Regal Rivera Villa

Beautiful old colonial style property; very small boutique hotel just a few rooms but comfortable rooms and the property itself is quite large; great staff and incredibly friendly manager Goshi who knows a lot about the country.

Nothing negative to say

High quality furniture, new & pretty premises. WiFi was working great. As soon as the gate opens, the busy noises of the traffic get left behind. Friendly and attentive staff. The canal (due to draught) in our room smelled, so we got a new room quickly. Loved the evening swim in the pool.

Prices of snacks/beverages are a bit higher compared to other hotels. Since the house was used privately before, it doesn’t feel like a hotel which makes the general area feels a little bit empty/like a museum. But room was cozy.

The staff was very nice and willing to make my stay as comfortable as can be. The food was really good! The manager helped me out finding some nice spots for my trip.

The location wasn’t very mentionable. There was a cafe and a supermarket on walking distance if needed. But if you like tranquility, this is the place to be.

Really beautiful hotel with a very clean, well appointed room; stunning grounds; staff were so lovely and helpful; great meals while I was there; really helpful communication with the staff before I arrived. Handy location for staying overnight prior to flying out of Sri Lanka from Colombo airport (closer to stay in Negombo than in Colombo).

Regal Riviera is an amazing property. A true hidden gem. The property is an old Villa turned into an BnB. It is very charming and well maintained. The staff is very helpful, thoughtful of the guests needs and go above and beyond to make sure we are comfortable. This stay alone made us want to stay more time in Negombo.

Nothing to say negatively about our stay.

Spettacolare villa immersa nel verde, staff accogliente e gentilissimo, colazione ricca e davvero eccellente. Soggiorno fantastico

We really loved the staff. They were so helpful and the food was wonderful. Every dish was explained to us. The room was lovely and cool with both air conditioning and a fan.

The house itself is very clean, grand and well maintained. The bedroom was clean, with a lovely bathroom and the bed was really comfortable.

This is a large house which is not equipped to cater for 5 couples. It has one dining table so you have to dine at specific times. Yet meals were late and not complete. We booked full board as we had looked at the extensive menu and felt excited to try lots of different foods, but we were then offered a very scaled down menu that we had to choose from in advance from meal times. I asked if we could reduce this to half board but was told we couldnt and that he would offer us the more extensive menu. However this was impossible for them to cater for. The service was either intense or non existent, where either the house keeper or the manager would be standing next to you intently asking if things were ok, or you couldn’t find a staff member to ask for a drink. Meals were often late or incomplete. One couple left due to not getting their meal for so long, so we were asked if we could have what they had ordered for their meal, so not to waste food. The day that we left we said we weren’t happy. We translated this in to Sri Lankan so the manager could understand and he still said he didn’t understand and simply asked for the money, whilst telling us to go via booking.com. I eventually after some weeks received 50% off of our bill. But this all left a very bitter taste, that I don’t want others to go through. We had travelled all over Sri Lanka and we were excited to have some luxury before our flight home, but this was not as expected. The property and amount of staff present can cater for that they offer. Addtionally pool is much smaller than it appears, the local area has very little to offer and the house keeping wasn’t efficient. We were given some cheese cake on arrival and the plates were still in kit room the next day.

We enjoyed a night at Regal Rivera Villa before flying home and it was a truly luxurious way to finish our 16 day trip around Sri Lanka! This luxury villa is exceptional in all areas - our room was called Tierra and was beautiful, spacious and had doors out on to a terrace looking over the gardens and pool. On arrival we were welcomed with delicious fruit drinks and a slice of freshly prepared cheesecake. Our evening meal and breakfast were prepared specially for us by the excellent on site chef and brought to us on our terrace outside our room! Exceptional high level of service from the excellent and friendly manager and his staff throughout our stay. The swimming pool is really nice and has a relaxing seating area surrounding. The property and gardens are immaculately looked after and further adds to the feeling of luxury and relaxation! Complimentary ride in electric car to airport. Very pleased we booked The Regal Rivera Villa! Can thoroughly recommend and will definitely stay again on our next Sri Lanka trip!

