Top 5 Star Hotels in Colombo, Sri Lanka’s Largest City

Even despite the relative development and many attractions, Colombo can in no way be called a tourist magnet. It is dirty, noisy and boring, so most visitors use the city as a transit point. But colombo’s 5-star hotels, of course, are struggling to turn the tide.

Colombo is the main city of Sri Lanka: the largest, the most developed, the most comfortable. Almost the capital, but since 1982 it is no longer there: the capital functions were transferred to the suburb of Colombo, Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte. The governing bodies and the parliament were also transferred there.

Colombo is an unusual place, shocking with eclecticism and contrasts. Here, huge skyscrapers coexist with moldy shacks, and businessmen on Rolls drive around five-year-old beggars on a broken road. There’s a whole neighborhood where twelve-year-old girls sell themselves in garage-like buildings, and their adult brothers plunder customer pockets. Colombo stands on the ocean, but you can not swim there – too dirty water, a lot of industrial effluents.

The climate in Sri Lanka is subequatorial, that is, humid and hot, with monsoon rains and seasonal winds. The best time to visit the island is July, August and the winter months.

 

Marino Beach Colombo

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

The 5-star Marino Beach Colombo Hotel is located in the business center of the city, almost on the coast, and is positioned as an elegant holiday destination for tourists of all categories – from businessmen who came on a short business visit to newlyweds and vacationers who are going to spend a week in the city. All the sights of the unofficial capital of Ceylon are nearby, as well as one of the largest shopping centers in the city Marino with ultramodern cinemas, boutiques and salons.

The hotel has 300 rooms of two categories:

• standard: single or double rooms of 35 square meters with a 50-inch TV and a bathroom with transparent walls;
• Suite: 79-137 square meters. meters (you can find a two-bedroom option), 65-inch TV, bathroom (again, with transparent walls).

The rooms are serviced by wonderful maids – they are not visible, but the cleanliness is such that you wonder. Room service is helpful and quite on top.

Technically, Marino Beach Colombo is an anthill hotel, created in such a way that guests do not have to go anywhere (well, the maximum in the Marino shopping center, with which the hotel has common owners). Inside and so there is everything you need:

• swimming pools;
• gym;
• restaurant and bars;
• garden and rooftop promenade.

Svetlana, Chisinau: “We stayed at Marino Beach Colombo for two days. Very pleased with the place – clean, bathrobes are cool. Breakfasts are nothing like that, but in Sri Lanka it’s not very good with food at all. A rooftop pool at dusk is something. It was frustrating that among the thousands of channels, there was not a single one on the Russian.”

Disadvantages of Marino Beach Colombo:

• there is no beach, it should be replaced by pools on the roof;
• only from some windows of the upper floors a view of the ocean, from the rest – to the industrial zone, ruins, construction, road and red Ceylon mud;
• the area has a very dense and uneven building, next to the hotel something is constantly being rebuilt;
• under the windows loaded road and railway.

Open the window and breathe fresh ocean air in principle will not work: this is Colombo, there is noise around the clock, an unpleasant smell, super humidity or monsoon showers. Dust is rare and pleasing as native.

 

 

 

Taj Samudra

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Taj Samudra Urban Resort is located in the city’s business district overlooking the Galle Face Green promenade. Taj Samudra has a huge, as for Colombo, own territory – more than 4 hectares of continuous landscape delights. The hotel has three hundred rooms of ten categories, from the simplest for a hundred or two dollars a night to unique suites with a price of up to several thousand.

There are several restaurants and a difficult number of bars on site:

• Navratna – restaurant of authentic Indian cuisine, prepared by an award-winning chef;
• Golden Dragon Chinese Restaurant;
• Japanese cuisine at YUMI;
• Latitude is a day café-bar.

In the evening, live music is available in the lobby: Marians has its own band.

Disadvantages of Taj Samudra:

• breakfast is not included in the price of the room, it must be bought separately;
• at the reception they speak Tolerable English, but the attendants are maids, the driver is not very good;
• the hotel does not count on children, there is no furniture, no children’s menu;
• all additional activities are held in the local language;
• the restaurant serves unusual food for a European even for breakfast.

According to reviews, the hotel needs a serious update: the rooms are old, the furniture is worn, the shower cabins are rusty in places. When settling in, gently pay attention to the condition of the furniture and the integrity of the equipment, so that, if necessary, immediately require relocation.

 

https://youtu.be/8ijbDyVPEgM

 

 

Paradise Road Tintagel Colombo

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Very tiny, only 10 rooms, the boutique hotel Paradise Road Tintagel Colombo offers an excursion to the near past of Sri Lanka. The hotel building – a romantic two-storey mansion with light plaster – was built in 1930. It so happened that it was here that the political history of Ceylon was determined: the mansion was the residence of the Bandaranaike family, whose members ruled the island for many years. It was in this house that Sirimavo Bandaranaike, the world’s first female prime minister, lived and worked.

