Latest reviews in Sri Lanka

Better than some airports I've used and I have to be honest I was expecting much worse, on arrival it's clean and quite modern. The whole visa and immigration in the usually hot sticky wait around. As you go through customs there is an odd mix of shops selling all electrical goods from freezers to washing machines, very odd for an airport. The common areas at the front are more shabby and a bit chaotic and more what I was expecting, all money has to be changed up before leaving the country too. (pinkfizz, 17-02-2012) 2

Jetwing blue is one of 4 jetwing hotels in the town. The Blue offers a good beachside location and feels a million miles away from the noisy dirty street outside it. The price is quite high and so we were expecting 4-5 star however it fell short in a couple of areas. The rooms are large and comfortable but decor is basic and a little grubby although it is meant to be rustic I think but mould in the shower isn't rustic in my book. Also they lacked modern facilities ie I-pod dock, good quality tv service etc. They were kept very clean however by the housekeeping team. The food was very good here however its casual so no excuse to get dressed up and feel as if you have had a special evening as there is only one restaurant and it's so busy it's hard to create any ambience. The pool areas are very nice and great for photos its more comfortable here as when you step foot on the beach you are attacked by all the beach sellers and touts. It can all become a bit too much which is a shame as the atmosphere apart from this is total relaxation. Service is hit and miss, intentions are good but execution is lacking. The area around the hotel is not great, the bars are small a dingy and few and far between and the food is far better in the hotel so we tended to eat here most nights which felt a little limited. Over all a nice hotel but no yet 4-5 stars or worthy of £200 per night. (pinkfizz, 17-02-2012) 3

Best place to buy Traditional Sri Lankan items e.g. masks, jewellery, gems ...etc. Less than half price of the shop prices (CeyBid, 07-02-2012) 0

Odel is a great clothing, bags and accessories shop in Colombo. It is lovely, modern clothing, but priced at great (low) Sri Lankan prices. My favourite items are the t-shirts - they have regular everyday t-shirts and then souvenir ones - mostly with elephants on them. Gorgeous. As with other popular tourist places, prices have gone up in recent years, but the quality is excellent so still worth a visit. (debsdown, 14-10-2008) 5

The location, rooms and facilities are excellent and difficult to better. There are some signs of rooms getting a little tired (we were in room 52 and it was starting to look worn in places) but the overall standard of service is good. The pool is also showing some wear and tear but there appears to be ongoing work to try and keep this looking good. Lunch and dinner menus are the same and with a 21% tax and service add-on, it's not cheap. Lunch would do better with some salads, soups and simple fare rather than the elaborate offerings at dinner. That said, the Executive Chef, Kumar, runs a superb kitchen and is genuinely happy to cook anything as an alternative if the menu doesn't attract. This being the tropics, there are mosquitoes a-plenty and it's a shame that bed nets are not standard at the hotel. Despite the rooms being sprayed every night along with oil burners etc, there is still a high proliferation of the blighters, so come prepared. The front desk will arrange private tours and although they are expensive (everything seems to be around USD 300) some are worth the trip. (The safari is a long day, but superb). Equally expensive is the transfer to/from the airport. I hope that they will revise their charges now that the expressway is open as what is currently an expensive service, will become highway robbery (literally) if they don't change the price. This reduces a death defying four and a half hour journey on the coast road down to just over two hours on the brand new dual carriageway.(don't believe them when they say it can be done quicker). Just be aware that many drivers haven't yet used the expressway, and aren't used to driving at such speed. There is also a high risk of wildlife (pigs, goats and dogs) straying onto and blocking the road. I'd be happy to return to The Fortress. It's quiet (if you go out of school time), peaceful and is staffed by the most genuinely attentive team of welcoming individuals. I just hope it stays that way. (Sackville003, 14-12-2011) 4

Lovely 3star hotel, which had better reviews for service and food than the 4star hotels nearby that we had checked out. Staff here are very friendly and cannot do enough for you to make your stay the best it can be - and the chefs are very accommodating to specific requests (even when we requested something just 1hr before dinner after arriving back from a 1day tour and did not feel up to the heavier dishes being served that night). Activities staff are great and extremely energetic, especially Shiva (who is an athlete and Sports Scientist). They even sorted out lunch for us on our last day, as our flight was delayed. Fruit and mid-morning snacks were great pool side treats, and the cookies and cakes for tea were so fresh and moreish. Food and service was as good as luxury hotels we have stayed in previously. Highly recommended!!! (jasonpinto, 03-12-2011) 5

If your looking to hire a vehicle to travel around in Sri Lanka try Malkey Rent a car, they provided amazing service to my family which made the enitre trip really enjoyable. We got to very useful advice on the things to do and not to do when travelling and also advice on the places to see. We got a excellent driver who understood what we said and acted as a guide for us. We hired a 9 seater van for our travels, but these guys have an amazing collection of cars, vans and 4wds and it was a real pleasure to see the collection of rare vintage and classic cars which i heard that they give for wedding hires. We went to malkey through their website www.malkey.lk if you do contact them ask for milindu he helped us with most of the details. oh yea say my name (peter grey) maybe ..you might get a discount .. :) enjoy! (petergrey, 06-09-2011) 5

A popular beach bar, as close to the sea as you can get without getting wet. Also a 'Royal' friendly bar for those in the maritime industry. (banjax64, 20-07-2011) 4

A friendly beach resort, laid back and relaxing. Basic comfortable accommodation and not too expensive. Wonderful locale and a good base to visit the sights from. (banjax64, 20-07-2011) 3

A sandy beach bar about as close as you can get to the sea without getting wet. Also a 'Royal' friendly watering hole for those in the maritime industry. (banjax64, 20-07-2011) 4