There are NO Russian speaking staff at the hotel. They check in from 14-00. It is not clear how they clean it. Sometimes twice a day, sometimes once every two days. We lived on the third floor. Part of the ocean was visible. I had to pay a little. If someone is used to silence at night, do not go to this hotel.
The noise and horns of the train all night, sometimes the barking of the dog. Consider this. Breakfast is an amateur. For my taste, muffins and ice cream are tasteless. Of the greens - only carrots, unripe tomatoes and lettuce. There is bacon and delicious sausages. I, as a lover of spicy food, liked the chicken in curry sauce. They only took breakfast. We had dinner at the Golden Grill restaurant. From the hotel, through the railway, to the right, 150 meters. Optimal in terms of price / quality ratio. There is delicious and inexpensive local wine. Local spirits, I personally did not like (including red rum). Black Dominican rum is much tastier, not to mention the "Old Monte" from Goa. Gingerbread cookies and ginger beer - for everyone. Delicious red bananas. Near the beach they sell coconuts for 100 rupees, you can bargain - 150 for two. Very annoying sticky on the streets and tuk-tukers. Be careful with beach scourges. Through one took a transfer to the airport. We agreed to go to the zoo before the airport. The driver took us straight to the airport. Why didn't you go to the zoo? The answer is "To go far. " Transfer to the airport: from the beach-boy-60 bucks, from the hotel-90 bucks. Waves all the time. Swim carefully - it can be pulled into the ocean. From the positive - the presence of squirrels (take seeds), the good location of the hotel, sun loungers under palm trees and the owner of the jewelry store "Dara". The stones are real and bargaining is possible. I will not write a review about excursions - everything is relative. On the Vinsky forum (thread: Search for a guide in Sri Lanka) there are my coordinates, I will answer personally. At the airport, change money with the expectation that if there are rupees left, then back to dollars, you will change at a very unfavorable rate + commission. It is profitable to buy a SIM card at the airport. Very early pick up at the airport. We had a departure at 21-00, and from the hotel they offered to leave at 12-30. Therefore, we took an individual transfer. We recommend to others. You can sunbathe for an extra couple of hours. If you take fishing (from beach beach fights - 140 bucks, from a guide - 180), then do not take trolling (a waste of time). Caught on a bait - caught 4 kg. Near the pier there is a cafe, where for 1500 rupees they fried it and brought it to the hotel, to the room. When choosing guides in Sri Lanka, be very, very careful, there are many pitfalls. You can easily ruin your holiday. Discuss every step with them. Have a good rest.
The hotel is calm, at times it even resembled a nursing home. But for us personally, this is a plus, rather than being in the "company" of drunken and inadequate forever young. And now not pleasant moments. Very disappointed with the work of the reception staff. We took a standard room overlooking the garden. We settled in ahead of time, BUT ...On the first day, my husband and I were settled in a room with separate beds, we asked for one double bed (I consider it a completely reasonable requirement, because in the documents it is clear that a husband and wife are traveling, by the same last name and not elderly, this could have taken it into account). We were changed to a room with a view of the fence. We again demanded a change of number, we were offered the next day. And the next day we were marinated for half a day with promises to give out a number, while avoiding us and pretending that they did not understand what it was about. Until they demanded the chief manager, the issue was not resolved. One conclusion suggests itself - they were waiting for money.
Cleaning in the rooms is terrible, although they went twice a day (and then for the purpose of collecting tips). They only changed towels, slightly wiped the water in the bathroom and made the bed, the bed was changed, it feels like every couple of days, and the sand on the floor remained as it was. The number of rooms could be improved (I do not mean the interior and style of the room), but towels, bedding, furniture, mattresses on sunbeds need to be replaced. Once again about the staff - the waiters, at first everything was fine, they quickly approached, served, poured coffee. But after a couple of days, without waiting for a tip from us, they began to ignore (you could ask five times for coffee, and wait a long time for the table to be served to you). I don’t understand this attitude in this case, we came to the buffet, and not to the restaurant with an individual order, and the practice of most of these restaurants does not provide for a tip. Dali - good, not given - this does not mean not doing your job well.