The setting is beautiful

This property was a home and the occupants have moved out. This amazing house is remote and private. It has massive empty rooms and hall way. Tv with no seating. Chairs with no cushions. And an uninviting pool with zero shade. It was stifling hot here. Aircon only switched on when guests first sat but that was too late. Food was served outside. And we got eaten alive! We were seated next to other people’s bathrooms. Staff were a little over attentive. We got presented with pre order dinner menu. Whilst eating (very late) dinner, got given breakfast menu. Place is spectacular but lacks charm.

We chose the Villa because it was only about 30 mins from the airport. We were so pleased with our choice. It was spacious, clean and immaculate and the staff were amazing. I asked if it was possible to have a Sri Lankan curry for our last night in Sri Lanka. It was not on the menu. However, Goshi, the manager asked the kitchen to cook a curry for us. It was such a lovely surprise and absolutely delicious. A perfect ending to our holiday.

All was perfect.

It was ideal for a one night stop over before an early morning flight from Coloumbo , Locations is fantastic and very comfortable room

Nothing to not like

Die gesamte Ausstattung, das Zimmer und das sehr freundliche und zuvorkommende Personal.

Uns hat alles sehr gut gefallen.

Hele goed service, vers eten bereidt door de chef en vriendelijk personeel!

Very beautiful villa, close to the airport.

De hotelmanager en het andere personeel hebben ervoor gezorgd dat we een aangenaam verblijf hadden in een heel mooie villa.

Great place to spend time before returning home. Staff welcoming and very helpful. Meals cooked by an excellent chef. Enjoyed the relaxing environment very much . Airport transfer include which was great .

Couldn’t fault our stay

We hebben enorm genoten van ons verblijf bij Regal Rivera Villa in Negombo. De butler en manager Nishantha is een zeer behulpzame, vriendelijk man die er alles aan doet om je verblijf onvergetelijk te maken. Hij kwam ons afhalen van het vliegveld en gaf ons allerlei tips. Hij liet het keuken personeel de lekkerste maaltijden maken. De accommodatie zelf ziet er prachtig uit met een mooi zwembad. Overal is airconditioning. De kamers zien er keurig uit en zijn zeer comfortabel. Ook het ontbijt waarbij je kan kiezen wat je graag wilt eten is voortreffelijk. Dank aan Nishantha en zijn team. Groeten, Jacco en Sacha

Delicious dinner cooked by excellent chef & we were very well looked after.

slight soul-less huge villa

Nishanta fue muy atento en todo momento. El hotel es bonito y no esta muy lejos del aeropuerto, a unos 20 min dependiendo de la hora.

El precio es un poco elevado

A beautiful villa and very comfortable beds. Staff were very helpful

Was sometimes hard to find a member of staff.

This property is mind blowing. It seems to be a giant mansion with five bedrooms rented out. It is a hotel, with staff on site at all time, breakfast etc, but it kind of feels as if you stay on a mansion. Never seen anything like it.

Nothing. 100% fabulous!

It was absolutely impeccable- I have never stayed somewhere so special - the staff made you feel so welcome.

Nothing it was amazing

Nishanta, el manager, fue muy amable y nos ayudó con todo desde el principio. Llegamos muy tarde pero nos dio algo de cenar, y nos vino a buscar al aeropuerto. El hotel es precioso, muy tranquilo, y no muy lejos del aeropuerto.

Nada

It was like someone’s grand own property

The food, shocking and no atmosphere and very slow service.

Loved the architecture and serene gardens.

So clean and welcoming.

Beautiful decor, but sadly a room was not cleaned when we were out. We had no hot water and the shower drain was blocked. But the money we paid it was a bit disappointing.

The catering was excellent, but the housekeeping poor

Quiet location , good for a relaxing holiday

..

It was a beautiful villa with very comfortable rooms and fabulous staff and grounds. We wish our stay was longer than 1 night.

