Hangover Hostels Airport @ Katunayake

The staff were such a big part of why I liked staying here. They're friendly and easy to talk to, and when my daughter and I needed help one day, they did all they could. My daughter is shy, but felt comfortable around them. I've stayed both in a private room with her and in a shared room on my own, and the rooms and toilets were clean with good AC. There's a spacious, airy feel, lots of natural light, and a rooftop where you can sit in the shade and listen to birds and squirrels. Downstairs, people gather at the dining table, talk and meet each other, and there's wall art plus a "freedom wall" for writing or drawing. The hostel makes it easy for guests to meet up and go out for a night in Negombo. You can cook your own food in the kitchen if Sri Lankan food is too spicy for you. In the morning there's free coffee or Ceylon tea and bananas. Since the hostel is open to the outdoors in a tropical country, mosquito coils can't get rid of all the mosquitoes. Still, I had a great experience and would give it 5 stars. When I come back to Sri Lanka, I'll stay at Hangover Hostels again.

I asked in advance for a 6pm check-out one day, but nobody came. I left 200Sri Lanka rupees as a pledge for my cabinet and door card, and never got the money back. If I return, I won't pay for that anymore. I was alone with a man in a mixed dorm, which made me a little scared. The toilets weren't fully clean, though the showers were okay and the kitchen could have been cleaner. There was fast people clearance at Hangover Hostel Airport, even though I arrived alone among many people. I found that sad, since I think friendliness should be part of the accommodation when you arrive. I have experience with hostel guests myself, and my guests are part of my family. Still, this was a nice experience for my future work. Love what you do. Thank you for the time at Hangover Hostel Airport.

The building, rooms, and bathroom were all great, which makes the rest of this especially disappointing. The kitchen was filthy, with cockroaches in the cupboards. We paid 350 rupee each for "breakfast": four slices of toast and two eggs that we had to cook ourselves. The AC and power weren't working when we arrived, so we couldn't charge anything. They fixed that the following day. There was a woman in our dorm who was terrified of dogs. Despite a sign saying no pets, the hostel had a dog in the main area, and she'd been stuck in the room all day before we arrived. I asked staff if they could put the dog somewhere so she could come out, but they refused. She packed up and left early, and we kept the dog away from her as she went. I've never seen customers treated so badly. Absolutely outrageous. We left early too.

Handy for the airport, about a five-minute drive, and there's a 24-hour reception with helpful staff. The place was clean and nice, with good lockers. Dorm rooms are small, so they hold no more than four people. Breakfast wasn't great. They had no milk for coffee, just milk powder.