Marina Pasikudah Beach Hotel

We couldn’t sleep for most of the night because animals under the roof were so loud. The beach was the one real plus, and free beach towels were provided. The food didn’t match the description or photos, and there were no umbrellas by the pool. Most of the staff struggled to speak English properly. They also charged us a lot for water at checkout without telling us beforehand. We had to pay cash, but they couldn’t give us change. For what you get, the hotel is totally overpriced. It was the worst place we stayed during our whole trip around Sri Lanka.

The staff were friendly, the beach wasn’t very crowded or disturbed, and the pool was good. Beyond that, there wasn’t much to praise. We stayed at Marino beach pasikuda with my wife on a half-board basis, and the meals weren’t good enough to justify what we paid. They had already decided that locals wouldn’t order Western food, so we were deliberately told the only dinner option was seafood fried rice. There was no intercom in the room. We were charged extra for the low-quality water bottles left in the room and on the breakfast and dinner tables. There were no sugar packets, and we still weren’t given any after asking several times. It was a really disappointing, worst kind of experience.

The banana boat ride only lasted four minutes by my watch. When we asked how long it would take, the person renting it out just said, “No time, enjoy!” Afterward, when I asked why it was so short, he laughed in my face and repeated that he’d said “No time.” He then said he was banning us from his shop, as if we’d planned to return. I hadn’t intended to post a review, but I want others to know what happened. There’s nowhere else in the area to rent skijets or SUPs, which is strange. I guess that explains the audacity, including the nerve of the reply below. They never explain the ride conditions, even when asked, and I’m sure that’s deliberate. It would have been easy to say it takes roughly 4-8 minutes, but that could put some people off, so why mention it? Telling us to look elsewhere for services when they know they have a monopoly is something else. Tourists seem to pay the price when there’s no competition. Funny, if it weren’t sad.

The rooms are nice, and it’s a short walk to the beach. Some staff were helpful, though at times the attention felt pushy and awkward. During breakfast, for instance, they watched us intensely while we ate from the buffet, which was the same every day. The owner did a lot to make our stay pleasant, and I appreciate that, but he overdid it. Even after I left, he called to make sure I’d left a review, so here it is. A receptionist also asked for my number, which felt unprofessional and made me really uncomfortable. There isn’t much to do nearby, though you can go jetskiing, snorkeling, diving, and so on. The hotel itself is good. Anyway, do what you want with that.