Your rating of this hotel:
8.0
from 10
Hotel ratings by criteria:
Rooms:
8.0
Service:
9.0
Cleanliness:
9.0
Food:
8.0
Amenities:
8.0
Combined tour: excursion "Treasure of Sri Lanka" + relaxing on the beach
There was a dream to wet your feet in the ocean - we decided to implement it)
Why a combo tour? After reading the reviews about the dogs and the time of getting on the excursions, we decided that it would be better to go on the excursions right away, and then we will just relax on the beach)
As a result, we have a tour for 4 days / 3 nights of excursions + 9 days / 8 nights of rest at the Dikwella resort & spa hotel from 17.04. -01.05. 2012.
Flight: Arab Airlines Kyiv-Sharjah-Colombo. Meals - for an additional fee on board (10-15 USD). Fly to Sharjah 4.30, then stop in Sharjah for 1.5 hours, then Sharjah-Colombo another 4.30-4.50. Honestly, it's exhausting. . . But it's worth it when you plunge into the rest.
We arrived at 4.50 local time. visas were issued from Kyiv, quickly passed the registration, got luggage and went to look for a transfer. We didn’t find it, but us) a guide came up with a sign of the host. It turned out that we only had a tour for our small company of 4 people), we were glad that we didn’t have to ride in a big bus with a large group of people. ) We will always agree with our own people)). Tired from the flight, I really wanted to lay my head down and fall asleep . . but check-in at the 1st hotel was not earlier than 10 am, and so we went on a survey of Colombo. We traveled around the city for a couple of hours, their life begins very early - at 8 in the morning the city is already teeming with people.
The city, of course, differs from ordinary capitals - it is with low buildings, a lot of people, tuk-tuks (local transport) always hurrying somewhere and smiling people. People all over Sri Lanka are very friendly! And since white people in many villages are a wonder for them, sometimes we were photographed as a keepsake))) Smiled.
It seemed to me that the main attractions in Sri Lanka are temples (various). Having traveled a couple of temples, having stopped at the embankment (the first acquaintance with the ocean, in the future - ocean and only like that! ), We were settled in the first hotel on an excursion. A hotel in Colombo itself, the Grand Hotel, in my opinion, 3 stars, standard, no frills (small room, bathroom with shower, TV, air conditioner and fan) - to spend the night - that's it. The food at the hotel is Sri Lankan - that is, spicy !! ! For breakfast, it was very difficult to find something for myself... a very, very poor choice of dishes (2 side dishes, 1 meat, scrambled eggs - all spicy, fruits, tea and coffee). I had to be content with little... For dinner, we already ordered from the menu (it turned out that there were only 4 of us at the hotel for dinner and no one would make a buffet), they warned that there would be no curry, pepper, and so on. The waiter smiled - apparently knowing the dislike of Europeans for spicy. After sleeping and having dinner, we went to look for adventures). The guide seemed to explain to us which side of the ocean, but after wandering around the streets, we decided to ask the locals. Who to contact - taxi drivers (they have those who are in tuk-tuks), to the question “where is ocean? ” just wondering, what is it? Only on the 3rd attempt, one of the tuk-tukers seemed to understand what we wanted, really took us to the embankment))) It was a deep evening, half a meter waves and the smell of the ocean !!! ! The sea smells different! I was happy as a child! I wet my feet in the ocean, and not only!! ! Indescribable feelings! Our people say this only in words that good girls do not use))).
The next day we had an early departure from the hotel. Moving to Kandy. On the way - an elephant nursery !!! ! This is cool!! ! In addition to the ocean - the purpose of the trip - to the elephants !! ! I really enjoyed watching and feeding them. I highly recommend this tour, and ask to stay there longer - it's worth it). Then a visit to a tea factory (the price of tea is from 10 to 200 USD per kg, but it is natural Ceylon tea), a botanical garden, a visit to an evening show (dancing, singing and a fire show), a visit to the Buddha Temple. Overnight at the hotel (I don’t remember the name, but something related to Switzerland), there was a very worthy dinner - with a European twist. The room is standard, but bigger than in the past. In general, an absolutely decent hotel))
In the morning we had planned a trip to the mountains to the waterfalls (we with a guide deviated from the program for an additional payment of 50 USD per person - well, I really wanted to see the waterfalls), departure at 6 am... on the way there is another tea plantation - the beauty. Further uphill (for those who, like me, suffer from motion sickness - do not go, it is very motion sickness, I didn’t want anything after 1/3 of the way, as a result I didn’t see the most beautiful places. Because it was sick and I slept on the bus) . The serpentine is still there! ! But the views are amazing! Everything is green in Sri Lanka! And due to periodic showers, the greenery does not have a yellowish tint! The beauty! Near the Lion Mountain we rode an elephant!! ! exciting adventure)
Overnight in what seemed to us a relatively new hotel, with a room that you can arrange a disco, a bathroom of 12-15 sq. m. , the food is normal) had dinner and breakfast well.