We stayed here on our last night in Sri Lanka and it was the perfect place to end the trip. Nishantha is an amazing host and both he and the chef took great care of us from the moment we arrived. The rooms were spacious, clean and comfortable, and the food was excellent. A great place to stay if you want to relax and be well looked after. We would happily stay again.

Wat een heerlijke plek om een paar dagen te verblijven. Hele mooie villa, beetje in Engelse/ koloniale sfeer, lekker zwembad, fantastische kamer met alles erop en eraan. Lekkere muziek op de achtergrond, super wifi, geweldig lief personeel van tuinman tot butler. Hoofd butler Nishantha doet er alles aan op de achtergrond om het zijn gasten naar de zin te maken. Fijne plek om je vakantie te beginnen of te eindigen👍👍

Alles was top

Amazing luxurious villa neat CMB Airport, very friendly and helpful host. Easy transfer to the airport (free) , 5:00am

We were blown away by this villa it was so beautifully designed and held many beautiful artifacts. There were books ,statues besutiful lights and even a vibtage motor bike a garden with rabbits and an amazing array of birds ftom sea eagles to the minor bird. The bedroom was very comfortable with good bathroom facilities a large tv and air conditioning. A perfect place strsight ftom the sirport to wind down in the heart of Negombo but away ftom all the busy roads The members of staff were very attentive nothing was too much trouble. My husband was struck down with gastroenteritus from the plane and a doctor was summouned and special foods prepared by a very clever chef A special thank you to Nishanthe Who went over and above looking after us. There are only 5 rooms here If you need a lovely place to relax this is it

There was absolutly nothing to dislike

Excellent food and great service, Nishantha and staff were very welcoming and helpful

The villa is a beautiful and quiet place to be. It's very clean, the pool is nice and the view on the garden is beautiful. The Chief Butler, Nishanta, does his absolute best to make your stay as comfortable as can it can be. We booked a room at the villa to have a peaceful time before our flight after we travelled through Sri Lanka.

Clean, quiet and beautiful building. Helpful and committed staff who were all trying their best. Nice to relax after the flight and to beat jetlag.

For the price we are a bit more critical than usual. Location is a bit outside but everyone can decide on that by themselves. It would be good if you could open the front gate by yourself instead of needing to call the staff all the time.

A stunning villa where we felt incredibly looked after by Nishantha and the staff at Regal Rivera. Delicious food and even an invite into their traditional Sri Lankan kitchen to see breakfast being prepared.

La villa est tout simplement magnifique et le service aux petits soins.

La nourriture qui n’est pas toujours à la hauteur incroyable de l’établissement et du service

Villa espectacular, amb molt encant, a prop de l’aeroport. El servei tot molt amable i atent, en Nishantha, s’ha preocupat de que ens trobéssim molt agust en tot moment.

De locatie is perfect. En de manager en het personeel zijn excellent. De manager, dhr Nishantha Fernando, deed er alles aan om ons optimaal te ontzorgen en te verwennen. Ook de kok en het overige personeel zijn uiterst professioneel en begrijpen wat hospitality omvat/ inhoudt. Een absolute aanrader om hier te verblijven.

Ik kan het niet bedenken. De gestelde vraag is wat ions betreft niet van toepassing. Alles was immers op orde. Dit is de overtreffende trap. Het voelde als "heaven on earth".

המקום מהמם. רחב ידיים ומרשים עם בריכה ומחשבה על הפרטים הקטנים. יש גם בריכת דגים לfish therapy. חדרים ענקיים ומרווחים וכוללים את כל מה שצריך והכל נקי ומצוחצח. הצוות מאוד ידידותי. הזמנו אוכל בצהרים והגישו לנו ליד הבריכה היה טרי וטעים מאוד והוגש באופן מעורר תיאבון.