In 2005, the mansion decided to make an expensive boutique hotel. Moreover, the location allows: the so-called “diplomatic” center of the city, a couple of tens of meters from embassies and various missions. The emphasis in Paradise Road Tintagel Colombo is made on the external beauty, authenticity and luxury of the maharajas of the XX century, especially since the furnishings remained from the previous owners.

On the territory next to the hotel there are several restaurants with strange, as for a European, names:

• Courtyard – open-air restaurant, international cuisine, à la carte menu.
• Dining Room – a chic indoor restaurant, designer design, international cuisine.
• Private Dining Room – the institution is designed for private meetings of up to 30 people, buffet menu.
• Red Bar – without too much modesty, the most stylish bar in Colombo. And that says it all.

The hotel has no access to the beach. There is a small garden, but it usually does not push through.

Disadvantages of Paradise Road Tintagel Colombo:

• antique furnishings with more décor and furniture require more thorough cleaning and dry cleaning;
• mattresses leave much to be desired;
• unstable Internet;
• darkish lighting.

When booking, you need to specify separately for each room the presence of a balcony and the design of the bathroom. Approximately half of the rooms are not equipped with balconies.

On the ground floor of the hotel there is a swimming pool, a massage room (by appointment) and a library with open access for guests. There is also a small but pleasant gym. About three minutes from the hotel is a yoga studio popular with the elite of Colombo. You can sign up there at the reception.

 

https://youtu.be/1Ox6tKklBiw

 

 

Galle Face Hotel

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

One of the oldest hotels in Sri Lanka (opened in 1864) is located right on the coastal strip overlooking the promenade of Galle Face Green. A huge building in the colonial style is part of the history and architectural appearance of Colombo. But it all started as a private Dutch villa Galle Face House – a gentlemen’s club, designed for rich planters. In the early 1860s, the house was bought by four British entrepreneurs, and turned it into a luxurious hotel, where you can not only spend the night, but also ride horse-drawn carriages, and taste gastronomic novelties.

Over the years, the hotel has managed to acquire its own traditions, invent mythology and become the most popular place in the city for celebrations.

The hotel includes accommodation for every taste and budget. Here they will find a modest but comfortable room for the night for a business trip and prepare a huge four-room suite for a long stay for a businessman who decided to open a new factory in Colombo.

Each room, regardless of category, has everything:

• bathroom with all necessary accessories;
• air conditioning, TV, safe;
• tea set (plus a set of original local teas);
• soft drinks;
• Internet.

Rooms can be selected by beds: single, double or queen-size.

The main difference of the Galle Face Hotel is the tireless care for the leisure of guests. Here you can not sit on your own – what is worth only the only pool with salt water in Colombo! And almost mandatory for guests excursions to the historical places of the hotel with a specially trained guide? Guests can play croquet on the south lawn, use the motel’s fleet or book a tour of Sri Lanka through the reception.

Disadvantages:

• you can not swim in the sea – dirty water and a rocky bottom;
• the view from the windows of the rooms often differs from the promised for the worse;
• room service works lazily;
• some rooms require restoration.

The hotel provides an airport shuttle service. According to reviews, it is 7-8 times higher in price than a regular city taxi.

 

 

 

Cinnamon Grand Colombo

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Hotel Cinnamon Grand Colombo – relatively new, opened in 2005, belongs to the local hotel chain and operates according to their quality standards. The motto of the network: “We create a life experience with a touch of warmth” is a reference to cinnamon, the most beloved and most popular spice of Sri Lanka.

Despite the pathos and some exaltation, the hotel is really very popular with both local travelers and people from other parts of the world.

Ekaterina, St. Petersburg: “We got to Colombo by accident, the hotel was not booked. We decided where to stay. We saw the Cinnamon, the cars drove up to it one after another, and then they stayed. Very nice lobby, polite staff. The room, however, pumped up: the ceilings are low, the bathroom is the simplest, like in a hospital. Food is unimportant and expensive.”

The hotel has its own spa (services are paid separately), a gym, swimming pools and many catering outlets of different levels and price categories.

Disadvantages:

• appliances and furniture need updating and repair;
• expensive breakfasts (at the same time, cheap and tasty cafes begin immediately outside the hotel);
• too much chemistry in the pool;
• no balconies.

The area around spoils the impression of the hotel: the station, abandoned construction sites, local petty criminals who want to a) guess and b) rob.

 

 

 

Cinnamon Lakeside

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

The second hotel from the “cinnamon” family – Cinnamon Lakeside – is located in the heart of the city, on the shores of Lake Beira. The hotel provides a shuttle service to the main attractions or the airport, but those who want to save money can simply call An Uber.

It offers the services of:

• Azmaara Spa;
• tennis courts;
• squash area;
• gym;
• nightclub.

Everything, including fitness equipment, is paid separately.

The hotel has a currency exchange office (for Colombo this is relevant), restaurants of Srenizmomor, Singaporean, Thai and Japanese cuisine.

Disadvantages of Cinnamon Lakeside:

• not balconies;
• room service does not work at night;
• hard water in the pool;
• rooms need updating.

