At the entrance to Polonnaruwa, I started looking at affordable hotels, but, like in Annuradhapura, the city does not shine with options for spending the night. The best rated hotel (Chaaya Ruins) sold out.
Very good hotel, great staff. The food is excellent, the rooms are comfortable. Cleaning every day. But the most important thing is nature. There is a lake nearby, which offers a magnificent view, birdsong.
The fact that the island of Sri Lanka is a paradise for photographers and naturalists is not required: in any of the reviews about the country there are many confessions on this score.