Fresco Water Villa Hotel

The place had a lovely, peaceful feel, and the rooms were exceptionally clean and nicely kept. The dinner buffet let things down for me: the food wasn't very tasty, and I would've liked more choices. The staff were friendly and welcoming.

The beds were comfortable, the rooms reasonably spacious, and the hotel sits among lots of nature. The pool was great for cooling down, and there are little shops nearby for drinks and essentials. Mosquitoes were everywhere, so nets over the beds would make sense. The Wi-Fi was unreliable and sometimes stopped working altogether. The hotel seems set up for large tour groups, and meals became crowded, hectic, and unpleasant. Staffing was odd too: one chef was making omelets for several hundred people, which meant long waits, while other staff stood around.

This was the worst hotel of our three weeks in Sri Lanka, and we've stayed in a lot of places. It barely deserves three stars. The shower leaked and flooded the bathroom, there was no hot water, and the room phone didn't work when we needed help. We got just one towel for two people. The outside door jammed so badly it had to be kicked open, and staff woke us at 8 a.m. while cleaning rooms. It's a joke of a hotel, with much better places nearby for far less. Don't waste your time or money here.

The atmosphere was calm and lovely, away from the busy city, and we really enjoyed staying here. There's also a nice jewellery shop for anyone who likes gemstones. The seller resized the ring we chose overnight.