Then we were taken to a sari shop, etc. , for advertising purposes we were dressed in national clothes, we took pictures, but did not buy (the price is from 100 USD to probably infinity, but there is no practicality))). We stopped by the Ruby Factory, but even there the prices seemed to be more expensive than in our jewelry stores, and we were not really going to buy something. Then there was a transfer to a hotel on the coast. For a long time. Hours 5-6. But this is our hotel, it is in the south, and we drove almost from the middle of the island.
So, a hotel on the coast: Dikwella resort. The choice fell on her - location (washed by ocean from 3 sides), food (Italian owner - Sri Lankan and European food), according to reviews, there is a relatively calm ocean !!!
And now what really
Location - hit it! The rooms all seemed to us to have an ocean view! Those that are closer to the coast (like ours) also have the constant noise of this very ocean (you fall asleep, wake up to its noise) I had such peaceful sensations only when I was hiking in the Crimea, when I fell asleep at night under the murmur of a stream)))
The territory is not large when compared to hotels in Turkey or Egypt, but green everywhere! Well done. Chipmunks, dogs run around the territory, they saw a monitor lizard, lizards, crows scream in the morning.
Meals: the hotel has 2 restaurants - the main one and "on the beach". Basically only breakfast and dinner (neither all inclusive nor full board is provided). We thought we would do without lunches - what is there! We barely waited for the time to go for lunch at a nearby restaurant. Not because they fed poorly, probably because of wasting energy on bathing! )
The food at the hotel, as I said, is good (because there is a choice of both spicy and non-spicy dishes), spicy ones are marked on the plates with peppercorns (1.2, 3 peppercorns, depending on the degree of pepperiness). I don’t eat pepper (and our whole company), so we ate European dishes. There is a choice: several side dishes, different types of meat, if you wish, they will cut a salad for you or take your own vegetables). Fruits: bananas, oranges, watermelons, papaya, pineapples (I want to pay special attention to pineapples - we have not eaten such fragrant ones yet, they bring all the greens from us !! ) In the morning there are fresh juices and still like "yupi", we drank fresh juices mix (more watermelon and papaya were felt), just watermelon, but didn’t like breadfruit. In general, no one went hungry! If you do not look for delicacies, then the food is very decent!
I want to pay special attention to the location of the main restaurant. It is located at the end of the hotel, overlooking the ocean, you sit, eat, and next to the peals of the waves! At first, we didn’t even eat much - we enjoyed the view... then hunger nevertheless made itself felt and we ate))) Chipmunks also run around the restaurant, we fed them, and drove away annoying crows from them, who took their food from them!
Lunches: the first time we went to a hotel restaurant, there for lunch there were sandwiches, sandwiches, pizza (french fries) and drinks. Expensive. Pizza for 2 $15. And see that there was no pepper in the composition, otherwise it will be impossible to eat (well, or for an amateur).
Those who have already rested there for a long time advised a restaurant, it is located on the left, if you look at the hotel from the main restaurant, walk min. 5 along the coast (Coconut hotel) of course it’s hard to call a hotel (3 rooms), but the food is delicious. For 1200 rupees ($ 10) to salad (stunning) and fruits to choose from shrimp (large and small, only small, it’s like we have in the supermarkets royal and even more, but big ones - we haven’t seen such ones, cm 15-20, I wouldn’t want to meet such people in the ocean), 500 gr fish no less (the freshest, the guy hit the market and bought freshly caught), squids (little, didn’t eat, but tasty), crabs (didn’t try). Because I don't eat fish and sea/ocean products, I asked about chikken, they told me - do you want chikken - no question, we'll do it (it's not on the menu), and like fish, we went for chikken). For 2000ruppies ($16) you can get a lobster. The food there is really delicious. The first 2 times we took each portion, then the body probably got used to the regimen and we had enough 1 serving for two. But we could not live without lunch, so expect that you will probably go to dinner. The restaurant is also on the beach, with a gorgeous view, we saw turtles swimming a couple of times! We did not go to other restaurants, although they called a couple more beach-boys.
