Riu Sri Lanka

I am currently staying at Riu Hotel Sri Lanka, and I would like to raise several concerns. We did not expect that the only table in the room would be a small coffee table, with no proper workspace. My son needs to study without a break, and my husband also needs to work. There is only one business room in the hotel, and it is occupied most of the time, which is very inconvenient. We requested a proper table for our room, but the staff informed us that none are available. However, we noticed that there are multiple small tables in the dining area that could potentially be moved to our room during our stay. Additionally, we are quite disappointed with several aspects of the hotel: The water has an unpleasant sewer-like smell The food quality is low, with many items deep-fried or previously frozen There is no private beach The pool closes at 8:00 PM, and staff begin preparing chemicals as early as 7:00 PM The room does not appear properly renovated, and the water temperature constantly shifts between hot and cold Overall, the hotel feels outdated and does not meet 5-star standards, including the mattresses. Additionally, when we arrived yesterday and went to the buffet, we were approached by staff even before we had eaten and asked to leave an “excellent” review for the food and overall stay. Later, members of the entertainment team also repeatedly asked us to give a 5-star rating, even before the show had started. They approached us at our table and interrupted us while we were eating to have us fill out a review form. This felt very intrusive and uncomfortable. It gave the impression that reviews are being encouraged in a forceful way, rather than reflecting genuine guest experience. Additionally, the entertainment was very basic and felt low quality. Overall, it was quite boring and did not meet the standard expected from a 5-star hotel. We have been traveling across Sri Lanka, and this is the only place where we have not been able to enjoy our stay, despite the cost.

Hotel fantastic supervisor Kaushal and room boy Sameera done an outstanding job for us nothing was to much trouble. Staff friendly and constantly cleaning excellent holiday.

We were transferred to this hotel as our flights were cancelled due to the issues in Middle East. We came from a much smaller and more than amazing hotel so was a very different experience. On the plus side the majority of staff were incredible, especially the waiters and cleaners, Randika in the main buffet restaurant was so lovely, always smiling and super attentive. The wine was lovely and plentiful and lots of sun beds always available. On the negative side, the staff at front desk when we arrived were not the most welcoming in any way and even though check in was 3pm and we arrived at 4pm we were told the room was not going to be ready until another 30 mins but that might have been due to lots of extra people arriving due to the issues, however, this would have been fine, if explained to us. Food was ok, the steak at Sauté was amazing but menu there stayed exactly the same there every night which was a shame. The salads at the buffet were great but rest of food was generally just lukewarm, def wouldn’t have wanted to spend more time than we had there. The hotel looks like it is on beach from the photos, reality is it is behind large fencing and sea outside this is really rough so cannot go in. The pillows in the room were def not, in my opinion, of a 5 star hotel quality, very lumpy and the bed sheets looked old and off white rather than looking and smelling fresh. The hotel we actually booked was apparently only a 3 star but in my opinion 100% better.

We visited Riu Sri Lanka for an 14 days stay. From the moment of arrival till departure -> 10/10! The staff is very friendly, and the room is very clean. Your room will be deeply cleaned every day and the housekeeping manager will ask you many times if you have suggestions or if you need something. The food is very good. Good quality, good balance of flavors and all you expect is available and even more. Maybe sometimes some more variation but you can also visit the special restaurants. The pools are amazing, also good bar services. Entertainment during the day is basic, and that’s fine because it give an more relaxing atmosphere. Also nice that there are many games to play during the day (badminton, soccer, table tennis and more. It’s also the first hotel where we experienced that Diamond or gold Riu guests get special bracelets and that Diamond guests have special tables in the restaurants. This is an excellent way to increase the Riu class benefits. Big compliment! The staff is also amazing. Always positive and kind. They do all to make your stay amazing. Also our suite was amazing, nice view, amazing balcony and (as stated before) very clean! The director could be more engaging with the guests, but that’s not a big deal and no problem. Also nice that they improved the hotel (live music at restaurant and at the bar etc) during the period of lower amount of guests. There is also enough to see in the neighborhood. Yes some spots are an longer drive, but that’s fine. Also nice to explore the real Sri Lanka and avoiding crowds by private tours. Our tour review is available at our profile, but you can explore much in the area. This hotel could easily become an Riu Palace. Because the quality, skills of the staff, cleaning, food and location fit the criteria of Riu Palace. This hotel is 100% part of the top tiers of all Riu hotels. Very big compliment to the staff and management. You feel the love for their work and the Riu hospitality! We will visit your hotel and beautiful country again in the future!

Our family stay was truly wonderful and amazing! From the warm welcome at check-in to the comfortable rooms and relaxing atmosphere, everything exceeded our expectations. The staff were friendly and always ready to help, which made traveling with family so much easier. The hotel was clean, peaceful, and very family-friendly. We especially loved the delicious food and the great facilities that kept everyone happy. It felt like a perfect home away from home. Highly recommended for anyone planning a relaxing family getaway!