The same story with sunbeds / towels, or rather with those who bring them. Once again, I would like to note that we did not demand that anything special be done on our orders, this is the work of the staff and should be done by default. On the day of departure, there was another "surprise". As we were told that after check-out we can still use the territory of the hotel, then take a shower and gather in the common shower room, which belongs to the pool. The pool is open until 20.00, and the doors to the shower area close at 19.00. Also, there is no hot water and towels (and in our time there was no water at all in the women's room without any notice). A trifle, but not pleasant. It is worth paying attention to the luggage on the day of check-out, if you do not leave immediately, then you hand over your things to the reception, where they, according to the idea, should be waiting for you in the luggage room. But no, they will be carried out under the wall at the gate and they will stand there for half a day.
There is security at the gates, they won’t drag him off the street, but anyone who wants to can climb into them, and the one who leaves can also throw a car into the luggage (albeit by accident).
The hotel is worth attention, but the service is lame, although this is probably the problem of all hotels in Sri Lanka.
In general, the rest was still good, thanks to nature, the ocean, the people in the non-hotel and the very atmosphere of staying on the island. We recommend that you do not neglect the services of the locals, they will take you to the store for alcohol at an affordable price, and they will suggest a cafe, and they will organize excursions cheaper than the tour operator. comfortable car with air conditioning. Recommended.
Will we come back here again - it is not excluded.
Arriving in Colombo, do not be too lazy to change dollars for rupees right at the airport, experience has shown that the most favorable rate is there! Don't change money at the hotel, it's just a rip off! It’s better to ask a tuk-tuk (about them a little later) where you can change money, he will show you, and may even ask for a better rate for you!
We chose the Bentota Beach Hotel 4 * because: 1. This is an incredible location (very close to a wide river and ocean, and the hotel is in a picturesque place) 2. Reviews of delicious food (turned out to be absolutely true). We had breakfast and dinner. Breakfasts are the same as everywhere else, but there is also a lot of national food, and dinners are generally beyond praise!! ! Everything is very tasty, fresh, a large selection, the stomachs did not hurt, there were no problems with the "pot" either))) 3. Relatively close distance from the Colombo airport (about 2-3 hours depending on the traffic, but there are hotels where to go much longer!
Considering that you will spend almost a day at airports, even these hours are important) 4. Good value for money, reviews about the hotel staff (indeed, everyone is mega-positive and sympathetic, and most importantly, sincere, especially the waiters in the main restaurant and the security guards at the beach exit)
They settled us pretty quickly, they gave us a normal room (overlooking the river and the pier and a green lawn with palm trees). The room, of course, is damp, because the climate is very humid, BUT! The industrious Conder is buzzing around the clock, which makes the chill more than necessary! Before I forget, there are sockets with a triangular plug (English) in the rooms, so stock up on adapters. We were given an adapter, but one, so it’s better to take it with you, charge all your phones, a razor, tablets, etc. Take also a fumigator, there is one in the room, but it doesn’t cope well with biting mosquitoes, it’s better for sure two!
The room has a hairdryer, a kettle, tea and coffee sets, glasses, a mini-bar, they gave all the bathroom accessories, especially two toothbrushes with tiny paste were touched))) they even gave slippers, very good for 4 *. Everything in the room is old, worn out, the shower cubicle is old, but at the same time very pleasant bed linen, comfortable beds, pillows, light blankets, there is even a small plasma lamp and a DVD player (greetings from the past), which we have never turned on for 12 days! The room is spacious, cozy balcony, everything is fine! This is not a 5-star Hilton, and Sri Lanka is not Dubai, do not forget, but there are a lot of advantages here! The territory of the hotel is very green, there is a soft lawn everywhere, palm trees, trees and flowers, chipmunks are running, iguanas are slowly crawling (lizards, as it turned out, live directly near the river and are poisonous, and iguanas are safe guys), the pool is large and clean (little chlorine).
Sun loungers can be placed anywhere your heart desires. You can also take them to the beach, we spent a lot of time there, but you can quickly burn out near the ocean, so don't be lazy to smear yourself with cream before swimming!! ! The ocean is a completely different story! I would slap on the hands those who wrote that they say that swimming is bad in the Bentota area ...The waves are gorgeous, we didn’t climb out of the water for an hour like children !! ! If you overcome the line where the wave forms, you can safely swim, but of course you won’t go out with dry hair; ) the sand is so nice and clean!! ! The beach is wide and clean, there are always few people on it, so you feel like in a Bounty advertisement)) there are friendly dogs that hide from the heat under sun loungers) on the beach there are merchants of all kinds of rags, saris, handicrafts and all kinds of rubbish...They are friendly and not very intrusive (compared to Turkey and Egypt), they always smile at you and offer you goods every day.
