The Sandhya

It felt more like staying in a big house than a hotel, which made the whole experience feel personal. The staff were friendly and helpful, and Dhillan made breakfast and our birthdays especially nice. Breakfast is cooked to order, and the Sri Lankan option is worth booking ahead. We also ate by the pool twice and loved the food. The rooms were a good size and kept spotless. The pool area is clean, has lots of sunbeds, and is large for a hotel this size. Right on a clean, uncrowded beach that's good for surfing, with only the waves for company. Restaurants are nearby, and Ahangama is a 15-minute walk or 500 rupees by tuk tuk, which I'd recommend after dark.

We could easily have spent a week here, and we'll definitely return if we're back in Sri Lanka. The Bluetooth speakers in the room were a nice touch. We chose The Sandhya for its spot on Kabalana beach, and it turned out to be a great base for Galle, Koggala Lake, and other places nearby. Cafes and restaurants are walkable, and Ahangama is only a short tuk tuk ride away. Our ground floor room opened onto the pool, with the beach just beyond the terrace, and we fell asleep to the waves each night. The room was spacious and spotless, with perhaps the most comfortable hotel bed we've had. The design and furnishings are beautiful, the food was excellent and portions generous, and the staff were professional, attentive, and friendly. We spent the first three nights of our honeymoon here and only wish we'd stayed longer.

After three nights at The Sandhya, I'd definitely recommend it. The sea views are lovely and don't get old, and having a private pool just for guests was a real treat. It's close to the busy strip but far enough away to enjoy some quiet apart from the road. Breakfast had plenty of choices, and the staff were amazing.

The staff were genuinely lovely and tried hard to meet our requests. We hadn't mentioned my husband's birthday in advance, but they went out of their way to get two cakes for us. The property is right on the beach, though the steps down are quite steep and could be difficult for someone with a disability. I felt fairly underwhelmed by the property itself. The rooms look well designed but don't feel very thoughtfully equipped: no kettles or intercom to reach reception, and opening the windows onto the pool took quite a struggle. The pool also seemed to have bugs in it and wasn't cleaned very often. We had requested ground floor rooms and got them. There were delays with things, though that seemed more related to understaffing. I still appreciate the staff's efforts.