Reviews from guests who stayed at this hotel, shared by our hotel supplier. Score based on the latest 200 reviews.
noelines92
Couple · August 2026
“Don’t go or if you’re all ready booked check throughly your room.”
+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.
465wendyo
Couple · August 2026
“Hotel that needs some tlc”
+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 !
michaeldE586QM
Couple · August 2026
“A poor semblance of what a fine hotel this used to be.”
+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.
anomac995
Couple · August 2026
“2 nights stay”
+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
primalief
Family · August 2026
“Unsatisfactory hotel stay”
+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.
Excursion50719800665
Family · August 2026
“Worst hotel avoid this place”
+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
juderad
Family · August 2026
“STAY AWAY FROM THIS FILTHY HOTEL”
+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.
vanessasH8299NO
Family · August 2026
“Worst hotel ever....”
+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 compla
J4976KDahmeda
Couple · July 2026
“Terrible place, Terrible hospitality, poor communication”
+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 attempt
922adelab
Family · July 2026
“owner of hotel not paying staff”
+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