Hotel J Unawatuna is a budget hotel and hostel by Jetwing at Unawatuna, ten minutes' walk from the beach and about 5 kilometres from Galle Fort. With 31 private rooms and five dormitories, all looking onto the garden, it keeps things simple and sociable, with an all-day restaurant and bar, for travellers who would rather spend their budget on the south coast.
All rooms and dorms have garden views and free Wi-Fi. The names below are the ones you will see in the booking form; this is what each one is at Hotel J.
Couples will want a Standard room; solo travellers and groups on a tight budget will find the dorms the best value.
The Restaurant & Bar is open all day, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner from an à la carte menu of local and international dishes, with snacks in between and a list of cocktails in the evening.
The hotel is a base rather than a resort: the point is the coast around it. Unawatuna Beach, a palm-lined bay, is about ten minutes on foot, and the reefs along this stretch are popular for snorkelling. Further along the coast, boats leave Mirissa for whale watching in season.
Galle Fort, the UNESCO-listed walled town of ramparts, churches, cafés and boutiques, is about 5 kilometres away, a short tuk-tuk ride. Above the bay, the Japanese Peace Pagoda on Rumassala hill looks out over Galle harbour, and to the east the islands of Koggala Lagoon make a pleasant half-day trip.
Yes. Unawatuna station on the coastal line is close to the hotel, and the main Galle station is a short tuk-tuk ride away. The coastal train is one of the cheapest and most scenic ways to reach the south.
The hotel is about 134 kilometres in a straight line from Bandaranaike International Airport, a drive around Colombo and down the south coast. A private car or van is the most comfortable way to arrive with luggage; ask us to arrange one when you book. On a budget, take the train from Colombo Fort to Galle or Unawatuna.
It suits backpackers, solo travellers, young couples and groups of friends who want a clean, sociable, well-run place to sleep near the beach and Galle, rather than a full-service resort. For more choice see our places to stay in Unawatuna, or the other Jetwing hotels around the island.
Bookable activities, tours, and tickets within a 25 km radius.
Pre-book a private vehicle for arrival, departure, or onward travel.
