The Many Hotels of Sri Lanka!

By: Aminath Ishrath

Since we’ll be staying in 4 hotels on our trip this coming week, I thought it would be nice to give everyone a short brief about the hotels, assuming you haven’t looked it up on Google already. We might be (not sure) the first batch to stay in this many hotels just for one trip and it’s always sensible to know what you’re in for before you actually get there, right?

Pegasus Reef Hotel

So the first hotel we’ll be staying in is Pegasus Reef Hotel. Located in Wattala, this hotel is in a very good location because it is considered as pretty near to the airport and the distance to Colombo city is said to be about 40 mins (not that near hmmm). Reviews mention that the staffs are very helpful and accommodating and the rooms are decently serviced. The hotel is located on large piece of land with direct access to the beach so the scenery must be very pleasant.

For those who need internet to BREATHE, Agoda and Tripadvisor states that Wifi is free in the public areas but if you were to use it in the rooms, they will charge you for it. GASP!! COME ON PEOPLE, you can survive! Oh and a couple of guests who stayed there this September just had one issue, saying that mosquitoes found a way to enter their room at night. Not a major issue, but just carry some repellent like a normal person would J

Moving on to Amaya Lake Resort where we will be staying next, I’m really excited about this place! One, its set on the banks of Kandalama Lake! Two, the pool looks great! Three, the rooms are spread out in chalets and seem very cosy! This resort is part of Amaya Resorts and Spas that have properties in almost all the parts we’ll be travelling to in Sri Lanka. Wifi is free in the rooms as well as the public areas and guest reviews are very favourable and incline that the staff are friendly and the service is admirable. But they do state that the Hotel is pretty remote and can get a bit boring, but we’ll probably just pop in there to sleep after our climb to the fortress and all so monotony should not be an issue within our group, right?

Amaya Lake Resort

The next stop in our trip will be to Alpine Hotel in Nuwara Eliya.  Basically, referring to review and comments, the hotel is not great, not bad and just fine. Wifi is free in the rooms as well as the common areas and most guests have stated that the rooms are quite worn and would have been charming, years ago in Britain. Hmmm, ready to travel back in time for a day? :p

Alpine Hotel

Our last stop will be in Hikkaduwa where we will stay in Chaaya Tranz. It is one of the many properties that operate under the Chaaya brand of John Keells Holdings and they have 3 properties in Maldives too. The rooms in Chaaya Tranz are reviewed as very clean and well serviced and guests keep stressing that the staff is very helpful, welcoming and friendly. That’s always nice when we stay in a hotel right? Again, Wi-Fi is free and the beach is one of the best and most lively beaches in the area, with a great surf beach just 5 minutes away if you walk. But there were a few reviews that started that the service was pretty bad which leaves me quite confused. Maybe it’s just the people? Let’s hope so! :p

Chaaya Tranz

All in all, the hotels we will be staying in seem pretty darn good to me. Maybe because I’m used to budget hotels and these 4 seem pretty fancy. Maybe when we get back, everyone can contribute their own reviews about the hotels.

Oh and pack light, because it’s going to be a pain to move from every hotel if you travel like a first class diva :p

Let’s have some fun!