Whitehouse Residencies

Breakfast was a decent start to the day: an omelette made how you like it, fruit, yoghurt, toast, and tea or coffee, served in the shared area on the floor. Most room packages include it. Rooms are spacious, clean, and quiet despite being right in central Colombo, with the usual amenities. The location puts shops, businesses, restaurants, malls, and tourist spots nearby. You check in downstairs, then go up to the third floor to pay for the room. The rates are very reasonable. Coffee Bean at Liberty Mall is about a five-minute walk if you want another coffee. Highly recommended.

This isn't a hotel, but part of someone's apartment. The owners are polite and quiet, and leave you to your privacy. We were on the fourth floor, and the lift worked well. The place is spacious, private, spotless, quiet, and comfortable, in a convenient, upmarket part of Colombo. The air conditioning works well, the bed is comfortable, and the bathroom is large and modern. Service was efficient, friendly, and polite. Breakfast on the first floor was fine, with fruit, yoghurt, toast and preserves, plus an omelette. Liberty Plaza and plenty of mostly higher-end restaurants are close by. Galle Face Green and the lake are walkable, and there are lots of tuk tuks if you'd rather ride. You'd likely need a very high-end hotel to do better.

The driveway is easy to miss, opposite Mile Post Avenue, and you'll probably need Google Maps. The road goes by two names, R. A De Mel Street and the general name The Kandy Road, which makes it harder to find. It's a short tuk-tuk ride to central Colombo, though watch out for touts pushing overpriced city tours. It's fine for a night or two, just don't expect much. The large room had TV, WiFi, and air conditioning, and breakfast was acceptable. The staff were very pleasant. It seemed like one guy handled everything and was up at all hours.

The staff were kind and the location was great, but our room was pretty average. Breakfast was very basic, only toast and butter.