Mount Lavinia Hotel

Horrible service no air condition working food was ok except the dessert. In rooms not maintained, Lift not functioning properly.
I got married in 1996 December and it was a great place back then

Hotel review for Mount Lavinia Hotel

I was extremely disappointed with my stay at this hotel. While the property may once have had charm, it is now in a seriously poor state of repair and does not reflect the images advertised online.

The room had daily cockroach issues, mould throughout the bathroom, and persistent damp conditions. Even after housekeeping serviced the room, the sheets still felt damp. The air-conditioning was ineffective for the entire stay — despite being set to 18°C and running continuously on high for three days, the room temperature never dropped below 26.5°C. The unit was also extremely loud (over 60db), with visible mould inside the vent grilles.

The building itself appears heavily derelict in many areas. The day spa looked more like an abandoned outhouse than a luxury facility, and the gym was below standard and not air-conditioned.

Positives were limited to the friendly staff, decent food, a comfortable large bed, and a pool area with nice views. However, even basic hospitality was lacking, as staff did not ask once about how our stay was during checkout.

The “ocean view” was also very limited and not as advertised.

Having travelled extensively across more than 40 countries, this is honestly one of the worst hotels I have stayed in. I would strongly caution anyone considering booking here. The online photos are not an accurate representation of the hotel’s current condition.

After touring Sri Lanka for 27 days and staying in some amazing lodges and small hotels we were looking forward to 6 nights at the highly historic Mount Lavinia Hotel to just relax on the beach and recuperate. We arrived late in the evening and shown to the ocean front suite. Being tired all that was noticed was the poor condition of the toilet seat and the badly hung bathroom door that scraped the tiled floor when open and shut. In the morning the dirty linen was noticed. The pillow cases had dirty scuff marks and the duvet cover had dried blood stains. It was then found that the safe door, although left open, had been locked by the previous guests so couldn't be used. All these issues were reported to front desk before heading to the beach. The beach is beautiful however the towels have seen better days and where the stripes should've been blue and white they were blue and grey. Upon returning to the room at midday the keys would not work. Eventually someone came with a manual key to open the door, saying there was an issue with the electronics and they would try to fix it. This didn't happen, nor was the room cleaned or linen changed because of this problem and neither was the safe unlocked so we insisted on changing rooms. We were given the same suite one floor above but advised that the air conditioning was working quite as it should. It was a little warmer than preferred but it was passable. However there was no drinking water provided in the room and was only received after asking 5 times and also being told the hotel had run out of bottled water!! After showering and too late to do anything about it, it was found that the 2 towels provided were dirty and stained but as these were essential there was no choice but to use them. It took 4 requests to receive clean towels. The following morning we realised there was a big hole in the bedsheet. After making a request with the front desk this was changed. The next day there was no hot water. Again front desk notified. At midday this still hadn't been fixed so complained again to front desk only to be told they had just fixed it. This was a lie as it was checked before going straight to front desk. It was fixed by the evening. Water was dripping from one of the bathroom lights and the bathroom ceiling looked like it was about to fall down. These were not reported as by then we just couldn't be bothered. The toiletries were not restocked, we had to find a cleaner to ask for more and the Internet strength was weak and kept dropping which meant using unnecessary personal data allowance.
We managed to have an audience with the hotel CEO where all these above concerns were voiced. He didn't seem at all surprised by any of this but promised to do something for us. We never heard from him again. The staff lack any urgency in getting anything resolved and don't appear to be concerned about guests experience. The whole place needs closing down and refurbished before allowing future guests. So if you are thinking of booking this think very carefully. We would not recommend anyone stay here.

If you want the perfect hotel experience: don’t come. Full stop.
If you are up for some history, stunning views and don’t mind the occasional wtf? then this could be for you. It was for me and I would recommend the hotel to a friend on that basis.

Beautiful hotel great location standards are slipping

Location is preferb

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

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.

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.

Friendly staff
Beautiful location
Excellent food

The view is the only nice thing about this hotel

Bra utsikt.

Nothing

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.

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.

Pool area was nice and the hotel has an amazing history

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.