Mount Lavinia Hotel

It is filthy. Everything is broken. Water drips from ceiling. One pillow on our bed did not hav a pillow slip and was mouldy and stained. I could go on and on. I would like to add pictures but not sure how. On arrival the hotel reception is exciting and as you would imagine. Behind the scenes is a different story entirely.

Not what I was expecting … two hours to check us in as they couldn’t find our booking! They asked for my confirmation and passports 6 or seven times at least. I finally got my uk travel agent to speak to them to sort it. Finally we got a room which was on a damp corridor with water dripping from the ceiling. On opening the room it was full of flies and the bedsheets had something that looked like blood on them. It took me a lot less time to check out !

I booked this hotel via their website in May. When we went to check in this evening, they couldn't find the booking despite my showing the confirmation email and wanted me to pay yet again for a room. Check-in was very poor; we weren't offered help with luggage; and to cap it all, there is apparently no hot water. And the receptionist said that MANAGEMENT ARE AWARE OF THIS BUT DO NOTHING! I shall be reporting them to the SLTB for this reason, as a 4* hotel has to offer hot water at least. We used to patronise Mount Lavinia when I lived and worked here 15 years ago; now, I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole.

We stayed at the Mount Lavinia Hotel for two nights, on 7 and 8 August, as we were hosting a buffet lunch to celebrate my sister’s 70th birthday. Unfortunately, our stay got off to a very disappointing start. When we arrived, the hotel could not find our reservation. After waiting for more than an hour, I had to contact our travel agent in Australia to help resolve the issue. Eventually, the reservation was located, and we were given Room 108. The room itself was spacious, and the bed was comfortable. However, there were some maintenance issues that needed attention. Several floor tiles were loose and cracked, creating a potential tripping hazard. Another major issue was the lack of hot water throughout the hotel during our stay, which is something the hotel management needs to address urgently. The hotel itself also appears quite run-down, with water leaking from the corridor roof, and would benefit from some renovation and general refurbishment. Given its history and beautiful location, the property has so much potential, and it would be wonderful to see it restored to its former glory. That said, Governor’s Restaurant was a different story. Everything ran smoothly, and we would like to give a special mention to Kumari, who did a fantastic job making sure all our party guests were well looked after. Her care and attention helped make the birthday celebration a success. The hotel also arranged a birthday cake for my sister, and it was absolutely delicious! Overall, while there were some significant issues with the hotel facilities and our check-in experience, the excellent service from Kumari and the team at Governor’s Restaurant made a positive difference to our special celebration. With some much-needed investment, particularly in the hot-water system and renovations, Mount Lavinia Hotel could once again be a truly outstanding place to stay and celebrate special occasions.

The hotel was in shambles. Once we arrived it took a decent amount of time for them to prepare our rooms. On top of that our rooms were unhygienic, unsanitary and unsafe to stay in with visible mould. I’m shocked to see how this hotel has taken a turn for the worst.

Hot water not working. Such a bad smell in the room.. so compact u can literally see plates and glasses kept on the stairs or on the foor and is filled with cockroaches, ac is not working, there is no door mat , tv was not working properly the phone in the room was not working properly and because of the bad smell couldnt even sleep. This place looks so old and full of dust.. never come here because u will regret..very dirty full of cockroaches and service is the worst when we went there they didnt know that we have booked and literally we had to wait for morethan 1 hour and when the room got ready there was no water or extra bed as we requested for extra beds too.. WORST HOTEL

Our stay at Mount Lavinia Hotel was one of the worst hotel experiences we have ever had. As tourists visiting Sri Lanka, we were travelling with young children and an elderly family member, so cleanliness, safety, and basic hospitality were especially important to us. Unfortunately, the hotel failed on every level. The hygiene standards were extremely poor. We encountered insects and cockroaches associated with the food service, which was both shocking and deeply concerning. This raised serious concerns about food safety and the health of our family, particularly our children and our elderly relative. The staff showed very little professionalism or hospitality. Rather than treating our concerns with urgency and empathy, we felt dismissed throughout our stay. There was also no hot water available, and we were told this had been an ongoing issue since COVID. This is unacceptable for a hotel that promotes itself as a premium destination, especially when accommodating families with children and elderly guests. What disappointed us most was the management's refusal to take responsibility for these issues. Instead of acknowledging the problems and working towards a resolution, our complaints were not taken seriously. As international tourists, this experience was extremely distressing and has left us with a very negative impression. Based on what we experienced, I believe the relevant government health authorities should inspect this property to verify that it complies with food safety, hygiene, and public health standards. Until significant improvements are made, I cannot recommend Mount Lavinia Hotel to anyone, especially families travelling with children or elderly relatives.