מראש בהזמנה היה רשום "הכל כלול" (למעט שמפניה ויין שבתוספת תשלום). כשהזמנו בצהרים ראיתי שיש מחירים ליד התפריט של האוכל והשתיה. שאלתי במפורש את המארח הראשי ששמו "נישנתה" למה יש מחירים אם זה "הכל כלול". הוא אמר לי להתעלם מהמחירים כי אני לא משלם על כלום. שהמחירים מיועדים למי שעל בסיס לינה וארוחת בוקר. בלילה כשבאתי להסדיר את התשלום (כי היינו צריכים לעזוב מוקדם בבוקר) הוא פתאום חייב אותי על כל השתיה בטענה אבסורדית (המנוגדת להזמנה בבוקינג ומנוגדת גם למה שאמר לי בעל פה) ש"הכל כלול" מתייחס רק לאוכל ולא לשתייה. אמרתי לו שזה עושה טעם "חמוץ" לשהיה שלנו. הוא "הסכים" להוריד החיוב על השתייה הקלה וחייב רק על הבירות. לאחר מכן בעשר וחצי בלילה אמר ש"עשה בירור עם בוקינג" והוא יחזיר לי את החיוב על הבירות וכך עשה. את הטעם החמוץ שזה עשה כבר היה קשה לתקן למרות ההחזר הכספי. ארוחת הערב שכללה ארבע מנות היתה בניגוד גמור לאוכל המשובח שהוגש לנו בבריכה בצהרים. המנות הוגשו קרות. המנות ובמיוחד הבשר היו מתחת לכל ביקורת. בנוסף האורז שהוגש עם הprawns היה לא מבושל דיו. ארוחת הבוקר שהוכנה עבורנו באריזה לבקשתנו היתה דלה ומאכזבת ברמתה. במקום שבו המחיר הוא של הכל כלול ניתן היה לצפות למשהו יותר מושקע כפי שהוכן לנו במלון בטיסהמהרמה שם לא מדובר היה בהכל כלול.

Het was een unieke ervaring. Klein hotel met butler Nishante die meteen aangeeft 24 uur per dag voor je klaar te staan. Bij de ontvangst zijn er een paar rituelen waar een groot deel van het vriendelijke personeel bij is. Chef-kok Mutune die een heerlijk diner maakte. En de meest bijzondere attractie die ik ooit in een hotel gezien heb. Een bak vissen die je een bak met gretige knabbelvisjes voor een vietbehandeling Verder is het een klein comfortabel hotel waar alles behoorlijk perfect is. Aanrader dus, zeker als je van iets bijzonders houdt.

Het ligt een paar km van Negombo, maar met de tuktuk ben je daar zo. Wel heel rustig gelegen.

Can I say … there’s exceptional then there should be a nighter rating for unique places like Regal Rivera , the villa is extensive but has only 5 rooms all of a very high standard. We had the entire villa to ourselves. Nishante our host was sublime .. nothing too much trouble , the chef came out as my daughter hadn’t been feeling well and discuss what she would like and then just made it off menu for her , it is definitely worth planning on dining here as the food was excellent and a choice of 4 courses with about 50 choices of dishes on the menu . The grounds are very tranquil and exudes calmness. Nishante gave us a free transfer to the airport which is only 30 minutes away.

I was only here one night !!

Mooie villa in een grote tuin met klein zwembad. Aardige plek voor eerste of laatste nacht in Negombo. Personeel is vriendelijk. Eten was niet heel vers. De 10 beoordelingen snappen wij niet helemaal.

Airco’s op de kamers boven werkten niet goed, personeel liet wel meteen een monteur komen. Wij denken dat ze aan vervanging toe zijn. Airco beneden doet het wel goed.

