If all you need is a roof above your head and some food and maybe a dip in the pool then this is the hotel is for you. If you can close an eye before some small flaws and enjoy the great location of this hotel, then this is the hotel for you. If you expect western standards or fear cockroaches, then this is NOT the hotel for you.

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We stayed in this hotel for 14 days in the end of August. The entrace to the hotel is impressive - the gate is on the right bank of the river, with small pavilon and some seats to rest while you wait for the hotel boat to take you to the left bank, where the hotel and the reception is. You exit the boat directly into the reception. The welcome service was nice - we were checked-in quickly and without any trouble.

The hotel looks nice from distance, but up close you notice it had better years - it's faded, cracked and worn out, but still nice and working. It includes two pools, restaurant, two bars and some seating areas.

The room looked good enough, but it had it's flaws - ours included doors that could not be locked and required some force to close, toilet that sometimes would not flush on first try and shower that left a lot to be desired. It's old, falling apart, but it still works. It was quite clean, but it was ihabited by a family of BIG cockroaches.

The biggest plus of the hotel is it's location - the hotel is located on a thin strip of land between the river and the ocean. This ensures that the beach is clean and calm (save for the always waiting beach boys and ciggarette sellers). It also means the surrounding is really calm (the road and railroad are both over the river).

The staff is always helpful and willing to please, although a lot of them do not speak English (most of the tourists here are either German or Indian). However they have a rather "lazy" attitude - we often had to ask for something for three times and then go get it ourselves because the staff always promised that they will take care of it but very often "forgot".

The food was good - we had half-board and the variety of both breakfast and dinner foods was very wide and although some of the dishes repeated over the course of the two weeks, it was not very often.

The hotel provided some sort of evening entertainment on most evenings - usually just a simple man with a guitar, but we also saw a snake show, a magic show and a karaoke - while not particulary spectacular, they were a nice way to kill an evening.

Some tips for you if you stay here:
- go visit the temple at the end of the beach where the river flows into the ocean. It is a nice and calm place.
- a local elephant is being bathed every afternoon in a nearby hotel down the beach, so if you're lucky and happen to walk by, you can help wash him and take some nice photos

You can immediately tell a hotel in the process of decay. Rickety beds, peeling walls and a sense tht you've cone 10 years too late.
The staff as almost everywhere in Sri lanka were really warm and helpful, but there's not much they can do. There were cockroaches in the room contesting with a swarm of mosquitoes for our attention.
The hotel itself is located in the most perfect place and it's a shame that it is so poorly maintained. Add to that a group of unsavouries waiting by the beach.
This place has seen better days an I have seen better hotels. Sad but true.

Access to the Hotel: Reachable...

Food:
Breakfast is fair enough for the Veggies...String Hoppers (Idiyappam) is always available for the vegetarians where ever u go :) Less veggie items served for dinner (Both Buffet and Al' Carte)...

Room:
Rooms are well maintained...Cot was like Diwan which was quite uncomfortable...Double cot is preferable than 2 single cots...No Health Faucet in the bathroom :(

Hotel and Service
Employees of the hotel are very polite and helpful...

Other Activites
Lot of water sports and Boat rides available...Walk along the beach which is very refreshing. Beach seems to be maintained well as I could hardly see plactics on the sea shore...Sunset @ beach is heavenly...

Oustide the Hotel:
There are quite a few shops outside the hotel. It is upto the traveller to explore them for food and purchase...

Sumup:
Nice place to be...Approach to the hotel makes us feel like "Island in a Island"...Access to the beach is good...2 nights and 3 days stay will be good...

We stayed here 2 weeks with our 2 kids (2 & 4 yrs) and I can really recommend it. We were satisfied with everything: Location, staff, food, rooms, beach.