Good from far, far from good. The worst hotel I’ve ever stayed in. I booked for a group of 10 and every single room has been filthy, stained sheets, no hot water, horrible service, rude front of house receptionists, broken tiles, water leaks, F&B staff lacks courtesy. We changed 3 rooms in 2 days. The much hyped breakfast is terrible, with flies and cockroaches everywhere. We paid for the rooms in advance and now we have 2 days to go on our holiday, and we are left to go through this misery. I travel a lot around the world and this is hands down the worst of them all. A horrible experience which is sad considering Sri Lanka is a a beautiful place with heartwarming people. Enjoy the architecture from the outside and take a U turn to find another hotel in Colombo.

We booked an Ocean View Twin room through Agoda well in advance. Our booking was confirmed on 19 June, and we arrived at the hotel on 17 July at around 1:45 PM, knowing that check-in starts at 2:00 PM. At first, we were welcomed at the gate with a smile, which gave us a good first impression. However, we were not offered a welcome drink or even a glass of water. When we reached the reception, the staff seemed unaware of our booking. We were told to wait in the lobby, so we went for lunch while they sorted it out. The lunch was excellent, and the restaurant and bar staff were outstanding—professional, friendly, welcoming, and always smiling. They were the highlight of our visit. After lunch, we returned to the lobby and asked about our room. We were told it was “being prepared.” We waited another 1 and half hours before asking again. The reception staff had no clear answer and kept talking among themselves in Sinhala while we stood there waiting. We felt ignored, and no one kept us updated or apologized for the delay. After standing for a while, we sat back down and ended up waiting for over two hours without any meaningful assistance. We then contacted Agoda for help. Agoda attempted to reach the hotel for 1 hour and 27 minutes, but no one answered. Mount Lavinia Hotel is a beautiful historic property with stunning architecture, but unfortunately, the poor service at reception completely overshadowed the experience. A beautiful building cannot make up for a lack of communication, organization, and basic customer care. We left to another hotel after that since we dont wanna fight Sadly, based on our experience, I cannot recommend this hotel. If you value good customer service and a smooth check-in experience, you may want to consider staying elsewhere.

Location had a nice view and not too far from shops and places to eat. The pool was nice. Most of the staff were nice too. The place is just run down and needs some updates, our room had cockroaches, a wet towel as a front door mat collecting a drip from the ceiling, the bed sheets didn’t fit the bed, they weren’t prepared with our requests for an additional kids bed which was asked for months before arrival. The door to the fridge was broken, the toilet seat was broken, and it wasn’t the cleanest. The breakfast was lovely though.

Having visited many times over 25 years this morning en route to the hotel (2 hrs away) we received a call cancelling our booking because there was no hot water or air con. I find it hard to believe that a 4 star hotel does not have a maintenance team to resolve this issue and can only presume we were cancelled for the benefit of other guests. During a later conversation with reception we found out the hotel was fully booked and had a wedding function on. They suggested we try to book a nearby hotel and gave us the name of it to enquire ourselves. Absolutely the worst customer care experience I have ever come across in my 25 years of visiting Sri Lanka.

The hotel had no water fresh drinking water, bottles, even after 24 hours the staff left our room door open, air con not working, tv not working, felt unsafe, we checked out and did not get a refund for the days we were told we would , two other rooms checked out also. it became apparent the owner has not paid his staff for four months

I had my worst experience at Hotel Lavinia during my trip to Srilanka. AC’s in the Room were not operational in both the Rooms. Complaint were never attended on time. We were charged for a Night which we did not stay. On escalating it to Mr Lal (GM of the Hotel) he promised to refund the charges for 1 Room, but still after 4 Months I am yet to get my Refund. Cashier Kalpani had me fill the refund form but it is not yet processed I would never recommend anybody to stay in this Hotel

It truly breaks my heart to write this, but the hotel is an absolute disaster! The buildings are in a state of disrepair, and the service was just shocking from the start. We waited hours past check-in for rooms that reeked, had muddy footprints, and curtains with blood-like stains. A window wouldn't even lock! They just said it was the best they could do. Such a letdown. This used to be one of the best hotels in Colombo, and it's such a shame to see what it's become. You might get special offers etc that might seem tempting, but I urge you to look at other options.. there are much nicer places to stay in Colombo. I sincerely hope they get their act together.