Number: everything is there. Bed with a canopy, from mosquitoes and all living creatures (lizards calmly crawled along the walls and ceiling in the room (do not be afraid of them, they are afraid of us), they are unclean to me, but they didn’t bother me - they crawl and okay, they didn’t touch anyone). In the evening, they puff something from mosquitoes, and there is a fumigator in the room. The room also has a kettle and tea, coffee, sugar. Change of linen, cleaning every day.
To the supermarket on foot 10-15 minutes. Or 3 minutes by tuk-tuk (2 dollars round trip).
For souvenirs, they bought standard magnets, tea, an elephant and pineapples (well, I really wanted to prolong the taste). Souvenirs I advise you to immediately buy in an elephant nursery, we have not seen such a choice anywhere else (near the hotel, it’s self-expensive), we bargained everywhere.
Communication - buy a local SIM card for $ 1 + $ 8 was enough for us for the entire period (called home and sent SMS)
Water - only from bottles (in supermarkets or in tents on the street).
Ocean! I want more! He was really more or less calm in our hotel (we passed places where it would hardly be possible to swim), but at the same time we didn’t manage to get into the sea (which didn’t upset us at all) - but we rode the waves so awesome! And on the last day, we took surfboards and rode the waves on our belly - it’s a pity that we didn’t do this before (boards can be asked for free from the security guard on the beach). By the way, the flag was always red . . but no one drove us out of the water.
The pool, if not for the ocean water, I wouldn't swim there, but why not swim in the ocean water.
Sunburn - I have never had such a chocolate! I don't use special amplifications or the like. creams. BUT!!! ! You can even get burned in the rain! We swam in the rain, partially burned !!! ! They were in the sun until 10.30-11.00 (it is impossible to continue) and after 16.30.
The hotel is positioned for a relaxing holiday. I think it is possible with children, but . . the road from the airport is long (min 4 hours), pay attention to this. There are no discos as such, they entertained themselves.
Drank local beer Line and red rum.
Now warnings: there are some small midges on the beach! ! And only on the beach! ! They stick around the body and bite... on vacation there were no consequences, but at home bites appeared and itched a lot! I used psilo-balm, smeared it for 2 days - the itching went away and gradually the bites went away. There were no more troubles.
A bottle of Becherovka was stolen from us. Keep your valuables in a safe (free of charge at the reception).
To sum up: the rest is super, you just need to be ready for the flight (although for those who have flown further, this probably does not matter anymore). For myself, I see no reason to go for less than 10 days! But it's like someone. . .
Have a good rest everyone))
There was a dream to wet your feet in the ocean - we decided to implement it)
Why a combo tour? After reading the reviews about the dogs and the time of getting on the excursions, we decided that it would be better to go on the excursions right away, and then we will just relax on the beach)
As a result, we have a tour for 4 days / 3 nights of excursions + 9 days / 8 nights of rest at the Dikwella resort & spa hotel from 17.04. -01.05. 2012.
Flight: Arab Airlines Kyiv-Sharjah-Colombo. Meals - for an additional fee on board (10-15 USD). Fly to Sharjah 4.30, then stop in Sharjah for 1.5 hours, then Sharjah-Colombo another 4.30-4.50. Honestly, it's exhausting. . . But it's worth it when you plunge into the rest.
We arrived at 4.50 local time. visas were issued from Kyiv, quickly passed the registration, got luggage and went to look for a transfer. We didn’t find it, but us) a guide came up with a sign of the host. It turned out that we only had a tour for our small company of 4 people), we were glad that we didn’t have to ride in a big bus with a large group of people. ) We will always agree with our own people)). Tired from the flight, I really wanted to lay my head down and fall asleep . . but check-in at the 1st hotel was not earlier than 10 am, and so we went on a survey of Colombo. We traveled around the city for a couple of hours, their life begins very early - at 8 in the morning the city is already teeming with people.
The city, of course, differs from ordinary capitals - it is with low buildings, a lot of people, tuk-tuks (local transport) always hurrying somewhere and smiling people. People all over Sri Lanka are very friendly! And since white people in many villages are a wonder for them, sometimes we were photographed as a keepsake))) Smiled.
