Отель понравился Liked the hotel

Good afternoon!
My husband and I stayed at this hotel at the end of November 2012. The season in Sri Lanka has just begun. There was no heat at all, but there was a lot of humidity in the air. Therefore, it was hard to get used to, especially for smokers. Because my husband needed several cigarettes at once to get stoned after the plane. This is also felt by the way things dry - it is advisable to take two swimsuits.
The flight is difficult, and you need to fly on vacation for at least 10 days, you will still come to your senses for a couple of days. We didn't have enough. Moreover, it took us almost two days to go on excursions.

Excursions. We really liked the tour, which we ordered from the beach boy (local guys on the beach, they also call themselves Lalo). For 15-20 bucks each (it depends on how you bargain, but you need to bargain everywhere! ) we got out to Wadduwa (there were 6 people, we rode in a small bus) visited the Buddha temple, very beautiful, turtle breeder, spice garden, river safari, restaurant. Beechboy took us to a restaurant that wasn't cheap, but the price for the same lobster was the standard 15 bucks. At the hotel, we ordered it for the same amount, although they tried to cheat us on the hotel, which slightly spoiled the attitude about it. They tried to sell five servings instead of three, I said to take away the excess and rewrite the bill or call the hotel administrator. The guys quickly rewrote the bill, they say there was a mistake. In the morning, when we left, it turned out that the lobster was a little spree, so we got to the plane with some water and coal. So it would be better to eat in a restaurant for the same money.
By the way, I advise you to buy a try ginger beer. Non-alcoholic drink, those who love ginger will be satisfied. On the island, on each bottle of water and alcohol, its real price is written, pay attention - as we have the date of manufacture, so they have the price. It is better to buy alcohol in supermarkets, there are special departments there. Save. Rum will be 10 bucks cheaper. But you can buy beer in neighboring shops - in the hotel they ask for 400 rupees for it, in the shop - 160-200. Beer, too, I advise you to try, only cold. It cannot be compared with Obolon or Chernihiv.
We also booked a tour with an official guide - for the whole day. 60 or 65 bucks per person. Very exhausting: we rode elephants, visited the spice garden, the botanical garden, the Temple of the Tooth Relic, tea plantations and a factory, a shop (we attacked like crazy at the factory to buy tea, do not rush, then we were taken to a civilized store in a shopping center, the prices are the same , but the packaging is better and there is more choice, and the tea itself will be better, garbage was sold at the factory). We were supposed to visit the factory of precious stones, but did not have time. As a result, we left at five in the morning, got to the hotel at half past eleven at night. It's good that the guide called and asked us to leave dinner in the room. Although we were left hungry - a cucumber sandwich and a couple of mango slices were not saved, we had to save ourselves with beer in order to survive until the morning.
Spice garden - we didn't know what it was at first. These are their treatment centers, Ayurvedic. They grow all sorts of spices, fruits, herbs and other things, make oils, lotions, ointments, etc. from them. They offer to do a massage with oils - back, arms, head (like for free, but then they ask for a tip, moreover, up to 5 bucks). For girls - oil and rub your hair, so be on the alert, your hair will be ruined. One of our girls was allergic to oil, so for those with allergies - be careful and don’t experiment, ask what they smear and don’t drink everything they offer. If you want to buy something, compare with prices in UAH and bargain. Sometimes the prices are almost tripled to get their hands on you.

A separate conversation - the locals. They seem to be very friendly and hospitable, but they are trying to benefit from you, so do not flatter yourself. We had a case - outside the hotel got acquainted with the cook from our restaurant. He took us to the local spice garden, where they bought sandalwood oil cheaper, to the alcohol market, helped to change money, we bought him a bottle for 2 thousand rupees for this, but did not take into account the traditions - he took the bottle, even drank it so that we would not take it away, but then he started begging for money when we got into a tuk-tuk to go to the hotel. I had to give. You never know what he would have said to the driver, he would have brought it to the wrong place.
But in general, the rest on the territory of the hotel is wonderful, the service is at its best, the food is delicious, although not varied, it cannot be compared with Turkey and Egypt.