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Holiday Reviews > Indian Ocean > Sri Lanka > Marawila > Marawila Hotels > Club Palm Bay Hotel > Read Reviews
Club Palm Bay Hotel ReviewsPage 1 2
| Board Basis: |
All Inclusive |
| Date of
Holiday: |
Jun 2008 |
| Tour
Operator: |
Mercury Direct |
| Submitted
By: |
Miss D SHELL |
| Overall
Rating: |
5/10 |
| Comments: |
Beautiful hotel, pity about such poor service. I stayed at the Club Palm Bay for two weeks in June, left with mixed feelings but overall it was an enjoyable holiday. The hotel's gardens are beautiful and the pool is fantastic. My room was a nice surprise - single travellers usually end up in a smaller room, but I had a large double with loads of cupboard space. The room was kept very clean but every day I had to ring to ask for towels (which were, like the decor, overdue for a replacement). The food was plentiful, although a bit repetitive, and there was always a selection of wonderful fresh fruit. What let the place down was the abysmal service. Typical example was when my room phone rang at 6am with a wakeup call I hadn't booked. When I said I hadn't asked for a call the reply was "Why Not?" (still trying to work that one out). Staff were always angling for tips, especially the pool boys, and I felt that single travellers didn't get looked after as well as couples and groups (not such high tippers, perhaps?) I did try booking an excursion from the agent in the village, who was highly recommended by others on this website, but he isn't too interested in single travellers, and his prices were higher than Mercury; he only offers reduced prices for a full mini-bus. The hotel is quite isolated and the beach, as reported elsewhere, isn't nice and you can't swim from it. I did take a two-day inland trip and had a fantastic time with a great guide. Would I go back? For such a cheap holiday it would be easy to overlook the pitfalls and just chill out in those lovely gardens, so I might be back again.
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| Board Basis: |
All Inclusive |
| Date of
Holiday: |
Jun 2008 |
| Tour
Operator: |
Mercury Direct |
| Submitted
By: |
Mrs S Shepherd |
| Overall
Rating: |
10/10 |
| Comments: |
we found the hotel to be excellent in every way from the tiny details such as the new loo rolls being folded to the wonderful flower arrangement on our clean bed linen every day. The staff are really friendly and helpful in every way. The food was varried and very good, all in all the best holiday ever.
We went on a few tours with Fernando who was excellent, very helpful and friendly and I strongly recomend him, he can be found outside the hotel gates and is much cheaper to use.
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| Board Basis: |
All Inclusive |
| Date of
Holiday: |
May 2008 |
| Tour
Operator: |
Mercury Direct |
| Submitted
By: |
Miss E Thomas |
| Overall
Rating: |
10/10 |
| Comments: |
Being a couple in our early 20's, although this hotel was quiet (to what we were usually used to!) we had a fabulous time and met some lovely people!! Our rooms were cleaned once/twice a day, the food was constantly of a high standard. The service was brilliant and everyone always had a smile on their face! The sea was too rough to swim in but we enjoyed the big pool at the hotel. We did an excursion with Fernando (the beach boy- outside the hotel) He was fantastic and took us to see all the places we wanted to go. We went on an elephant ride, visitied an elephant orphanage, spice garden, tea plantation, tea factory, dambulla caves, temple of tooth, sigyiri rock.. and all for £80ish each (including overnight accomidation and food). He also took us to a batic shop and paid for our dinner at a local cafe (which was an experience!). The following week Fernando invited us around to his house where we met his beautiful family, his wife even cooked us a lovely meal (king prawns and rice!). Fernando is a very trustworthy and genuine man and I would recommend him to anyone who wanted to go on any trips outside the hotel. We also caught a tuk-tuk into Chilaw market and another day at Negambo market throughout the holiday. I loved Chilaw market because not many tourists go there and everyone was soo friendly and warm. They loved having their pictures taken so I could play them back to them. Id definately go back to Sri Lanka and to this hotel. I wanted to say hi and thank-you to all the friends we made on our holiday (u know who you are!) We had a fantastic time and don't worry, your still invited to the (future) engagment party!!
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| Board Basis: |
All Inclusive |
| Date of
Holiday: |
May 2008 |
| Tour
Operator: |
Mercury Direct |
| Submitted
By: |
Miss E Thomas |
| Overall
Rating: |
10/10 |
| Comments: |
Being a couple in our early 20's, although this hotel was quiet (to what we were usually used to!) we had a fabulous time and met some lovely people!! Our rooms were cleaned once/twice a day, the food was constantly of a high standard. The service was brilliant and everyone always had a smile on their face! The sea was too rough to swim in but we enjoyed the big pool at the hotel. We did an excursion with Fernando (the beach boy- outside the hotel) He was fantastic and took us to see all the places we wanted to go. We went on an elephant ride, visitied an elephant orphanage, spice garden, tea plantation, tea factory, dambulla caves, temple of tooth, sigyiri rock.. and all for £80ish each (including overnight accomidation and food). He also took us to a batic shop and paid for our dinner at a local cafe (which was an experience!). The following week Fernando invited us around to his house where we met his beautiful family, his wife even cooked us a lovely meal (king prawns and rice!). Fernando is a very trustworthy and genuine man and I would recommend him to anyone who wanted to go on any trips outside the hotel. We also caught a tuk-tuk into Chilaw market and another day at Negambo market throughout the holiday. I loved Chilaw market because not many tourists go there and everyone was soo friendly and warm. They loved having their pictures taken so I could play them back to them. Id definately go back to Sri Lanka and to this hotel. I wanted to say hi and thank-you to all the friends we made on our holiday (u know who you are!) We had a fantastic time and don't worry, your still invited to the (future) engagment party!!
