Sri Lankan hospitality with our host Lahiru in her seaside homestay

We love hearing about hosts who are passionate about travel and about the experience of a homestay. Lahiru is a host who completely understands the hosting experience and wants to share her culture and experience with her guests. Living in the town of Ambalangoda, in the south of the island of Sri Lanka, Lahiru’s home, Morningsun is close to the town’s train station, meaning you are only a short ride away from the historic city of Galle. The real gift with Morningsun however is its proximity to the beach, meaning that you can start your morning with a traditional Sri Lankan breakfast cooked by Lahiru’s mother and take a stroll along the beach to wake you up for the day ahead.

I spoke to Lahiru about what a guest can expect from a homestay in Ambalangoda and why she is so passionate about hosting.

Why did you sign up to Homestay.com?

I thought homestay.com is the ideal platform for Morningsun. The reason is the website is for people who actually want to experience life with a local family. So that's what Morningsun is all about.

What makes you a great Homestay.com host?

I think what makes me a great host is that I allow my guest the freedom to be themselves. They are free to mingle with us as much or as little as they want and whenever they want. It is very easy for guests to feel independent as well as being part of the family due to the way the homestay is set up - their room is upstairs with their own private entrance on one side and an entrance through the main home on the other side.

This has worked out well so far with the guests being very comfortable and engaging in our family's day to day life.

Describe the property and the Homestay.com experience you offer.

Morningsun is a two bedroom apartment in the upstairs of our family home. We live downstairs. Ours is a lovely home where we have lots of people visit as we have lived there for three generations. My grandfather was the village headman so everyone knows the house and family very well.

What we offer is a stay in the lovely clean apartment with all the comforts, plus our company. Guests are most welcome to come and mingle with us. My mum is a wonderful cook and loves to teach them to cook Sri Lankan food as well as learn from them their traditional recipes. Guests usually take part in almost everything that happens in the house. Religious festivities, parties etc. One of the most favourite things they do is sit with us in the front steps of the house and chat or have tea. We have been using the front steps of our house since the times of my grandparents so this is a favourite spot of ours to hang out as well as any guests who come to stay with us.

What do you love about Homestay.com?

I love the website as it makes traveling more real. When you know who you will stay with in another country the holiday becomes more real. You build a relationship even before you come. This enhances and adds so much value to holiday and most often builds lasting friendships. For families traveling with children home stays offer an extended family.

What are your interests and hobbies?

I love travel. I work as a sales consultant in a leading travel company in Sri Lanka currently. I also have worked at premier boutique hotel in Sri Lanka. So my experience at both ends of the industry lead me to open up my house as a homestay.

I also love reading, watching movies, interior decoration (I’m not particularly talented but I love it and love to look at places and learn) walking, gardening and cooking.

I hope this helps in understanding me and why I love hosting. For me the extra income is not the most important thing. (I earn enough through my job to make ends meet) The important thing is how much a guest enjoys their stay with us and what they would tell their family and friends when they get back to their own countries.

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Visit Lahiru's profile to book your next homestay with her and her family or browse our Sri Lanka listing page to find the homestay that's right for you.