The Dutch Boutique

Other than the location, there was nothing about this property that felt worth it. The room hadn't been cleaned properly, laundry was piled at the entrance, and there were cigarette ashes near the toilet. For two guests, we got just one small face towel and a tiny piece of soap. There was no hot water, the bedding had visible stains, and mosquitoes made it impossible to sleep. Staff support was completely absent. No one was available on site, and neither contact number helped. One went unanswered, while the other rang unattended at reception right in front of us. In the morning we were told there were no towels and no way to get hot water either. This was one of the worst stays of our whole trip. Strongly recommend avoiding the property.

The location is good, and there were free bottles of water in the room. Staff were friendly and helpful, but they don't really speak English, so conversation was difficult. The bathroom had a hot shower and toiletries, though you have to ask for a hairdryer. The reception area, which looks like a kitchen, wasn't very comfortable. There was no soundproofing at all. You could hear noise from the hotel and other rooms, which made it hard to sleep if you're a light sleeper.

The two guys working there were really kind and friendly. The location is phenomenal, right in the heart of Colombo Fort, with everything easy to see on foot. The room had no natural light and felt dark. There was no tea or coffee, and no soap, just shampoo. There's no WiFi in the rooms, which isn't acceptable.

We booked through Booking.com and got there around 3:30 pm to check in, only to be told the previous guests hadn't checked out yet. Nobody had warned us about the delay beforehand. Staff took my number and said they'd call when the room was ready, but I never heard from them. After a long journey, that left us dealing with avoidable uncertainty and inconvenience. The property may be nice, but the poor check-in coordination and lack of updates affected our experience. Timely communication would make a real difference for guests.