The Transit 64

Don’t spend your time and money here. The hotel is very far from anything, with no nearby shops or cafes. The nearest one is a 30-minute walk away. The staff were kind, and they let me check in early for an extra fee, but then made me leave the room at 11 am, giving me only an hour’s warning about this unusual checkout time. The room had dirty walls, stained sheets, ants, mosquitoes, and spiders. Rats ran noisily over the thin roof all night, while dogs barked outside the window. Tap water barely flowed, so the sink was unusable. The water heater worked only intermittently, and the electricity was turned off. There were no universal outlets, safe, fridge, kettle, glasses, mosquito nets, or drinking water. Nobody cleaned for three days. Every morning they played music at full volume in my room. I have nothing against mantras, but that’s unacceptable in a hotel. This hotel is not for foreign tourists.

We stayed for three weeks, and leaving with a heavy heart says a lot about the memories we made. The staff treated us like family, going out of their way to make coffee, King coconuts, watermelon juice, and more. The owner is a wonderful soul who made us feel at home too. The rooms were clean and very well kept, with facilities like hot water and air conditioning. I’ve travelled around the world and stayed in many hotels, but this place and its people made our trip especially memorable. I’d highly recommend it to anyone wanting that at-home feeling. I’ll surely visit Srilanka again just to stay here and spend time with the staff.

We had a terrible experience. I brought my two daughters, hoping my daughter could rest properly before her swimming meet and have a decent breakfast, but they said they don’t serve breakfast. The room had damp walls, a broken sink tap, and a cupboard door that came off when we opened it. There were mosquitoes, and no soap in the bathroom. Luckily, we’d brought some just in case. I think the good reviews for this place may be forged. Go see it for yourself before paying.

We booked several rooms for two days, and all our colleagues were happy with the place. They were surprised to find somewhere so nice around Colombo. From my past experience, this is one of the best choices I’ve made for a stay in Colombo, and it’s a place anyone can visit.