LA PLAYA Hiriketiya

The restaurant has a nice setting right on the beach. The portions we tried were tasty, but they were pretty small and felt a bit overpriced for what you get. What made the experience less enjoyable was having stray dogs around. I know you can't exactly control them on the beach, but they were barking and just hanging out right by our table, which was pretty disruptive. I kind of expected the staff to do a better job of keeping them away from the actual dining area. Another major downside for us was the smokers. It seems like it's common in Sri Lanka, and people don't really seem bothered by secondhand smoke, but it just made for a less pleasant atmosphere while we were eating. The restaurant really should reinforce a smoking prohibition or at least make it clear that smoking is allowed, so we could skip the establishment altogether next time. And finally, seeing signs around the pool saying kids aren't allowed felt really unwelcoming for families, so that's definitely something to keep in mind if you're going with children.

We visited their rooftop bar which is called “level2.hiriketiya”. You can get some really good cocktails and modern Asian bites. Drinks were brilliant and the food was so so good. 10/10. Staff is absolutely fantastic, friendly and nice. Very relaxing vibe to enjoy the evening. Highly recommended. Prices are very reasonable.

A must go to, we utterly loved the food and selection of cocktails. It’s a perfect spot for sun beds all day, and music is a vibe. The new restaurants food is also extremely delicious, located on the top floor. The staff are friendly, and especially Nimesh, who was always welcoming and served us with a smile. Gutted we couldn’t say goodbye to him, but thanks dude, you made our holiday special. Friendly, atmospheric, and great choices on the menu.

The location is lovely right on the beach but the service was really poor and the staff were not particularly friendly. We went in twice and both times nobody spoke to us we had to ask for menus and then waited ages for our order to be taken. The second time we just left without ordering as we fetched menus and sat down and no one ever came. Both times there were lots of staff around but they were just laughing amongst themselves and not serving anyone. Disappointing experience.

Great beach club with swimming pool. Amazing views of the surfer bay with very comfortable beanbags, seats and sun beds. Great atmosphere as well with amazing music that will make you feel right at home in luxury. No kids are aloud in the pool. What makes the whole place a paradise for the solo traveling adult. The food was amazing every single time. I mostly came here for the pizza which can be served with vegan mozzarella cheese. Which is perfect for me. They also serve mineral water and fresh coconut so you can hydrate perfectly. Service is really fast and friendly. Amazing place to hangout. Definitely check this place out. It was a pleasure.

We had a fantastic day at La Playa - despite crazy weather that went from torrential rain to pure sun, we were so well looked after with the team always making sure we had somewhere to sit. The food & cocktails were delicious and the vibes were great. Deffo the comfiest spot on the beach!

We arrived at 10am and left at 4pm - great place to sit and sunbathe all day and watch the surfers. We ordered water, pineapple juice, hummus, virgin pina colada and a coconut and it only cost us £15. For a full day of comfy bean bags, shower, toilet and a pool, I think it’s great value.

We visited La Playa to enjoy a relaxed afternoon and were happy to find fresh coconuts, as we had been specifically looking for them. After ordering, we were later approached by the owner, who told us we had to order more or leave. While we had every intention of ordering more, getting the staff’s attention was difficult. My husband was surfing, and I didn’t want to leave our belongings unattended. When I finally managed to order a coffee, I was told they don’t serve it after 4 PM, so we ordered another round of coconuts instead. Apparently, that still wasn’t enough. I understand that restaurants rely on guests ordering, but rather than pressuring customers, well-trained staff should be proactive and engaging. If service had been more attentive, we would have happily ordered more. A welcoming approach makes all the difference. Outside of this singular experience, we found the location and atmosphere great. It would be the place we would return to on Hiriketiya beach.