed at a totally different place. When I read the reviews it seems like some people where lucky to get the “good” rooms and some people ended up like me. I’m just disappointed that I got all information when I already booked.

Lovely place for brunch or lunch. Very quiet, suitable for smaller groups. Seating is mostly outdoors, with pedestal fans. You need to place your order at the counter and they will bring the food to your table. Food was really good and well-worth the price, considering the atmosphere. It's not a huge place but it's very popular so you might run the risk of not getting a table on a busy day. We tried the rice and peanut chicken (great), Sri Lankan spaghetti (tastes like curry - really good), the burger (fresh) and the Mac n Cheese (good but quite spicy).

It definitely had value for money. Clean and nice comfortable rooms (although smaller than expected) in easily accessible peaceful neighborhood. But it was nothing like what's in the pictures. There was nothing unique or "Serene" about it as I expected. The balcony didn't have the chairs and although it said I'll have a "garden view" it just opened up to the road. The shower was great with hot water. But because it was open to outside (not fully sealed) during night and early morning it gets really cold when you shower. There also was a power cut in the night and there were no generators and that was uncomfortable. The breakfast was average, nothing to complain. I would definitely recommend it, if you go without higher expectations like I did.

I read the reviews - half of the negative ones are not true. We checked in without any problems, on time, it was our reservation. The hotel has a great atmosphere, complete silence (rare for Colombo), a beautiful common room where you can work comfortably. Everything in the hotel is in good condition, the rooms are as in the pictures, fully consistent with the standard! We'll stay here again! I recommend!

Booked a month in advance for 2 rooms. Showed up and only had 1 room with 1 bed for a family of four. Then they had no cash in hand to even give the refund and had to go to the bank to get the money to refund. Very unprofessional. Owner was nice and apologetic and things happen. But very unprofessional.

Loved the ambience and the easy going chill nature of the place. Only around 3 or 4 smaller cars can be parked there. Anything else should be parked on adjoining roads. Service is quick and efficient. BYOB. Great place to spend a chill Sunday afternoon with friends sipping a cool one. Nice variety of meals and drinks too.

Room is clean and with LED for Power shortage. Host is super friendly, kind and helpful. Breakfast was cancelled due shortage of cooking gas and was compensated in price! A little bit outside but still close enough! Great stay!

We booked and paid on booking.com. Shortly before we arrived, the hotel wrote to us saying that they didn't have any rooms available. To date we have not received the money back.

Absolutely hated the experience. Of course the dine in was not available due to the prevailing conditions. So we made an order for a Nasi Goreng and a creamy chicken spaghetti. The order took about 15-20 mins to get ready and we took it away. The moment I opened the creamy chicken spaghetti it bombarded me with a disgusting fish smell. I thought it was just my nose and I went ahead with it. The amount of cheese they used was really bad and the amount of milk they have used for the spaghetti was mad. The spaghetti was almost swimming on milk. Infact the fishyness of the dish remained the same although I ordered a chicken spaghetti 😅. To make it worse the chicken that the used were full of cartilage pieces and skin will fish taste. I really wonder what gave them the distinctive fish smell and taste. The Nasi Goreng was simply hopeless. I don't think my gf even took three bites. It was full of oil and the vegetables used were overly cooked and tasted like a mess. So and so we both actually had quite the expectation for nivasa. But to our surprise we hated the experience more anything. Ultimately I think the cafe can do alot of improvements to their menu. We wish them all the luck with it too. But as of now I do not recommend their food. Period!

Had an amazing dinner experience here! The food was amazing and the service was the best. Very friendly and welcoming staff. Would definitely visit them again. Ideal for a romantic dinner date or even a family outing. Enjoyed your service! Keep it up!

The ambiance is just lovely.. it's that perfect place to chill! Sunday brunch is quite busy but other days it's just nice.. the food is delicious too! The pulled lamb burger and the chicken roast paan was amazing!

As promised, an extremely homely environment. Dining under the garden vines was definitely a unique experience in Colombo. They also have a couple of board games that are provided on request. No regrets about the food as well. Nicely done, and good portion sizes also.

The cafe is cozy and well maintained. I had the famous Hotcakes which were totally worth the hype. The Naimiris Mac and Cheese could be improved a bit. We also tried the Caramel Crunch Shake which was absolutely delicious. The set up is very comfy and its spacious to hang out with a group of friends or even your family.

The food was amazing! Definitely would recommend the popcorn waffles with chicken. The ambience of the place was great and the staff was very friendly and helpful! Would definitely go again.

An excellent place in busy Colombo city. I really enjoyed the hours I spent there. Calm & quite rooms and the service was excellent too...

Really had a wonderful time at Nivasa. The lighting, the mood, the vibe, the food, the drinks and the hospitality were all just right and perfect. Will come again soon..

Beautiful place, very friendly staff! The owner was so kind, helped me with Sri Lankan services I couldn’t manage to handle, very clean and pleasant

They had a photo shoot and didn't inform us. We had made a booking for 12.30 we were seated at 1 pm. And drinks &food took so long to come. The food was very good!

Love love love the hot cakes served at Nivasa! It was out of this world and more than enough for two. We also tried the Popcorn chicken waffle and Eggs Benedict. The flavors were amazing and the food was so beautifully plated. Not to mention, great customer service. Can’t wait to visit again!

One of the best dine in places in Colombo. Food is amazing and the atmosphere of the place is incredible. I would recommend this place to anyone!

I’ve been to the café a few times, and it ticks off all boxes! The menu is curated well, and the food is heavenly. The ambience, however, is what really sets this place apart from most other cafés on Colombo, given the setting in an outdoor environment (there’s an indoor section, too) and is great as both an intimate setting, as well as ideal for a larger crowd! Will definitely be back for more!