Free
Children allowed

Facilities

Health or beauty spa nearby
Offsite parking discounted rates available
Guest education on local ecosystems and culture
Fitness facilities (surcharge)
Non-smoking rooms
Air conditioning
Swimming pool
Restaurant
Room service
Terrace
See all facilities

Review Highlights

Pros:
Great location
Good food
Cons:
Poor cleanliness
Noisy disturbances

Categories

Cleanliness
6.2
Bathrooms were gross and very dirty with unclean conditions.
Service
10
Service was standard, though issues were reported with staff not answering during disturbances.
Location
10
Great location by the beach, enhancing the overall experience.
Room Quality
6.17
Rooms were smelly, damp, and dirty with broken floor tiles.
Amenities
9.71
Standard amenities, but tea/coffee sachets were not provided.
Value for Money
7.16
Felt that the high price did not equate with the service and cleanliness provided.
Food and Beverage
9.19
Food was noted as a positive aspect of the stay.
Overall Experience
7.15
The experience was overshadowed by cleanliness and noise issues.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2026-01-10 06:37

Property Description

Luxurious Colonial-Style Retreat

Private Beach & Spectacular Views
Enjoy a private beach area and terrace overlooking the bay and Colombo’s skyline. Indulge in spa treatments and savor delicious meals at 3 dining venues.

Unique Historical Tours & Balinese Spa
Explore the underground historical tunnel and museum tour exclusive to our hotel. Unwind at the Balinese spa with serene beach views.

Modern Amenities & Dining Experiences
Relax in colonial-style rooms with modern comforts and private balconies. Take advantage of 24-hour travel desk, gym, and game room. Delight in fresh seafood at Seafood Cove or international buffets at The Governors restaurant.

Book now for an unforgettable stay at Mount Lavinia Hotel.

Check-in and check-out hours:
Check-out: 11:00 AM
Airport code: CMB

Property Policies

  • Pets

    Pets are not allowed.

  • Internet

    WiFi is available in the hotel rooms and is free of charge.

  • Parking

    Free private parking is possible at a location nearby (reservation is needed).

  • Children and extra bed policy

    Children of any age are allowed.
    Children up to and including 5 years old stay for free when using an existing bed.
    Children from 6 years old to 11 years old stay for US$25 per person per night when using an existing bed.
    Children from 12 years old to 17 years old stay for US$35 per person per night when using an existing bed.
    Adults stay for US$25 per person per night when using an available extra bed.
    Any type of extra bed or child's cot/crib is upon request and needs to be confirmed by management.
    Supplements are not calculated automatically in the total costs and will have to be paid for separately during your stay.

Location

Guest Reviews

8.2
Based on 796 reviews
Cleanliness: 6.2
Service: 10
Location: 10
Room Quality: 6.17
Amenities: 9.71
Value for Money: 7.16
Food and Beverage: 9.19
Overall Experience: 7.15
7
725krisg • Family • Colombo, Western Province
4
Disappointing
Pros:

Beautiful hotel great location standards are slipping

2026-04-17 • via Tripadvisor
P
Prabha • extended_group • lk
4
2026-04-15 • via Nuitee
D
Dias • couple • bd
5
This is Sri lanka's most remarkable hotel and travel end especially for stay. Need to more improvement quickly. Othe
Pros:

Location is preferb

Cons:

Staff support , intercom, food supplying all are not working and delaying

2026-04-15 • via Nuitee
J
Jérémie • couple • fr
10
Pros:

Barmen at the bar where great. Made us amazing cocktails !

2026-04-13 • via Nuitee
E
Evelyn • extended_group • us
5
This could be a fabulous place with some basic cleaning and painting!
Pros:

We had good food and the outdoor dining area was nice, although I think the tiles floor was never cleaned and there could have been more seating.

Cons:

This is a once lovely hotel that is sadly lacking in upkeep and cleanliness. Our first room had no A/C, the hallway floors had missing wood, everything was just dingy. We were moved to a nicer room, but the floors were still dirty. The walk to the spa and the restaurant by the ocean was messy and not cared for. The beach wasn't clean and seemed abandoned, and the walk to get there was unpleasant.

2026-04-13 • via Nuitee
L
Lily • solo_traveller • gb
9
2026-04-12 • via Nuitee
J
jamescI9206RF • Couples • Henlow, Bedfordshire, England
10
Unforgettable stay once again at the beautiful Mount Lavinia Hotel
Pros:

We recently returned to Mount Lavinia Hotel, mainly for their beach buffet, something we’ve always enjoyed and this visit was for a private event that turned out to be really well organised.

From arrival, everything felt welcoming and easy. Mr. Lal helped arrange a great room for us, which made a strong first impression.

The private beach setup was the highlight. Being right by the ocean in the evening created a great atmosphere, and the added touches like the dancers, music, and fireworks made it feel special without being over the top.

The food was excellent. Chef Ranga and the team put together a wide selection, all well prepared and presented. It was clear a lot of effort had gone into it. The Chef really does create the best tasting food....

Service throughout the stay was consistent and attentive. Mendis stood out for being especially helpful and friendly, and Heerndra and the team kept everything running smoothly during the event.

Overall, Mount Lavinia Hotel continues to deliver a great experience, combining its unique setting with solid service and good food. The beach event was a memorable part of our trip, and we’d definitely consider returning again.

