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 734 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
N
Nina • family_with_children • ch
8
2026-02-10 • via Nuitee
G
Gerda • family_with_children • be
10
2026-02-08 • via Nuitee
C
Chris • solo_traveller • gb
8
Overall I loved this place
Pros:

The Public Areas / Pool / Bar / Restaurant are exceptional.
It still has all the charm of its history, its location on the beach and for the sunset are second to none.
The sea view from room ( new block ) is outstanding.

Cons:

The rooms are tired but still very acceptable. My carpet was like a 1970's English Pub carpet.
The junior staff could do with some extra training on hospitality
There was a problem with my payment on check out so keep your receipts.

2026-01-30 • via Nuitee
S
Sachithra • family_with_children • us
7
2026-01-30 • via Nuitee
K
Karina • family_with_children • dk
8
Vælg hotellet for beliggenheden, poolen og personalet. Absolut ikke for værelset!
Pros:

Beliggenheden er fuldstændig vanvittig smuk og genial - den er hele grunden til at man lever med de ærlig talt uhumske værelser. Samtidig er poolområdet virkelig skønt og personalet gør alt hvad de kan for at servicere.

Cons:

Værelserne er decideret uhumske, beskidte, slidte, fyldt med mug og skimmelsvamp. Det er både selve værelset og badeværelset. Der er fugtigt og lugter fugtigt - under hele taget har man ikke meget lyst til at opholde sig på værelset eller gå i bad på badeværelset.

2026-01-30 • via Nuitee
M
Madushanka • couple • au
1
Not coming back this is my first and last stay
Pros:

Nothing

Cons:

Everything

2026-01-29 • via Nuitee
Y
Yohan • couple • lk
1
A Colonial Nightmare: Avoid This Dilapidated Trap at All Costs
Cons:

My recent two-night stay at the Mount Lavinia Hotel was, without exaggeration, one of the most harrowing hospitality experiences of my life. From the moment I stepped into the lobby, it was clear that this "grand" hotel is nothing more than a crumbling relic of the past, managed by people who clearly do not want to be there.

The "Disappearing" Reservation
The nightmare began at check-in. Despite having a confirmed reservation through Booking.com, the staff had the audacity to tell me they weren't sure they could even provide a room. It was only because I had the foresight to call them days prior and kept my own records that I wasn't left stranded. Their lack of internal organization is staggering.

Death-Trap Infrastructure
Navigating this hotel is a safety hazard.

The Lifts: The elevators are ancient, glacially slow, and felt genuinely unsafe. After one "horrifying journey" in them, I spent the rest of my trip taking the stairs.

The Room: Calling the room "dated" would be a compliment. The carpets were thick with dust and grime, and the room felt like it hadn't been deep-cleaned since the 19th century.

Zero Connectivity: The plug sockets are so outdated that they wouldn't fit any modern device. To make matters worse, the room phone was dead. I had to hike back down to the lobby (via those terrifying lifts) just to ask for a converter, only to be told they didn't have any.

The "Awful" Washroom & Hygiene
The bathroom was a total disaster—old, dingy, and honestly, felt unsanitary. It’s one thing for a hotel to be "vintage"; it’s another for it to be decaying. The atmosphere in the washroom was genuinely awful and made it impossible to feel clean.

Hostile & Discriminatory Staff
The absolute lowest point of the stay was the staff. I encountered members who were not just rude, but blatantly racist. They have no concept of professional communication or basic hospitality.

2026-01-29 • via Nuitee
H
Haleem1980 • family_with_children • mv
2
2026-01-28 • via Nuitee
N
Nisansala (Nisi) • family_with_children • au
1
Unhygienic, wasted money, uncomfortable, inconvenient, frustrated
Pros:

The beach view

Cons:

