Our Accommodation in Sri Lanka
As we were traveling all around the country, naturally we stayed in different places most nights. Overall we rested our weary travel legs in no less than seven different accommodations. In this article we outline our accommodation in Sri Lanka.
1. Saunter Paradise Hotel, Sigiriya
Saunter Paradise Hotel in Sigiriya is more like a resort. The accommodation is made up of villas around the property with a central area where the reception area, restaurant, and bar are located. The rooms were lovely, with a good bathroom and a separate area for keeping your bags. The room staff does an excellent job of keeping the room clean and tidy for you too.
In the restaurant the breakfast is a nice mix of different foods, catering for all nationalities. You can get just eggs in different styles, or a curry and rice, finished off with some fruit. Sit in the outside part and watch the squirrels scamper around the trees.
The dinner is a buffet and the main dishes will always have some type of curry, and a noodle station with fish or meat and veg.
There is a large swimming pool on the premises, and lots of space around it to just relax if you have some free time.
We really enjoyed this accommodation and wouldn’t hesitate to stay there again.
2. Vino Villa, Kandy
Our first few moments on Vino Villa were a little dramatic; they seemed to have no record of our booking and wanted us to stay in another close accommodation. However, after a little discussion they got it resolved. So credit to them for that.
The room wasn’t bad. The bathroom seemed a little compact, in that the shower was extremely close to the toilet. But it made do. We were basically there for a nights sleep and some dinner and breakfast so we weren’t too fussed. On the first floor level there was a kitchenette which you could make use of if required. Also on the ground floor was a larger restaurant area for a group which we didn’t use.
The food was nice for dinner, and had quite a good menu. We sat outside on the balcony having our dinner and it was a relaxing way to spend our evening.
For breakfast it was the usual eggs and fruit. Washed down with coffee or tea. Again, no faults with the breakfast and the staff. While we may not stay there long term, for one or two nights it would be fine.
3. Sampath Hotel, Nuwara Elia
Sampath Hotel was walking distance into the centre of Kandy. The night we were there we had a thunderstorm which was beautiful to see. There were no issues with the room and it had a large restaurant downstairs. On the first floor there was a sitting area you could relax and unwind. Also the outside was pleasant with some gardens and some seats.
The restaurant had a good menu, but for dinner we took a walk into Kandy itself, and got a Tuk-Tuk back to the hotel. But our breakfast the next morning was a good hearty one.
Sampath Hotel was nice, and we think if it had been busier then it would have been very enjoyable. But it seemed to be a recurring trend that all the accommodations we stayed in were quiet. We were there in the shoulder period so that was the reason. Would we stay in Sampath again? Yes, we probably would.
4. Blue Turtle Hotel, Tissamaharama
Blue Turtle Hotel was a gem. It’s an absolute beauty. From walking into the large reception area with the funky design and the open plan it struck us straight away that this place was going to be nice. It was large, it was cool, and it was a place you could stay for days.
The room was great; it had a good bathroom and a nice view over the swimming pool and towards the restaurant.
The restaurant itself was upstairs from the reception but it was large and also open to the outside. The food was really good and the staff was as usual excellent.
There is a debate at the moment as to whether Blue Turtle Hotel is top of the list or a very close second, I like to think of it as joint top as it is highly recommended.
5. Wimals Resort, Unawatuna
Obviously there has to be a worst hotel on the list out of seven. Usually it’s hard to pick a worst, but in this case it was easy. Wimals Resort was definitely not up to what we had expected. We weren’t being too fussy here but it was a few things which bugged us about this place.
Firstly the room itself was ok, except for the bathroom, there was a door to the outside which wouldn’t lock properly. The swimming pool outside was basically a small pond beside the reception.
The restaurant wasn’t open but we didn’t mind that anyway as we ate in a lovely restaurant on the beach. We noticed after getting up the next morning that all the outside gates were fully locked and no sign of a guard so we wondered how do you get in if you come back late? Nobody mentioned anything about curfew times when we checked in.
For breakfast the next morning we couldn’t even get a cup of coffee. The guy that was there told us “kitchen closed” and that was that. There wasn’t even any in the room we could have! As he moved away he turned all the lights off in the area we were waiting so we were left in darkness.
We just felt it was a little rude and not a very nice place, so bottom marks to Wimals we’re afraid. We couldn’t recommend this one to anyone.
6. Refresh Hotel, Hikkaduwa
And so to the other joint top position hotel! We loved this place! The room was huge! The bathroom was glorious and there was a luggage space also. It was spacious and a great place to chill out and relax if you didn’t want to go anywhere. Sitting on the balcony at the back sometimes the train would pass below you.
The restaurant was on the roof top, and while we didn’t go there for dinner, we did go to a place on the beach where you got a discount if you showed your room key. Happy days! The restaurant that was on the beach was gorgeous as well. For breakfast we did however dine on the rooftop, covered in carpet grass with a small swimming pool, it felt like holidays.
If looking for a place to stay in Hikkaduwa, we would fully recommend you check out the Refresh Hotel.
7. Ceylon City Hotel, Colombo
The Ceylon City Hotel was our last stop, on the night we were there it was a torrential monsoon thunderstorm! So we had to stay in for the night! The hotel itself was average. The staff was nice and very helpful when we were wondering how to get to a local market, so top marks for that!
However, we did have to ask for the sheets to be changed, and the bathroom was less than appealing. The room was a little cramped, maybe coming from such a nice place from the night before affected our judgment.
The restaurant was on the top floor and gave a nice view, and the food was not bad. But be aware that this hotel does not serve alcohol so if you want a beer with your dinner you need to purchase it from somewhere else and bring it with you. Breakfast however was nice, and it was a good selection of food.
So those are the places we used for our accommodation in Sri Lanka. Overall they were very nice and pleasant. They served us well and the food was good. The staff were nice, and we felt refreshed in the mornings as we set off another adventure for the day. Some we would definitely stay in again and possibly for longer periods of time.
To finish, we hope our information will be of use to you if traveling to Sri Lanka.
Our Sri Lanka Travel Guide
- For our Sri Lanka Travel Guide with information for people looking to travel to Sri Lanka please click here.