Vista Maple Leaf Hotel

The pool was filthy when we went. It had what looked like cockroach parts, feathers, dead insects, rotten leaves, and other debris in it. When I asked the room boy to clean it, he said, “Sir, the leaves may have come in with the wind.” I asked him to use a net, but he said the hotel didn’t have one. We left. It was the worst pool I’ve ever visited. Our room was no better. It was dusty, smelly, and had cobwebs everywhere. The AC was dusty and smelled bad, as if it hadn’t been turned on for months, and the beds were dirty and full of bed bugs. We couldn’t stay in the room, which is why we went to the pool. The ceilings were waterlogged and the rooms were leaking. This place is called Maple Leaf, though they seem to be changing the name to Maple Village. It’s the same hotel, opposite Jetwing Sea Hotel. I think the name change is because it has been getting more bad reviews as Maple Leaf. The booking itself was legitimate, but I was foolish not to check the hotel beforehand. There was no counter or any place to confirm our reservation, so we had to call again. The person said he’d contact the manager, who came out of a room where he’d been sleeping, topless and wearing only shorts. We’d paid in advance, but still waited over an hour while they found a cabana that was less dirty. That was by far the worst hotel I’ve stayed in. Please don’t go there.

We spent eight weeks in Sri Lanka, using the Maple Leaf Hotel as our base, and it worked really well for us. We’re Australian budget travellers in our 60s. We could leave our main bags there, travel light, and book back in at short notice. The prices were very reasonable. It’s a quiet little hotel about a ten-minute drive from central Negombo, set back from the main road in a lovely tropical garden. There’s a small, well-kept pool that’s a real treat in the heat. The staff are super friendly, the rooms are clean and looked after, and breakfast was very nice. Two good local restaurants and a small sports bar are right out front on the main road. There are also nice single apartments at the back in the garden. It’s well managed.

We had a dirty room, a broken drain, and a bathroom that was a mess and unpleasant. The owner was unfriendly and wanted us out by 10am, although our booking confirmation said 12am. We were also charged 15% extra because they hadn’t set up the Booking.com process properly. That’s not our fault. I wouldn’t recommend staying here.

The rooms and cabanas leaked rain through the windows all night, and quickly became like swimming pools. Some of our clothes and shoes got wet, so we missed the 24th Night Christmas Mass we’d planned to attend. When we raised it with management, they weren’t helpful and tried to cover up the problem. They threatened to bring the police and have us escorted out, and told us not to post about it on Google or Facebook. Customer service was zero, and so was the way they communicated. The food was another major problem. With the full board package, there were no options for people who don’t eat meat. This place and its management are a mess. I feel really sorry for the owners. If you see this review, don’t come to Maple Leaf Negombo.