I stayed at Mount Lavinia Hotel from July 17–20, 2026. The room was spacious, well-equipped, and the breakfast was excellent. However, the check-in was delayed until about 3:30 PM despite the 2:00 PM check-in time. Overall, it was a comfortable stay with great dining, but a faster check-in process would make the experience much better.

The worst hotel I have ever stayed in! That’s not a stay; I checked out within 2 hours of checking in due to the unbearable smell of mould in the rooms and corridors! This is one of the worst hotels — so-called hotels! Butlers escorted guests through those musty, mouldy corridors without hesitation. Even the picture frames were covered in fungi! Towels and bed sheets were stained. No proper lighting; some lights were broken. The room was extremely stinky. No water was provided despite three calls to the front desk! The hot water was broken. We couldn’t tolerate the smell and felt nauseous. I asked for a room change or an upgrade with extra payment, but they didn’t bother to care. So we checked out immediately, even without asking for a refund. Never, ever try this hotel!

Desk staff unhelpful. Arrived 2pm, check in time but still not received keys an hour later. Shocking service.

DO NOT GO. This is the worst hotel we have ever been to. We were booked for 3 nights and left after the first. No towels, no hot water, air conditioning and t.v not working and pretty dirty. We requested help 5 times and no one came. Unfortunately what was once a grand hotel is now terrible.

What you see, is noting compared to what you get!” We booked Mount Lavinia because of its rich heriftage. The hotel promotes itself beautifully on social media but it is no where even close to a 5star resort. I would rate it as a 3star overall. We checked in late at about 9pm and were made to wait as the receptionist informed us that the hotel had run short of room keys. The first room we got was a garden facing where I had paid for a sea facing. The rooms are in the most horrendous conditions, there was fresh urine stains on the pot. The tiles in the room were broken and covered with a dirty carpet. The front desk changed our room to another room which was equally dirty. Finally after an hour of waiting and been shuffled around, we asked for a manager who immediately upgraded us to a suite. The suite was comfortable but I was unable to trust the hotel where it came to cleanliness. The only plus point to the hotel was the breakfast. It had a marvelous spread of a variety of cuisines. Overall Mount Lavinia is beautiful but very poorly maintained. The staff seem to be struggling to work with what they have. As we were not the only guest complaining that the hotel seems to hoodwinking people on being a 5star where it just about qualifies as a 3. I wouldnt recommend this hotel purely based on the cleanliness factor.

I went to Hotel Mount Lavinia with my family. We are members of Club Mahindra for the last 12years and have stayed in various properties of Club Mahindra as well as associate resort. This Hotel just boasts of history but cannot honor the basic comfort to its partnered hotel. This was the first time we had such a pitiful experience. The rooms given to the CM members were the worst ones , poorly maintained and in pitiful state. inspite of paying a high amount on associate fees. There was mildew in the rooms and the walls were full of humidity . The mirrors and floor tiles was all spoilt. Even the lawns outside the CM rooms were not maintained whereas the rest of the property was better.Also the restaurant of the hotel charged double to the CM members for all meals. While their own direct guests enjoyed meals at a much cheaper price and enjoyed good rooms on a good floor. CM members are given side rooms with poor maintaince and bad service. I put up alot of complaints whislt in the hotel itself but neither the hotel nor CM helped or did anything to ease my discomfort at the hotel property. PLEASE DO NOT WASTE YOUR HOLIDAY INVENTORY NOR PAY THE FEE FOR THIS VERY BOGUS HOTEL.

Absolutely horrible place, not even a 1 star hotel, booking.com are misadvertising this as a 5 star. We booked through booking.com as the photos make it look great. The place is dirty, dated and falling to bits. We were not given the rooms described in our booking from booking.com. We had to leave and not stay, we would not refund and i need to contact booking.com. Booking.com are not refunding even through thet misrepresnted the description saying it was a third party booking which makes no sense. DONT STAY HERE.