By the way, their prices are cheaper than in many places ...We bought dolls in masks for 2500 rupees for 2 pieces, for 2200 rupees two large cotton pareos ...We have to bargain, but the fact that prices can be cut in half and the Sri Lankans are dragged by this process is still a myth...The people are poor, the prices are not high, even sometimes it's inconvenient not to give an extra dollar...You can also buy fruits on the beach: drinking royal coconut 100 rupees, pineapple 300 rupees and much more, list for a long time...Here, near the entrance to the hotel, the "office" of local beachboys. These are the guys who actively offer you various trips and excursions. But these hard workers have high prices, because they hang out near the most expensive hotel in the area. Walking along the beach, about 1 km from our hotel in the direction of the lighthouse, a local guy approached us, saying "hello! Russian? ...." At first we somehow got frostbitten from him, but then a conversation nevertheless began ...
It turned out that he works near the hotel, where Germans mostly rest, there is Ayurveda, meditation, etc. , in short, not such a glutton as in our Bentota))) Now we are very glad that we met Dinu! Throughout the rest, he accompanied us on excursions (we swam along the Bentota River, went to Khikaduwa, Kandy and swam on ocean fishing) due to unforeseen circumstances that happened to us on the way to rest, we were limited in funds, so we could not take all the excursions who wanted to, but this is a reason for us to come again! I got distracted...About Dinu) A kind, sincere guy, he knows Russian very well, the main thing is that he understands our jokes and can really tell about something, and not just provide transportation. He has his own tuk-tuk (this is a local specialty: a three-wheeled motorcycle with a stretched awning roof is a very funny thing!
) on his tuktuk, Dinu took us to restaurants, and for red rum, and for fruits, and on the last day showed us the local temple (be sure to go! ). We learned a lot about local life while sitting in Dinu's tuktuk))) he did not always take payment from us, spending time with us purely in a friendly way ...His excursions were on average 20-40 dollars cheaper than the guys from our hotel, plus none of them know Russian like that, and by nature it is unlikely that such a smiling good man would be found there) here are his coordinates: . Dinusha (Dinu) Umendra dinushamendra@yahoo. com +9.77-6.21 180 + 9.76 69.75 76 skype: Dinusha273 You can call him from the reception (free of charge). Finding Dina is also very easy: after leaving the hotel on the beach, turn right towards the lighthouse, after about 1 km there will be a small guest house Paradise island (something like that .. ) if other guys pester you, just say that you are going to Dean and that's it, they will only show you the direction; )
Excursions - a wide variety, it all depends on how much time, desire and money you have))) personally my most unforgettable experience: holding a bunch of little turtles in the farm, visiting an elephant nursery (2500 rupees for foreigners) and riding an elephant (2000 rupees 10 min per person), free feeding of chipmunks in the hotel))) in short, Dinu will tell you everything and show you photos and choose, he gives practical advice when it is better to go and so on. One more! Having gone on an excursion, be prepared for a tip ...Not your guide, but a passing one, so to speak. For example, a trip to Kandy includes visits to elephants, the Temple of the Tooth Relic, the Royal Boat Garden and more...
In the temple and bot garden, Dinu handed us over to the guides (he paid them himself), but at the end these handsome men stand and look at you, they say give a tip)))) just so you know, we gave 100 rupees in the temple (the guide was clean he was a fool, he went about his business there, laid lotuses, and for everything he had one phrase "this is granite, oak, handmade, 450 years old ... ", and in the bot garden there was a good grandfather, he told about everything and showed everything, That's why we gave him more...In general, friends, a sea of positive emotions, bright tastes and sincere smiles awaits you!! ! If you have any questions, write, if I can answer - I will be glad to help you!! !
The only negative is that the rooms are a bit old, but we didn't care as we didn't spend much time in the room.
Who wants to relax from the hustle and bustle you in Bentota. Recommend.
We arrived at the hotel very early from the airport. Check-in at 14:00. Therefore, if you want to relax after the road, use the ChangeRoom lounge at the hotel. There you can change clothes and take a shower. The room was quite comfortable. The room has all the amenities, air conditioning, TV, hairdryer, kettle, refrigerator, iron with ironing board, safe, exit to the loggia. The view from the window of our room (No. 724) was, frankly, no. If you want, it was possible, for an additional fee, to change the room to another one with an ocean view, but we did not ask.
The hotel has a restaurant and bar. Our tour price included only breakfast. The food is varied, for 8 days I did not get bored. Many of the dishes have not even had time to try.