It seemed to me that the main attractions in Sri Lanka are temples (various). Having traveled a couple of temples, having stopped at the embankment (the first acquaintance with the ocean, in the future - ocean and only like that! ), We were settled in the first hotel on an excursion. A hotel in Colombo itself, the Grand Hotel, in my opinion, 3 stars, standard, no frills (small room, bathroom with shower, TV, air conditioner and fan) - to spend the night - that's it. The food at the hotel is Sri Lankan - that is, spicy !! ! For breakfast, it was very difficult to find something for myself... a very, very poor choice of dishes (2 side dishes, 1 meat, scrambled eggs - all spicy, fruits, tea and coffee). I had to be content with little... For dinner, we already ordered from the menu (it turned out that there were only 4 of us at the hotel for dinner and no one would make a buffet), they warned that there would be no curry, pepper, and so on. The waiter smiled - apparently knowing the dislike of Europeans for spicy. After sleeping and having dinner, we went to look for adventures). The guide seemed to explain to us which side of the ocean, but after wandering around the streets, we decided to ask the locals. Who to contact - taxi drivers (they have those who are in tuk-tuks), to the question “where is ocean? ” just wondering, what is it? Only on the 3rd attempt, one of the tuk-tukers seemed to understand what we wanted, really took us to the embankment))) It was a deep evening, half a meter waves and the smell of the ocean !!! ! The sea smells different! I was happy as a child! I wet my feet in the ocean, and not only!! ! Indescribable feelings! Our people say this only in words that good girls do not use))).
The next day we had an early departure from the hotel. Moving to Kandy. On the way - an elephant nursery !!! ! This is cool!! ! In addition to the ocean - the purpose of the trip - to the elephants !! ! I really enjoyed watching and feeding them. I highly recommend this tour, and ask to stay there longer - it's worth it). Then a visit to a tea factory (the price of tea is from 10 to 200 USD per kg, but it is natural Ceylon tea), a botanical garden, a visit to an evening show (dancing, singing and a fire show), a visit to the Buddha Temple. Overnight at the hotel (I don’t remember the name, but something related to Switzerland), there was a very worthy dinner - with a European twist. The room is standard, but bigger than in the past. In general, an absolutely decent hotel))
In the morning we had planned a trip to the mountains to the waterfalls (we with a guide deviated from the program for an additional payment of 50 USD per person - well, I really wanted to see the waterfalls), departure at 6 am... on the way there is another tea plantation - the beauty. Further uphill (for those who, like me, suffer from motion sickness - do not go, it is very motion sickness, I didn’t want anything after 1/3 of the way, as a result I didn’t see the most beautiful places. Because it was sick and I slept on the bus) . The serpentine is still there! ! But the views are amazing! Everything is green in Sri Lanka! And due to periodic showers, the greenery does not have a yellowish tint! The beauty! Near the Lion Mountain we rode an elephant!! ! exciting adventure)
Overnight in what seemed to us a relatively new hotel, with a room that you can arrange a disco, a bathroom of 12-15 sq. m. , the food is normal) had dinner and breakfast well.
Then we were taken to a sari shop, etc. , for advertising purposes we were dressed in national clothes, we took pictures, but did not buy (the price is from 100 USD to probably infinity, but there is no practicality))). We stopped by the Ruby Factory, but even there the prices seemed to be more expensive than in our jewelry stores, and we were not really going to buy something. Then there was a transfer to a hotel on the coast. For a long time. Hours 5-6. But this is our hotel, it is in the south, and we drove almost from the middle of the island.
So, a hotel on the coast: Dikwella resort. The choice fell on her - location (washed by ocean from 3 sides), food (Italian owner - Sri Lankan and European food), according to reviews, there is a relatively calm ocean !!!
And now what really
Location - hit it! The rooms all seemed to us to have an ocean view! Those that are closer to the coast (like ours) also have the constant noise of this very ocean (you fall asleep, wake up to its noise) I had such peaceful sensations only when I was hiking in the Crimea, when I fell asleep at night under the murmur of a stream)))
The territory is not large when compared to hotels in Turkey or Egypt, but green everywhere! Well done. Chipmunks, dogs run around the territory, they saw a monitor lizard, lizards, crows scream in the morning.
Meals: the hotel has 2 restaurants - the main one and "on the beach". Basically only breakfast and dinner (neither all inclusive nor full board is provided). We thought we would do without lunches - what is there! We barely waited for the time to go for lunch at a nearby restaurant. Not because they fed poorly, probably because of wasting energy on bathing! )
The food at the hotel, as I said, is good (because there is a choice of both spicy and non-spicy dishes), spicy ones are marked on the plates with peppercorns (1.2, 3 peppercorns, depending on the degree of pepperiness). I don’t eat pepper (and our whole company), so we ate European dishes. There is a choice: several side dishes, different types of meat, if you wish, they will cut a salad for you or take your own vegetables). Fruits: bananas, oranges, watermelons, papaya, pineapples (I want to pay special attention to pineapples - we have not eaten such fragrant ones yet, they bring all the greens from us !! ) In the morning there are fresh juices and still like "yupi", we drank fresh juices mix (more watermelon and papaya were felt), just watermelon, but didn’t like breadfruit. In general, no one went hungry! If you do not look for delicacies, then the food is very decent!
