Aditya Boutique Hotel Boutique-Hotel

We left within 30 minutes of arriving, but they kept the full payment and gave no explanation or interest in resolving things. The place is isolated, with little to do or a way to get away, and the beach is about 250 meters off. The website photos are very misleading. The access road is in terrible shape. The accommodation looked old, neglected and frankly ugly. Toilets smelled, hygiene was far below an acceptable standard, and the Wi-Fi was weak and unreliable. There was no drink choice beyond water, and we were told they had to drive to town to get anything else. Food was whatever they decided to serve, a little carrot, soup and fish full of bones. The supposed “friendly and sustainable” concept felt like a marketing cover for poor service and extreme cost cutting at guests’ expense. We found dirt and an unpleasant atmosphere instead. I don’t believe the positive reviews are genuine. Profiles with 7,000 followers and only a few likes look fake and misleading. We lost our money and a whole day of our holiday, and are extremely frustrated. I strongly do not recommend this tourist trap.

The room was the point where we decided this was unacceptable: it was dirty and smelled bad, and the third bed looked improvised beside a filthy window, not suitable for a child. The bathroom was hard to find and poorly laid out. The so-called private pool was a dirty puddle with a strong sewage smell. The beach was neglected and unclean too, not a place we felt was suitable for families. We were traveling with children and were shocked by how different the property was from its online presentation. After nearly five hours on the road, we asked for a refund and left immediately. The photos create completely false expectations. Getting there was difficult, with no signs and a dirty, winding, poorly maintained road. Scaffolding surrounded the property, there was an unpleasant smell throughout, and the barbecue area and restaurant looked badly neglected. It was immediately clear this was not the luxury four-star hotel advertised online. I’ve stayed at many small family-run places that were cleaner, safer and more welcoming. Families should be especially cautious and not rely on the online presentation.

We chose this hotel for our honeymoon, and the privacy was lovely. There are only a limited number of villas, so it felt like we had space to ourselves. We were in the sky lounge (vayu), a very large room with an ocean-facing balcony, big bathroom and terrace jacuzzi. The staff were excellent and listened carefully. Our flight was cancelled, so we arrived a day late, but they adjusted our stay at the end to make up for it. The spa also has some modern therapies, and they gave me a complimentary one in addition to the treatments we had booked. There’s a pool and private beach, and we saw what was probably the best sunset ever. The food was really tasty, though a little on the pricey side.

The beach here is quiet, clean and secluded, with soft golden sand that’s lovely for walking. It isn’t a swimming beach, though. The waves were very strong while we were there, and staff advised us to stay out of the ocean. Hikkaduwa has swimmable beaches about 10 minutes away, and Narigama beach was the best one for us. We stayed five nights in the ocean-facing Sagarika suite. It was enormous, with a king-size bed, a spacious sitting area, a huge bathroom, and a balcony with a plunge pool and great sea views. The hotel is a small boutique luxury place, and we felt looked after from arrival to departure. The rooms were cleaned while we were out, supplies were replenished regularly, and no request seemed like too much. Breakfast was generous and made to order, with no bland buffet. Dinner was freshly prepared and excellent, and prices felt reasonable for an upscale property. The pool was large and clean with plenty of loungers, and the bar was staffed with a great drinks selection. We also used the spa for three days and were very happy with the massages and other therapies. One of the best resorts we’ve stayed in, worth every penny.