The hotel has deteriorated a lot compared to to our last visit in 2010. Property has not maintained at all. Unhygienic ( floors chipped, carperts were full of disgusting stains, towels has to constantly send back due to stains and not washed properly, rooms were mouldy smelly, over all the hotel is smelly, stair cases are hauntingly smelly and each floor level when you reach by stairs you could spot dirty dishes and linen piles up at shelves or tables next to the doors. This made the stair cases smelly. Corridor floors mopped and left with full of water. Bathrooms windoor curtains, shower curtains are full of mould.
Staff were unattended. Reception makes false commitments by answering phone by saying yes to the requests made by the room requests. When reach to the reception to make complaints could hear and witness many more guests complaints or frustrations in the surrounding environment.
Food were awful , repetitively the same menus. Got caught either stomach bug during our stay.
Poor air conditioning, malfunctioning. It was sweaty in the rooms as well as at the lobby and corridors.
Seems like staffs does not care any of clients complaints. No efficient communication between staff change. Morning staff has no idea what the night staff did and no effective communication .
Such a beautiful historic property has ruined by lack of efficient staff and negligence of maintenance.
Deeply sad about it. Will never ever revisit and neither recommend for anyone.

2026-01-28 • via Nuitee
D
Deepak • family_with_children • in
10
Pros:

Location is awesome 👍
Just on the Beach 🌊🏖️ 🌴
Private beach, pool, big room everything is perfect. But it is a heritage hotel built in 1806 by the British. So don't expect the fancy decoration it's pure antique..

Cons:

Poor service of staffs
If you request anything like iron, water bottle etc it will never come , receptionist listen you and then no one responded

2026-01-28 • via Nuitee
N
Neil • couple • gb
1
2026-01-26 • via Nuitee
O
ONE • family_with_children • de
10
Pros:

Das Hotel hat den typischen englischen Kolonialstil.
Das Personal außergewöhnlich freundlichen, hilfbereit nicht so steif.
Balkon mit Meerblick - wunderbar man hatte das Gefühl das Meer ist zugegehend.
Pool und gleich in der Nähe der Strand Mount Lavinia Beach. Der idyllische Strand lädt zum Verweilen ein. Die Lage ist bestens man hat sehr viele Möglichkeiten seine Reise fortzusetzen.

Cons:

Da es in die Jahre kommt - gibt es hier und da Kleinigkeiten zum reparieren aber dies ist auch der bezaubernden Charme das das Hotel verströmt.
Währe alles makellos und steril würde das Charakter nicht zum Vorschein kommen.

2026-01-24 • via Nuitee
B
Buddhika • family_with_children • gb
1
Pros:

The only thing the hotel has working in it's favour is the location and the lovely views.

Cons:

Pretty much everything, the check in process was excruciating, the staff were unfriendly and they were quite prejudiced. They were more attentive to the needs of white customers and quite rude to us even though we paid the same kind of money. The rooms were absolutely filthy, reeked of urine and looked as if they hadn't been cleaned in years. This was by far the worst hotel experience I've had in my life and I couldn't wait to leave!

Do not book this place.. save yourself the disappointment

2026-01-24 • via Nuitee
H
Hilary • solo_traveller • gb
2
Great position but sadly in need of refurbishment. A deep clean essential.
Pros:

Position and view is magnificent

Cons:

Fraying electric wires to lamps. Only one bedside lamp. Filthy carpet and bathroom tiles. Cockroach in bathroom.

2026-01-22 • via Nuitee
J
Jonathan • couple • de
8
2026-01-20 • via Nuitee
J
Jeanette • solo_traveller • ch
7
Pros:

The staff are lovely, the food is good and the view is great. The hotel is a beautiful old building in a lovely location but clearly needs a bit of TLC. There's nothing really wrong with it and the overall experience is fine for the price. With a bit of basic modernisation it would be spectacular.

2026-01-20 • via Nuitee
S
Sachin • extended_group • lk
8
2026-01-19 • via Nuitee
R
Romesh • solo_traveller • lk
10
Pros:

Excellent service

2026-01-19 • via Nuitee
T
Tony • solo_traveller • gb
3
2026-01-19 • via Nuitee
D
Dirk August Gabriel • couple • be
9
een klassieker waar het altijd tof verblijven is
Pros:

de ligging
vriendelijkheid van het personeel
het uitstekende en gevarieerde eten

Cons:

badkamers zijn een beetje uitgeleefd
tapijt in de kamers beetje vuil
moeilijk bedienbare televisie

2026-01-19 • via Nuitee