Unacceptable 6-Hour Total Water Outage – Zero Communication or Basic SanitationI attended an event at this hotel yesterday, and the experience was a health and safety nightmare. From 6:00 PM to 12:00 AM, the entire hotel suffered a total water outage. There was absolutely no running water anywhere—including the event space and the guest room washrooms.Worse than the breakdown itself was the management’s complete failure to communicate. Guests were never informed of the situation, no updates were provided, and no emergency bottled water was distributed for basic hygiene or handwashing. For a hotel claiming a 4-star classification, operating a commercial function and booking rooms with zero operational plumbing for 6 hours is completely unacceptable and a massive public health violation.The compliance and management teams have shown zero accountability for this disaster. I highly advise against booking this venue for any major function or overnight stay until they fix their failing backup infrastructure and learn the basics of guest communication.

Absolutely disgusting place. Dirty rooms, filthy linen, and extremely unprofessional and rude staff. There was no water in the room, and instead of fixing the issue, we were simply told to leave. No effort was made to resolve the problem or support guests in any way. We were left with no proper assistance and are still waiting for a refund, with complete lack of responsibility from the property. This hotel is poorly managed, careless, and has zero respect for guests. I strongly warn others not to book here unless you want a terrible experience.

Thank you so much for the wonderful hotel accommodations and for all the perfect arrangements throughout our wedding. Everything was beautifully organized, and every detail was thoughtfully planned. We truly appreciate all your hard work, kindness, and support in making our special day so memorable. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts! Special thanks for Mr. Shamal & Ms. Ishani of the Hotel Service team for their outstanding support, professionalism, and dedication. Their commitment to delivering excellent service, attention to detail, and warm hospitality greatly contributed to our positive experience. We are truly grateful for their assistance and extend our heartfelt thanks for their exceptional service.

The Mount Lavinia hotel presents a sad case of a truly unique and historic property not given the respect and upkeep it deserves. The hotel’s location on the sea can’t be beat, but it’s clear the ownership is not investing in the property, resulting in a poor guest experience. The most difficult part of this is that the kind and attentive staff are not given the resources to attend to the guests in a meaningful way. The stars I’ve given are for the staff, many of whom have given their careers to this hotel. I can only hope the ownership changes for the better to give this special piece of Sri Lanka the attention and dedication it deserves before it is beyond repair. Most importantly, I hope the dedicated service teams are honored for their tireless dedication.

Over the past 20+ years, I've written several reviews praising Mount Lavinia Hotel and the wonderful experiences I've had there, which makes it particularly disappointing to write this review. In the past, it was easy to overlook some of the property's shortcomings because of its charm, character & lovely staff. Unfortunately, that is no longer the case. During my recent stay, the room was unclean, the air conditioning was not functioning properly, the bedding and towels were stained, drains were blocked, and the food quality was poor, I could go on. To make matters worse, the buffet stations appeared dirty and unhygienic, creating what felt like a genuine health concern. I take no pleasure in writing this, as Mount Lavinia Hotel has always held a special place for me. However, I sincerely hope the management takes these issues seriously and invests in the improvements needed to restore the hotel to its former standards. I would genuinely love to return and be able to recommend it again in the future.

The property is absolutely stunning and full of charm — but sadly, the service and facilities let it down significantly. We booked 2 rooms and encountered multiple issues during our stay: — No water bottles in one of the rooms at check-in — Telephone and AC remote/display were not working — No tea bags, creamer, or iron in the room (ironing board was there but no iron!) — had to ask for basic amenities — Booked 2 rooms for 2 adults each, but breakfast was only arranged for 2 people total instead of per room — Lifts were not working throughout our stay We have stayed at several 4-star properties and this experience was honestly one of the most disappointing in terms of service and room readiness. The hotel has so much potential given how beautiful the property is — it's a shame the basics weren't in place. Hoping management takes note and raises the bar for future guests.

The only thing amazing about the place is the location. Unbeatable. The property is magnificent. Disrepair & lack of maintainence is destroying it. The bathroom was leaking. Literally water droplets falling and the water was invading the bedroom. Making both the bedroom & bathroom slippery & dangerous apart from the entire feeling of what is the source of water ...& dirty feeling. When we checked in we were not provided with towels or coffee sachets. Incidently we weren't provided with coffee till the end. Noone ever answered the phone not from the front desk not from house keeping. Multiple trips had to be made to the front desk. And on informing them we got the pat answer that they had informed the concerned department. The TV wasn't working. Our complaints fell to deaf ears. I had requested airport pickup & early checkin. Supposedly the message for airport pickup wasn't passed on even though we had received a confirmation. We had requested an early checkin because our flight was landing at 5.30am. We had agreed to pay the extra charge. On reaching there we were informed that they were fully booked so no early check in. We finally checked in at 1pm. The food was mediocre at best. All in all a pathetic experience, unresponsive staff... a property going to waste.