To eat seafood (shrimp, lobsters, crabs), we went to different restaurants for dinner. I really liked "Sunflower" - "Sunflower". Been to this restaurant three times. By tuk-tuk, drive from the hotel for about 10 minutes. A romantic place with a beautiful view of the ocean, with inexpensive delicious cuisine, huge portions and a gift from the institution.
The location of the hotel is very good. Ocean on one side and river on the other. The area is very large and beautiful. Near a beautiful sandy beach. The hotel has a wonderful pool.
Service at the highest level, the staff is not intrusive, friendly. The rooms are cleaned twice a day (apparently due to high humidity), so we did not feel the smell of dampness in the room. For my wife's birthday, there was a bonus from the hotel - a cake in the room, Very nice. Thanks.
To get to know the country, we took an individual excursion in a car for three days. Guide Ayesh Desilva.Hispageishttp://vk.com/id178566292. A good guy, we are very grateful to him for an exciting and informative trip to Sri Lanka. Recommended. You can contact Ayesh by phone/Viber +94756643653.
To the right of the hotel there is a supermarket, a little further, but you can walk, a post office (send a postcard to your homeland for a nominal fee, you need to buy a postcard in the supermarket) and an inexpensive wine shop. There are many shops to the left behind the bridge, a bazaar (large on Mondays), a bank, a supermarket, a Buddhist temple with the largest Buddha statue on the island (48m). There are a lot of interesting things in the area: walks along the river, riding a trike, a turtle farm, etc.
There are a lot of impressions, it is impossible to describe everything, come to Bentota Beach Hotel, you will not regret it.
The rooms are a little worn but overall ok. We heard from the locals that the hotel plans to close next year for renovations.
The staff is very friendly and attentive, during the evening cleaning they often decorate the bed with flowers. The only significant negative is that we could not arrange a late check-out, so we spent the last day in the garden.
Air conditioning is best in restaurants. The air conditioning in the lobby just can't cope and the effect of it is small. The corridors are not cooled.
In general, I liked the hotel very much.
We lived in the left wing on the 2nd floor overlooking the ocean - great! The room is dry, the humidity is mostly on the first) The rooms near the river are not for everyone, because the road and the road and the railway are quite noisy. The staff works like clockwork, from the two-time change of towels in the rooms, ending with well-trained waiters.
Special thanks to the Russian-speaking administrator Anzhelika - the sweetest attentive girl and very quick to make decisions. She greatly facilitated the connection with the hotel staff)) Will we return there again, definitely yes !! ! Only in Bentota Beach hotel.
Beach-boys offer excursions on the beach, the guys are nice, you can and should bargain with them. If you wish, you can always find a compromise, but we did better - according to the reviews of satisfied tourists, we went to the local guy Aesh de Silva, contacted him in advance on Skype and eventually left with him for a 5-day tour of all the places of worship in Sri Lanka ( which turned out to be many times cheaper than group tours from a tour operator)
Sea of impressions! Our tour went off with a bang, as Aesh showed us not only hiking trails, but also the inner color of the country. He nursed us like a nanny - from stops on demand to capture an elephant passing by, to buying local rum during Prohibition. A comfortable car with air conditioning and a wonderful driver who, like a helicopter, flew around all traffic jams, knowledge of the Russian language, unobtrusiveness, foresight and safety made our trip with him as pleasant and unforgettable as possible))) Aesh, thank you!
Guys, Sri Lanka is a fairy tale! This is a vacation for every taste, if you want, lie by the hotel pool with clean water, if you want, roast on the beach and conquer the ocean waves, if you want, enjoy the sunsets in the mountains of Nuwara Eliya while drinking freshly picked elite Ceylon tea, but if you want extreme sports, then rafting on Belaya the Katul Gale river and a jeep safari in the open jungle with leopards and elephants scurrying past - the very thing!!!
p. s.linktoAesh'spagehere:http://vk.com/id178566292
Cons - the room in which the hair dryer did not work, the lights did not turn on, the terrible "air conditioner" that made noise, the prehistoric shower, where there were no shelves for shampoo, etc.
From food plus a large assortment of dishes, quite tasty, BUT half of the dishes are very spicy, they are divided into European and national (all curry) The curry is very spicy. You also need to carefully look at what hotels count (they include taxes on food, and the price is written without taking into account these taxes) I also liked the recreation area with a disco and a very cool boat with a buffet that floats along the river. The overall impression of the hotel is positive.