We wanted a couple of nights away from the hustle at the end of our 2 months in Sri Lanka and a little luxury Gorgeous new villa on big fenced site relatively close to the airport with lovely pool Not in Negombo itself but you could cab in if you want This place is perfect for the beginning or end of your trip

Nothing it was great

Beautiful villa but uncomfortable stay We stayed at Regal Rivera Villa in Negombo for 2 nights and while the villa itself is absolutely beautiful and has a lot of potential, our overall experience unfortunately wasn’t as relaxing as we had hoped. Breakfast was generous in terms of quantity, and compliments to the chef for the variety. Like many places in Sri Lanka, it leaned more towards local flavors (soups, and fresh juices). We recently gotten engaged and the butler gave us a cheesecake and handwritten note which was very thoughtful! All in all, while the villa is stunning and the concept is promising, the lack of privacy and overly intense service made it hard to relax. It’s also good to note that the location is a bit isolated and not ideal if you want to explore the livelier parts of Negombo. We wouldn’t recommend it for couples or travelers seeking a peaceful, private stay.

The biggest downside for us was the lack of privacy. We were the only guests during our stay, which made things feel a bit eerie (creepy) at times, especially because the main butler was constantly around us, often standing way too close, giving us commands like “sit” or “come,” and not really respecting personal space. It got to the point that we didn’t feel comfortable staying in the villa during the day and chose to go out instead. While we appreciated the staff’s willingness to help we felt pressure to give a good review rather than genuinely at ease. Housekeeping was also missing entirely. We didn’t receive any room cleaning during our stay, which we actually didn’t mind as it meant nobody was going through our stuff. But our room was not particularly clean to begin with. The bathroom was very small and the toilet seat was dirty. Considering we were the only guests and had mentioned we just got engaged, we expected a bit more care, or at least to be given a nicer room. What made the breakfast experience less enjoyable was the setting: we weren’t allowed to sit outside, we were obliged to have it at the dining table with dirty used napkins refolded… And during the meal, the butler remained right next to us the entire time, kept repeating stories and asking personal questions, even claiming to know our friends, which felt off and made us quite uncomfortable. He also insisted we taste everything. When we politely declined certain things, we were questioned about why we didn’t want them, which felt quite uncomfortable.

Words can‘t describe this magical Place properly. Absolutely stunning Property, A beautiful Garden incl. Manager Nishantha/ Chef Fernando & the Gardener Kasawan are the most friendly and warm Team you can imagine. Super professional but also warm and it felt like we found a Sri Lankan Family. Fernandos Sri Lankan Food is absolutely amazing, he also did offer glutenfree local Options and i loved every single Dish. We will be back very soon. Thank you for one of the best Stays we ever had.

Nothing

We had an amazing stay at Regal Rivera Villa. The staff and especially Nishantha the butler was very welcoming and always made sure we were comfortable. The food was amazing as well as the service. The property is absolutely beautiful and the villa is stunning. I really recommend to stay here.

Regal Rivera Villa is a new concept, bringing comfort and abundant personal space while retaining the usual hotel features. The place is spruced up near and tidy, amenities were of hotel standards, and there is lots of space in the villa, indoors and outdoors. What sets it apart is the service. Do check out the fish therapy tank at the back of the villa for some relaxing therapeutic time with fishes nibbling at your feet. Due to the small number of rooms, we get personalized treatment. The chief butler, Nishanta, picked us from the airport and always provided on-the-dot service. The head chef, Fernando, who previously cooked in the UK whipped excellent Sri Lankan and international dishes. The Sri Lankan breakfast was really really hearty- well done! Lastly, Kesavan the housekeeper always giving his sincere toothy smile is always around just to make our day at Regal more comfortable and enjoyable.

The food can be a little salty. We just need to inform Fernando of our preference and the next dishes taste great.

Very Modern Villa, spacious rooms. The breakfast and airport pick up were very convenient. Highly recommended for either the beginning or end of your trip when needing to access the airport.

More like a hosted private villa. Owner was very welcoming and friendly. We weren’t there long as it was only a stop over. Had the Sri Lankan breakfast in the morning which was delicious and copious.