Beautiful location. Friendly staff.

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.

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.

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.

Beautiful hotel great location standards are slipping

Location is preferb

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

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.

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.

Friendly staff Beautiful location Excellent food

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.

The view is the only nice thing about this hotel

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.

Bra utsikt.

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

Nothing

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.

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.

Pool area was nice and the hotel has an amazing history

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

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.

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.

God mat og beliggenhet

Store deler av hotellet trenger renovering,uerfaren betjening.

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.

alles

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.

Personal jung und nicht ausgebildet Älteres Personal war wesentlich besser Taxi im Hotel bestellt wollten Sie nur Cash abrechnen ohne Rechnung! Bin in diesem Hotel vor 35 Jahre mehrmals gewesen und immer zufrieden aber jetzt der reinste Reinfall

Location food and private beach.

Hotel facilities

My recent stay at Mount Lavinia Hotel was deeply disappointing and fell well below the standards expected of a property with its reputation and heritage. The experience began poorly with a significant delay at check-in. Despite the stated check-in time of 2:00 PM, our room was only made available at approximately 5:00 PM. This resulted in an unacceptable three-hour wait in the lobby, with little communication or urgency demonstrated by the front office team. For a hotel of this standing, such inefficiency is simply not acceptable. Front office service, in general, was substandard. Most staff appeared disengaged and lacked basic courtesy. The only exception was Mr. Dulaj, who demonstrated professionalism and made a genuine effort to address our concerns. His conduct stood in stark contrast to the rest of the team. A more serious issue was the failure of the air conditioning system across the hotel. The room initially allocated to us was extremely uncomfortable, with temperatures reaching around 30°C during the day. This made the stay quite unpleasant, particularly in Colombo’s climate. It was only after two days of discomfort that we were moved to another room. While this room was larger and slightly better ventilated, the temperature remained around 26°C—still below acceptable comfort levels. On a more positive note, the food was a highlight. Both the breakfast and the American BBQ buffet were of excellent quality, offering a wide variety of well-prepared dishes. This aspect of the experience was truly enjoyable and reflects the potential the hotel has. While the food offerings were of high quality and deserve recognition, they were not sufficient to offset the broader operational failures. Mount Lavinia Hotel is undeniably a beautiful and iconic property. However, it is currently being let down by poor management, weak operational control, and inconsistent service standards across key departments including front office and housekeeping. Without urgent attention to these areas, the guest experience will continue to fall short of expectations.

Colonial style hotel with a top location. Stunning view of Colombo. A must visit for first time visitors to Sri Lanka 🇱🇰

Great view Friendly staff

Need renovation

Fantastic! Good variation.

The coffe.

If you want a luxurious room where everything works, don't go here. But if you want a hotel with a charming old colonial character reminiscent of another age, with wonderful views and sunsets over the Indian Ocean and a huge selection of tasty food at prices that won't break the bank, then this is the place to stay. The carpets are not the cleanest, and there are musty smells in places, but the charm of a bygone era shines through from the liveried doormen to the small dance band which sometimes accompanies dinner. If you arrive by train, the station of the same name is a two minute walk away. The pool was clean and a decent size, and the private beach was supplied with sunbeds and towels.

I checked into Mount Lavinia Hotel on February 19, 2026, for a two-night stay, but unfortunately left shortly after arrival due to very poor conditions. From the moment I arrived, the hotel appeared poorly maintained. My room was dark, damp, and unclean— completely unacceptable and far below expectations. There were several noticeable issues, including a torn mattress, bathroom drainage problems, dirty curtains, visible moisture damage on the walls, and ineffective air conditioning. The hallways were also concerning, with uncleared food trays, unpleasant odors, and inadequate lighting, which added to the overall feeling of neglect. I reported these concerns to reception, and the duty manager kindly offered an alternative room described as their “best room,” but it was in a similar condition and equally disappointing. This was especially surprising given that it was in the newly remodeled wing of the hotel. Given the circumstances, I chose to check out without staying the night. Fortunately, I had not yet been charged or asked to provide a credit card at check-in, which further reflected a lack of proper procedures. Overall, this was a very disappointing experience, particularly for a hotel with such a well-known reputation and location. Significant improvements in cleanliness and maintenance are clearly needed. I do not recommend Mount Lavinia Hotel-avoid it at all costs.