I want to pay special attention to the location of the main restaurant. It is located at the end of the hotel, overlooking the ocean, you sit, eat, and next to the peals of the waves! At first, we didn’t even eat much - we enjoyed the view... then hunger nevertheless made itself felt and we ate))) Chipmunks also run around the restaurant, we fed them, and drove away annoying crows from them, who took their food from them!
Lunches: the first time we went to a hotel restaurant, there for lunch there were sandwiches, sandwiches, pizza (french fries) and drinks. Expensive. Pizza for 2 $15. And see that there was no pepper in the composition, otherwise it will be impossible to eat (well, or for an amateur).
Those who have already rested there for a long time advised a restaurant, it is located on the left, if you look at the hotel from the main restaurant, walk min. 5 along the coast (Coconut hotel) of course it’s hard to call a hotel (3 rooms), but the food is delicious. For 1200 rupees ($ 10) to salad (stunning) and fruits to choose from shrimp (large and small, only small, it’s like we have in the supermarkets royal and even more, but big ones - we haven’t seen such ones, cm 15-20, I wouldn’t want to meet such people in the ocean), 500 gr fish no less (the freshest, the guy hit the market and bought freshly caught), squids (little, didn’t eat, but tasty), crabs (didn’t try). Because I don't eat fish and sea/ocean products, I asked about chikken, they told me - do you want chikken - no question, we'll do it (it's not on the menu), and like fish, we went for chikken). For 2000ruppies ($16) you can get a lobster. The food there is really delicious. The first 2 times we took each portion, then the body probably got used to the regimen and we had enough 1 serving for two. But we could not live without lunch, so expect that you will probably go to dinner. The restaurant is also on the beach, with a gorgeous view, we saw turtles swimming a couple of times! We did not go to other restaurants, although they called a couple more beach-boys.
Number: everything is there. Bed with a canopy, from mosquitoes and all living creatures (lizards calmly crawled along the walls and ceiling in the room (do not be afraid of them, they are afraid of us), they are unclean to me, but they didn’t bother me - they crawl and okay, they didn’t touch anyone). In the evening, they puff something from mosquitoes, and there is a fumigator in the room. The room also has a kettle and tea, coffee, sugar. Change of linen, cleaning every day.
To the supermarket on foot 10-15 minutes. Or 3 minutes by tuk-tuk (2 dollars round trip).
For souvenirs, they bought standard magnets, tea, an elephant and pineapples (well, I really wanted to prolong the taste). Souvenirs I advise you to immediately buy in an elephant nursery, we have not seen such a choice anywhere else (near the hotel, it’s self-expensive), we bargained everywhere.
Communication - buy a local SIM card for $ 1 + $ 8 was enough for us for the entire period (called home and sent SMS)
Water - only from bottles (in supermarkets or in tents on the street).
Ocean! I want more! He was really more or less calm in our hotel (we passed places where it would hardly be possible to swim), but at the same time we didn’t manage to get into the sea (which didn’t upset us at all) - but we rode the waves so awesome! And on the last day, we took surfboards and rode the waves on our belly - it’s a pity that we didn’t do this before (boards can be asked for free from the security guard on the beach). By the way, the flag was always red . . but no one drove us out of the water.
The pool, if not for the ocean water, I wouldn't swim there, but why not swim in the ocean water.
Sunburn - I have never had such a chocolate! I don't use special amplifications or the like. creams. BUT!!! ! You can even get burned in the rain! We swam in the rain, partially burned !!! ! They were in the sun until 10.30-11.00 (it is impossible to continue) and after 16.30.
The hotel is positioned for a relaxing holiday. I think it is possible with children, but . . the road from the airport is long (min 4 hours), pay attention to this. There are no discos as such, they entertained themselves.
Drank local beer Line and red rum.
Now warnings: there are some small midges on the beach! ! And only on the beach! ! They stick around the body and bite... on vacation there were no consequences, but at home bites appeared and itched a lot! I used psilo-balm, smeared it for 2 days - the itching went away and gradually the bites went away. There were no more troubles.
A bottle of Becherovka was stolen from us. Keep your valuables in a safe (free of charge at the reception).
To sum up: the rest is super, you just need to be ready for the flight (although for those who have flown further, this probably does not matter anymore). For myself, I see no reason to go for less than 10 days! But it's like someone. . .
Have a good rest everyone))
Translated automatically from Russian. View original
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