We absolutely enjoyed our stay at Regal Rivera Villa: It is a beautiful decorated and brand new boutique villa with a stunning garden area and a very nice pool. Especially if you are searching for a nice, relaxing place to get you settled before or after a long flight, we highly recommend. Everything is high standard, very clean and the staff is really friendly and attentive. We had a flight back home later on check out day and the staff was so supportive: We were allowed to stay longer, even use the pool and had a free ride to the airport - thank you very much for this, it made our last day really relaxing! Breakfast (outside in the garden) and dinner (at the dining table inside) both were really good and delicious! We 100% recommend and had a great time!

Wonderful villa, tranquil and very well kept facilities. Five stars bed. Abundant meals. Personalised and caring attention by manager Nishantha. Transport included from and to airport

STUNNING!! Such a beautiful property and rooms, the interior and feel is luxurious and welcoming. The manager Nishantha was so hospitable, he went above and beyond to accommodate us, he made our stay feel like a home. He was kind, patient and generous with his time and made sure we felt safe and comfortable both on the property and beyond in our travels of Sri Lanka. We loved the place so much we booked to stay again! The onsite chef is amazing, the breakfast was so delicious and generous! The staff are also very helpful and kind you can see and feel the love and care in this property.

Nishantha was super helpful throughout the entire experience. Took us to some really cool places downtown and even drove us to a spa and the airport for free. The food was extremely high quality, I would go back just for the breakfast. The room and aircon was amazing. The entire place is a big house with only 5 rooms so you feel a really personalized experience. I felt like I wasn’t paying enough for the whole thing. 10/10 couldn’t recommend it more. I don’t write reviews often but I can’t recommend this place enough

An absolutely incredible stay! Nishantha was a wonderful host / butler, and nothing was too much trouble. We only stayed one night and were the only guests in the property (there are 5 rooms). He gave us fresh passion fruit juice from the garden, prepared us breakfast really early in the morning before our flight, arranged a haircut for me and took me there & my mum shopping. Nowhere else could you get this service! The property also is exceptional. It is quite a new hotel, and it is the owner's house so it is wonderfully homely. Don't hesitate to book, I can only assume that the price is so low at the moment as they are gaining traction. This is easily a $300 hotel.

Nothing

Needing to find a hotel quickly due to a flight cancellation, but not knowing Colombo, I booked a room at Regal Rivera Villa because it looked nice and offered free accommodation free airport shuttle. What a find! I was phoned within minutes of booking to confirm the arrangements and the villa’s butler (clearly a general manager in a former life), Nishantha, picked me up in the hotel’s smart liveried car. It’s not really a hotel but a beautiful purpose built guest house. With just 5 bedrooms located off a central atrium with huge sitting areas, a guest kitchen and dining room, it’s an upmarket home from home. Great linen and towels, very comfortable bed. The 2 ground floor bedrooms share a long veranda next to the pool and overlook the gardens. There’s no restaurant, you order from the à la carte menu and have meals served in the dining room, in your room or on the veranda. Nishantha could not have made my stay any better given my travel disruption, and when I was able to rebook a flight that meant leaving for the airport at 1.40am his most pressing concern was whether I’d have an appetite for breakfast! Being 3 hours from Kandy and 5 hours from Trincomalee, the villa would be a great base for seeing Sri Lanka, and when I return I will be booking here without fail. Many thanks, Nishantha!

The entire villa was immaculate and beautifully maintained, the service was top-notch, the food was delicious, and the garden was stunning.

What a place to acclimatise from the UK into the Sri Lankan weather and pace of life. We stayed for two nights. From the very much appreciated complimentary pickup from the airport, to the happy friendly team lead by Nishantha Fernando delicious fresh and tasty Sri Lankan and European choices all cooked and seasoned beautifully. The gardens are kept immaculately and are beautiful for an early morning wander watching the birds, we enjoyed the pool which was a perfect temperature, I would not hesitate to recommend that you stay here.i believe that this villa has only come on to the hotel market but as the staff are all experienced we encountered no problems at all. Don’t hesitate if you’re wondering about booking as I am pleased I booked.

Cannot fault it if it’s a quite relaxing stay your looking for