Lovely Colonial Hotel in a Scenic Location.

Since I booked from United Kingdom on Booking.com; I was shown a price in GBP. Especially since it was a prepaid rate I assumed that my Credit Card would be charged! When booking; there was Nothing to say about the price being calculated in USD!! Also that you pay the exchange rate of that day in Rupees LKR!! Especially since the exchange rate is so Volatile in Sri Lanka (changes by the Hour)!! So the GBP price I saw when I booked on Booking.com is Completely MEANINGLESS and MISLEADING!! Having paid for the room on Check-in, in “Rupees”; when I tried to pay my dinner bill on Check-out; the Receptionist charged me AGAIN for the Room (already paid) which I Didn’t Realise as I didn’t “study the bill”!! Later Refunded! The Staff Cannot be BOTHERED to Respond to a Request (made via Booking.com); but are Eager to send messages advertising how much all the Hotel’s Additional Facilities cost!! Utterly SELFISH Attitude!!

Staff were friendly and helpful especially the staff in the restaurant. I can’t same the same about the staff managing the pool bar. We ordered a couple of sparkling wines for our sunset and they didn’t arrive. Order was given to the manager. Manager was sitting around doing nothing and not managing staff!

Our room was needing maintenance. We were only given 2 bath towels and no bath mat or hand towel. We could not access one of the beach from our hotel as the gate was permanently locked. The beach itself was dirty. On one side the hotel was burning rubbish and it stunk while the other side has so much plastic and rubbish on the beach.

We stayed here in January 2026, hoping to escape miserable English weather, which we did. We have spent time in Sri Lanka before and visited most of the ‘must see’ locations. This time we were just looking for R&R. We booked with Charlotte of Mercury holidays who was very helpful, as was their local rep Dexter. Transfer was very efficient if terrifying through the Columbo traffic. Like everyone we were impressed by the entrance to the hotel, but again, seemingly like many other guests, very unimpressed by the check-in process. We were left a long time in reception with nothing happening until husband made indignant enquiries. Eventually we were shown our room; very conveniently located and a stunning view but hot, the aircon seemed to be doing nothing. We were offered another room, but the view was poor, and the aircon no better. We were told later that the aircon is controlled centrally so no amount of fiddling with the control in the room will make any difference. So we stuck with our original room and got used to the aircon, or lack of it. Room 111. Some of the light bulbs didn’t work, reporting this made no difference. One towel for the two of us. No response to request for morel, but pouncing on supplies from the housekeeping trolley worked. It is a big hotel; we asked if there was a plan of it. Reception looked at us as if we were mad. Though without a map, Husband eventually found the gym. We loved the pool and spent every morning there. Lots of tables but only 10 parasols. You need to be out there soon after 9 am to get one. Friendly Vanderlay is i.c. parasols and he does a great job. The pool terrace is adjacent to the dining room, so it is very easy to bring your lunch and eat by the pool with a drink from the pool bar. We loved the food, we were full board. Great provision for vegetarians of course. Bottles of acceptable wine were 10,000 rupees. Fine, but remember there will be an additional service charge of 1000 rupees plus about 800 tax. This is not made clear in advance. As noted by another review there seems to be plenty of restaurant staff but many of them wandering around aimlessly and not attending to guests. We found one exception, a young man called Rasik Santalfo (spelling?) who is a trainee on the hotel’s catering and hospitality course (yes, we were surprised that this course exists in this hotel) He was very watchful, attending to guests and with a very pleasant friendly manner. Please promote this young man! Finally if you need assistance, Dilhan is the person to ask. He is part of the front desk staff and actually sees it as his job to be helpful. Husband dropped his phone into water, of course it stopped working. Dilhan arranged a TukTuk to take husband to a local repair shop. Phone call from shop summoning Tuktuk to fetch husband to pick up phone all well within two hours . Phone fixed, new display, four tuktuk rides £30 uk money. In the UK it would have been ‘ok sir, come back next week, we will try to have a look at it’. So overall we enjoyed the holiday. Some infuriating aspects but compensations - helpful Dilhan especially made a great difference. Great food, beautiful views, general quirkiness and the charm of the ‘Six Five Special steaming down the line over the points, over the points etc.’ (showing age here). The trains run along the beach, hooting hopefully to warn people walking along the tracks, and we loved it!