2026-04-09 • via Tripadvisor
D
Devendran • family_with_children • gb
10
Excellent hotel in a beautiful location
Pros:

Friendly staff
Beautiful location
Excellent food

2026-04-09 • via Nuitee
L
Lu • family_with_children • au
1
Pros:

The view is the only nice thing about this hotel

Cons:

Terrible hotel. Really run down and poorly maintained. We were given a room that was dirty, with a moldy bathroom, broken TV, barely audible phone, and worst part, the AC system for the entire hotel was broken making the stay unbearable. The hotel manager was helpful and moved us to a different room and provided a fan that made the night bearable. According to him, this is not the first time the AC broke down and it was still not fixed when we checked out the next morning. A shame that a heritage hotel has been so poorly managed that it has deteriorated into a slum. Avoid at all cost.

2026-04-08 • via Nuitee
M
Mustafa • family_with_children • pk
1
Pros:

Nothing

Cons:

The hotel was smelly, this place needs a full renovation, had a old fashion key for the access to the room, doors were old. Everything about this place was bad.

2026-04-06 • via Nuitee
S
Sangeetha • couple • de
1
2026-04-06 • via Nuitee
T
Tony Aubrey • extended_group • no
5
Pros:

Bra utsikt.

Cons:

Rommene er slitte. Vi måtte bytte rom pga lukt og uren bad. Fikk dårlig opphold for pengene.

2026-04-06 • via Nuitee
S
Sam3129 • Family
2
Very disappointing stay overall.
Pros:

Very disappointing stay overall.

Reception was not welcoming, and no welcome drinks were offered despite the hot weather. We also had to find our own way to the hotel without any guidance.

We booked rooms 251 and 253, and both had major issues. The AC was not working (not informed in advance), bed linens were torn and stained, and bathrooms had visible mold—unsafe, especially with children.

Breakfast options were very limited. At the sandwich corner, there were even small insects on the salad, which is unacceptable.

For the price charged, the hotel does not meet basic standards. Room rates should be reduced unless service, cleanliness, and maintenance improve.

2026-04-05 • via Tripadvisor
A
Amanda • family_with_children • au
3
Disappointing
Pros:

This hotel is quite nostalgic for me and I remember it as a lovely old, grand hotel. It's in a beautiful position right on the beach with lovely views and a gorgeous place to watch the sunset with a cocktail by the pool.

Cons:

The hotel is in terrible need of a refurbishment. The staff were very poorly trained and inattentive, Even though there were plenty of them, they seem to be aimlessly wondering around without seeing to guests.
Our room was atrocious. The balcony door was seemingly fit incorrectly and there was about a 4inch gap between the door frame and wall, so that the mosquitos get in throughout the night and the air-conditioning isn't effective.
One of our bed linen was not changed upon arrival. The tea/coffee facilities were lacking milk. There was no soap, shampoo or body wash in the bathroom.
The air-conditioning was not working throughout the hotel main areas while we were there and there was bird droppings on the dining chair covers.

I was very sad about the state of this hotel as I grew up visiting it quite often, even though I have lived overseas for over 35years. I had my wedding photographs taken here 21 years ago, so was devastated to find it in such a state.
I hope something can be done to fix it up as it is a shame to let such a significant part of our history go to ruin.

2026-04-03 • via Nuitee
V
victoria • family_with_children • gb
4
Pros:

Pool area was nice and the hotel has an amazing history

Cons:

No rooms ready for us on a late arrival which was disappointing! Rooms were damp and very warm.

2026-04-03 • via Nuitee
T
trevorn945 • Couples
4
Was good but not now..
Pros:

We have stayed here a few times but never again. The old staff that have been there for years are great but the level of cleanliness and helpfulness has gone. The hotel is dirty and unclean, possibly even a health hazard. We had maggots in our room falling out of the curtains. Mould in the bathroom areas. Air conditioning that didn't work and was do full of dust, hair and heaven knows what else. Reception were not bothered as you heard whilst in the hotel was complai to from other guests about these issues. The pool area had enough sunbeds, probably 50 but only 9 umbrellas. Not enough for the 200 plus guests staying there. We booked for 14 nights but booked into other hotels for 4 nights in total so we could feel clean and refreshed. Such a shame as this was a great hotel and if the management cared then could be great again. But for the moment avoid.

2026-04-02 • via Tripadvisor
B
Bente M • couple • no
5
Får ikke igjen for det vi betaler
Pros:

God mat og beliggenhet

Cons:

Store deler av hotellet trenger renovering,uerfaren betjening.

2026-04-02 • via Nuitee
C
chenathf • Family
2
Disappointing Stay – Poor Room Conditions and No Proper Hospitality
Pros:

I came to Sri Lanka after 8 years and was really looking forward to staying at Mount Lavinia Hotel, expecting the same great experience as before. Unfortunately, it turned out to be very disappointing.

The air conditioning wasn’t working in the rooms, and we were taken through multiple rooms to check—but none of them had working AC. While walking through the rooms, I also noticed broken doors and unclean areas, which was quite shocking.

We spent over 1–2 hours trying to find a decent room, but couldn’t find anything suitable. Traveling with a 2-year-old made it even worse. In the end, we had to leave and look for another hotel late at night, with a crying baby in the heat—definitely not a great experience.

Mount Lavinia used to be a fantastic place with amazing food and service, so it’s really sad to see the standards drop like this. After everything, all we got was a simple “sorry for the inconvenience” from the manager, with no real effort to resolve the situation or show proper hospitality.

2026-03-31 • via Tripadvisor
M
Michael • couple • de
10
Pros:

alles

2026-03-31 • via Nuitee
N
Nilfa • family_with_children • lk
6
2026-03-31 • via Nuitee