Star City Villa

I booked for one night and was told check-in was at 18:00, but I arrived an hour early, at 17:00, and they charged me 800 rupees for early check-in. I was disappointed but took the room. Check-out was at 08:00; I left at 09:00 and got charged another Rs. 1,000. I've never had this kind of charge before. A night should normally be at least 20 hours. It feels like they attract you with low rates, then charge extra even if you're only a minute late. I think the manager took the money out of the books. Worst experience.

A pretty affordable, basic place that's good for a short stay. The staff were friendly and helpful, and the service was quite good. The location is central and convenient, and parking wasn't a problem. They don't offer services like laundry, but at this price I can't complain. I'd definitely recommend it for a short visit.

The room I'd booked and had confirmed wasn't in their system when I arrived, though check-in itself was very flexible. The house is unattractive and hard to find. My room was really dirty and cheaply furnished, with no soap or toilet paper, even after I asked. WiFi barely worked, it was loud at night, and there was no drinking water. The neighborhood is unpleasant, poorly connected, and doesn't have good shopping.

The place is quiet and nice, with air-conditioned rooms and WiFi, and it's next to an ATM. It's also near Colombo city, and you can come and go whenever you like and have your own space. The owner is Chinese but doesn't stay there, so communication was difficult. A young guy was on site, but he was still new. A tuk to Colombo Fort costs about 250-300 rupees. I'd suggest using PickMe or something similar. Not bad.