We stay at this wonderful hotel each year. We love the historic building, private beach, the restaurant, the views etc. However, the very best feature of this hotel is the staff. We stayed for a month this year, February/March. Without exception, every member of staff that we met was exceptional. Lovely people, helpful, generous and caring. Nothing too much trouble. Admittedly, the hotel has become a bit dilapidated over the last few years, but there have been some renovations over the last couple of years. I’m sure things will continue to improve. I guess if you want a perfect environment that this might not be the place for you, but we feel that the positives far outweigh the negatives. We look forward to returning next year, hopefully the Seafood Cove restaurant will have re-opened. Thank you to all of the staff at Mount Lavinia for making our stay so wonderful x

We love the faded old colonial grandeur, staff are lovely. Overwhelmed by the buffet food, there is something for everyone.

Nothing

Great welcome, beautiful entrance, lobby & bar. Fab swimming pool. Wonderful buffets. Great location

Really nice staff at property and good location. Sadly the hotel needs SERIOUS renovation. The rooms are clean but everything is old and mostly broken. The elevators are terrifying (thank goodness I was only on 2nd floor). It is a good price but better places to stay in this price range. Sorry as the Staff really make this property a great place to visit. Maybe just for for the nightly Themed food. The SriLankan Night was exectional. Thank you guys.

I recently stayed at the Mount Lavinia Hotel. The property carries a timeless charm, and my experience was nothing short of delightful. The breakfast spread was lovely, with attentive service that made the morning feel special. My room was comfortable and well-kept, with beautiful beach views. A special mention must go to Mr. Lal, who went above and beyond to ensure everything was perfect. His warmth and dedication stood out and added a personal touch to the visit. I was also touched by the thoughtful congratulations cake arranged by the team, a gesture that made the stay even more memorable. Thank you to the entire Mount Lavinia Hotel team for making my stay so meaningful. I look forward to returning and to the party on the beach we are holding !! See you soon Mount Lavinia hotel.

A lovely, old Colonial building. Full of old world charm. Very friendly and efficient staff. Great views from the older rooms. Great pool with a highly efficient pool manager. Great choice of dishes at breakfast, lunch and dinner. Buffet or à la carte We were first put in an ocean view room. On reflection we thought the view might be better from the other wing. We asked at reception and were immediately shown and given a choice of several rooms, all escorted by the staff. Our choice made our bags were collected and transferred. Wonderful service. Loved the liveried door staff and uniformed Restaurant manager

Lage ist hübsch, direkt am Meer. Netter Pool, schöner Speiseraum.

Unsauber, viel Schimmelbildung und dementsprechender Geruch.

Paras asia hotellissa on sijainti.

Saapuessamme palvelu vastaanotossa oli kehnoa. Erityistoivettamme varauksella ei oltu huomioitu lainkaan. Hotelli on suuren remontin tarpeessa. Aamiainen oli vain kohtalainen.

屋上プールからの眺めは良かった。

部屋の設備（部屋の鍵、電話、電源コンセント、照明、浴室の扉など）が壊れていた。 フロントに電話がつながらないためか、フロント前に宿泊客が列をなしていた。 朝食が朝7時からと遅かった。 フロントの対応が極めて悪かった。

ロケーションは良い

設備が古い。特にエアコンは全くと言っていいほど効かない。ホテルフロントに対応を依頼したら部屋の変更は無理と言われ、扇風機で我慢しろと言われた。また部屋のオートロック部分が外れかけており、ガムテープで固定してあった。ー部屋は一見清潔感があるが、よくると虫の死骸が散乱していた。

Friendly staff, lovely hotel with history.

The hotel is in need of tlc clearly lacking technical maintenance for example the lifts had the same floor number display fault as last year. Room air con no more than a fan and room safe not working. All that said, we will return!

As always the hotel was amazing, the Mount Lavina hotel really appeals to those that like old style colonial charm , polished woodwork and fittings, you really can feel the history in this hotel , it’s more than just a hotel , the staff know how to pamper you .

Location and breakfast

Had to wait for an hour for the room key even after check-in. Room was not prepared and was dirty. The toiletries what the previous guest used were still in the bathroom. The bedding were smelly which was obvious that they were not changed. All were explained to the manager the next day and asked for a refund where we were asked to contact Booking.com for a refund.