Maria, Kyiv: “I came to “Cinnamon” for some local holiday. It’s amazing how rich and varied the table was prepared there! Fish, seafood, exotic meat, fruits, pate – I did not even try everything, it is simply not in human power. And the rooms are very nice, clean. They’re small, though.”

 

 

 

The Kingsbury Colombo

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

A bit dated and definitely not the most fashionable in Colombo, but charming in its own way is The Kingsbury Colombo. It is located in the business center overlooking the harbor, but it is adjacent to a disadvantaged area: scammers even enter the hotel, where they deceive customers directly. Inexperienced tourists will find it difficult to cope with the annoyance of tuktukers and other scammers.

Hotel Facilities:

• round-the-clock concierge service;
• cable and free internet;
• outdoor pool and Senses Spa.

The pride of the hotel: many excellent restaurants. Kings serves imported steaks, Churros has a huge range of cakes, The Ocean serves fine seafood, Yue Chuan employs a chef from China.

Disadvantages:

• poor cleaning, frankly dusty surfaces, dirty floor, unwashed bathroom;
• broken phones, lighting;
• loud air conditioner;
• persistent smell of tobacco.

According to rumors, the hotel is flooded with staff. Hence the constantly missing slippers, bathrobes, cosmetics and bathroom products.

 

 

 

Jetwing Lagoon

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

16 kilometers from Colombo International Airport on the shores of the lagoon is the five-star Jetwing Lagoon Hotel, which promotes conscious travel and an eco-friendly attitude towards yourself and the world. For example, electricity is provided to the hotel by solar panels.

Chic rooms fully correspond to 5 stars:

• view of the garden and free access to the pool;
• living area;
• private bathroom;
• mini-bar.

Each room has everything you need for an evening tea party, all hygienic and cosmetic accessories, an ironing board.

The hotel has three restaurants and a wine cellar.

Disadvantages of Jetwing Lagoon:

• pool bar – fiction, drinks are brought from the restaurant;
• cleaning could have been better;
• air conditioners can not cope with heat and humidity.

However, the main drawback of the hotel is the lack of its own beach. Going out of town, to nature, and even to an Ayurvedic hotel, tourists hope to at least go in, wet the soles … But no, you need to go to the uncomfortable rocky common beach. By the way, children are not allowed there – it is traumatic.

 

 

 

Amora Lagoon Hotel

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

The mini-hotel in the suburbs of Negombo, near the town of Katunayake is located in a pleasant green area and boasts its own park for walking. The décor of the rooms is different from the usual style of Sri Lanka: Amora Lagoon is something more free and relaxed, without chasing, mats and images of elephants.

Amora Lagoon welcomes couples with children. Comfortable spacious rooms with a terrace will appeal to connoisseurs of a relaxing holiday. An outdoor pool is also available.

It offers the services of:

• currency exchange;
• hair dryer, coffee machine, refrigerator in each room;
• room service.

The hotel does not have its own full-fledged restaurant, but local cuisine prepares a continental breakfast (according to reviews, doubtful).

Disadvantages of Amora Lagoon:

• poor noise insulation, there are many hotels and other sources of noise nearby;
• uncomfortable bathrooms;
• bad air conditioners.

The hotel offers taxi services and airport transfers by prior arrangement.

 

 

Uga Residence

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Residence by Uga Escapes is located a little further from the center than we would like, but in its area the population of petty criminals is reduced. Not far from the hotel is the National Museum of Sri Lanka (strongly recommended).

In each room:

• bathroom with bidet;
• TV, cable, internet;
• seating area;
• mini-bar.

Room service works around the clock, delivery is carried out from the hotel restaurant. According to reviews, a pleasant place to dine, although more expensive than in the city.

Disadvantages:

• dark in the rooms;
• many mosquitoes and wild birds that sit on the eaves outside;
• location away from the center;
• poor noise insulation.

In defense of the administration, many guests admit that all minor household problems were solved instantly. They even dispersed the crows with shots from a slingshot.

 

 

 

Jetwing Colombo Seven

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Small, clean and pretty, Jetwing Colombo Seven is located in the centre of Colombo. Its pride is the rooftop pool with an excellent view of the city (the staff will even show the direction of the US Embassy).

The rooms are all traditional set for a comfortable stay, but many guests prefer to spend time on the terraces for sunbathing. Soft drinks are free of charge.

Disadvantages:

• poor humidity control mode, condensation in the room;
• equipment often breaks down;
• tasteless cooking in the hotel cafeteria.

 

 

 

Colombo is a difficult place for entertainment tourism. And it’s not just about the difficult climate, spicy cuisine or the rampant local criminality. Colombo’s 5-star hotels are used to a large flow of guests and care little about everyone, preferring quantity over quality. If you need to stay in Colombo for longer than a day or two, it is better to choose Marino Beach Colombo as the most well-groomed hotel. Connoisseurs of antiques will like the incredibly expensive Paradise Road Tintagel, and those who are simpler, will go and ” Cinnamon” – Cinnamon Lakeside, and Residence by Uga Escapes.

Selection of hotels Colombo on map