Public Areas, Food, Pool and staff fantastic. Some old Colonial class but....

The Accommodation is a disgrace. The lift feels like it about to collapse. The hallway on floor 5 is dangerous and splintered. The Bathroom had dirty water seeping through the floor and we had no floor mats. There was no furniture on the Balcony The Fridge didn't work and the TV would not connect. The A/c runs too hot and cannot be adjusted. We had to ask for all of these things twice and eventually they came. It was apparently the electrics that was the problem not the Appliances. The Housekeeping came once in three days and I had to resort to taking Water and essentials from other empty rooms nearby. The Security would not let us return from the beach through the direct gate and we had to clamber over the railway line to get back to Hotel front. Please pay some attention to your accommodation as the place is steeped in History and could be amazing with some love and care.

Great location. Staff friendly and helpful

N/A

The beach is not that great. And it is not a private beach. All beaches in Sri Lanka are legally public property up to the high-water mark, ensuring free access for everyone. While hotels may own the land adjacent to the beach and manage amenities like sun loungers, they cannot restrict public access or claim ownership of the sandy beach area.

Iconic hotel with great food ... BUT...

POOL open until 19h ... poolchairs taken away at 1815 , towels needed to be given back at 1915 while seating for a drink and eats while wet and...service really slow Only 1 chair at the terrace really ???

The only good thing is the location.

Very Bad Experience Not Recommended. I had a very disappointing stay at this hotel. The room was extremely dirty and had a very unpleasant smell as soon as we entered. It felt very uncomfortable and unhygienic. The air conditioning was not working properly, which made the stay even worse. The entire room and facilities look very old and badly maintained. Everything needs urgent renovation. Overall, it was a very bad experience and I would not recommend this hotel to anyone

We was so welcomed. With a warm heart. The Smiles. The Food. The Terrace..all extra ordenary! The Rooms. The Sea and the wunderful evening and Weekend Events. The Place is blessed with Beauty and the People there so kind and lovely. The Food is not only Food..it us higher Kulinarik. After 8 Times we have not enought Planed for the next year or 2027.

View is good

Dirty carpets and steam cleaning required, pungent smell

Location

Not maintained at all sad to see the status

We truly enjoyed our stay at Mount Lavinia Hotel. The location is stunning, the colonial atmosphere is charming, and the ocean views are absolutely beautiful. The hotel has so much history and character, which makes the experience very special. There are just a few points we would like to mention in the spirit of constructive feedback. We also felt that the bar and restaurant staff could benefit from a bit more product knowledge, especially regarding the alcohol selection. Everyone was polite and kind, but greater confidence and understanding of what is being served would elevate the experience even further. This is naturally a matter of training and support from the hotel, rather than individual staff performance. At the pool area, the atmosphere was relaxed and pleasant, but service was quite passive. We needed to approach the staff ourselves to order drinks. A slightly more attentive and proactive approach would enhance what is already a lovely setting. Despite these points, we genuinely enjoyed our time here. The hotel has a unique soul and a timeless charm that is hard to find elsewhere. With clearer communication and a bit more focus on training and proactive service, this could easily become an exceptional experience. We hope to return one day and see it shine even brighter.

A group of us had lunch at Mount Lavinia Hotel yesterday afternoon and were seated by the poolside terrace. Unfortunately, we were quite shocked by how poorly maintained the hotel appeared. The poolside flooring was noticeably dirty, and our order took an unusually long time to arrive. The beef burger we ordered was very small — more like a slider than a full portion. When we asked the hostess what accompaniments came with the sandwiches and burger, she was unable to tell us. The club sandwich was served only with coleslaw and a fried egg, which was quite disappointing. To make matters worse, crows kept swooping in and creating a disturbance, going after food left unattended on nearby tables. Overall, the experience was very disappointing and rather sad, especially since this used to be such a classy and enjoyable place to visit.

We had a day pass and lunch as a cruise excursion. The Saturday buffet with jazz band was a good experience ( amazing authentic food, beautiful views). But the hotel is SCARY-chained up doors and beach gate ( you can’t access the beach), black mold, broken marble, broken furniture in stairwells. Very sad but I would have been very distressed if we had booked to stay overnight. I love “faded grandeur “ but this place is more “Bates motel”

Great hotel going back to Colonial era. Remember coming here as a little boy many years ago. Happy Memories! Great service and same high quality maintained. Lovely Valentines Night which we enjoyed very much