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| Board Basis: |
Half Board |
| Date of
Holiday: |
May 2008 |
| Tour
Operator: |
own booking (resident in S.L.) |
| Submitted
By: |
Mrs L Chisholm |
| Overall
Rating: |
2/10 |
| Comments: |
We live are a Scottish couple working in Sri Lanka for the past 3 years. Have been to many hotels throughout the country and believe us when we say it was the worst service we have ever had!
On arrival there was no one to greet us at the door or take our luggage.
Long walk along corridor to a vast but bare reception hall.
Staff at reception did not know we were coming, did not know booking procedures.
Eventually got taken to our room which was a pleasant surprise...nice, clean, comfortable and a lovely view of the lagoon only feet away from our private terrace.
The room was lacking in mini bar/coffee & tea facilities and safe deposit box which considering it was quite isolated from these facilities it should have been there.
We settled down at the pool and at lunch time decided to order a snack but realized we hadn't seen anyone serving on the poolside. Eventually had to ask and were told snack menu finishes as 12noon!! Only the buffet was available! After asking a few different people and being told the same story we went to reception...they didn't know either and had to phone a few numbers before finally telling us to go to the main bar.
There we found a very small but adequate snack menu!!!
We ordered 2 snacks and after waiting 1 hr we finally received but 1 snack, 1 drink and 2 glasses. The drink bottle still had the top on, waiter had no opener so after waiting an age my husband opened it on the wall spilling 1/2 of it in the process. After another 1/2 hr the other snack came but chips were cold so had to be sent back.....another wait!!
Later on we dared to order another drink and a coffee, they could bring the drink but the coffee I had to get myself!!!
That was on our first day of 3!!
Buffet dinner and breakfast the next day were very good!
At breakfast though a child of about 3 yrs old was left unattended in the pool while their parents ate breakfast as is quite common in Sri Lanka. The child lost his footing and fortunately lots saw it and he was saved!!!
Asked about playing golf, their reaction..."you want to play?"..."now?"!! Eventually found man to open up and give us the equipment. He showed us the tees but realised 1/2 way that he told us to start at the last tee!!
On our last day there our room was not cleaned at all and discovered later that they had us leaving that day even though we booked 3 nights and it wasn't until we returned to our room at 4pm that we discovered our room not cleaned....when did they think we were going to leave?
We went during their Vesak Poya festival which is a very important one for the country and not a sign anywhere about it...and when they brought their home made lanterns which were very impressive as they usually are out for display still there was no sign at all for the tourists to know what it was all about. The different sections of the hotel made their own as is the custom and have a competition. In our view the kitchen staff's lantern was tops.
All in all the hotel is lovely, the situation is nice but very isolated so unless you go on a tour there is nothing for it but to stay in the hotel. The beach is not nice, not clean and the sea dangerous to swim in.
The snack food was lovely when we did eventually get it and the buffet dinners and breakfasts were good too.
Sorry about the staff though, they are untrained, not happy, not helpful and totally unconcerned about their customers needs.
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| Board Basis: |
All Inclusive |
| Date of
Holiday: |
Mar 2008 |
| Tour
Operator: |
L'Tur |
| Submitted
By: |
Mrs K R B T |
| Overall
Rating: |
10/10 |
| Comments: |
We went to this hotel for honeymoon and everything was perfect, and poeple so nice.
Great room with nice view to the lagoon and the swimming-pool is simply the best I ever have seen.
The only negative point : air-conditionning was rather loud and didn't cool enough when weather turned hot.
Nevertheless doesn't matter, we will try to return soon.
To recommand to everyone but not children because there is few distraction for them.
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| Board Basis: |
All Inclusive |
| Date of
Holiday: |
Feb 2008 |
| Tour
Operator: |
Saga |
| Submitted
By: |
Mrs M Cheese |
| Overall
Rating: |
10/10 |
| Comments: |
Very relaxed holiday, friendly and helpful staff, plenty of food and drink. Entertainment every evening. Samantha Tours, outside the Hotel gates provide very reliable travel to any of the tourist spots, I hired a car and driver from Samantha tours for a day and travelled to colombo, I was well looked after, bearing in mind that I was on my own, the drivers are very polite. Can highly recomend Club Palm Bay, idyllic surroundings.
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| Board Basis: |
Full Board |
| Date of
Holiday: |
Jan 2008 |
| Tour
Operator: |
Saga |
| Submitted
By: |
Mrs S.A. Moss |
| Overall
Rating: |
9/10 |
| Comments: |
Regarding the comments, below, of Bonny123, I am absolutely sure she is not referring to Club Palm Bay, Marawila. She refers to her hotel as Club Palm Garden - say no more! We have just returned from CLUB PALM BAY HOTEL Marawila after two very good weeks. We found the hotel to be excellent in all respects - with one exception, mentioned below. The staff were charming, the service was wonderful, there was a good choice of food, our rooms (overlooking the lagoon) were fine, with an amazing view. We spent many hours sitting on our balconies admiring that view, and spotting the amazing wildlife. The beach was certainly no good for any but the strongest swimmers, and the sand was gravelly, but sitting on the sand bar and watching the sun go down every evening over the Indian ocean, made up for that.
The included excursions gave us a very good idea of life in the country, and the work people do, and the way they live. The weather was wall-to-wall sunshine, not a spot of rain but I think you need to choose your time quite carefully to get weather like this.
The optional trip to Kandy was a real eye-opener, with a fantastic guide called Bondo. We named him Mr. Sri Lanka, he was a great ambassador for his country. You certainly need to take this excursion, whatever else you decide to miss.
The one exception???? Very loud disco-type music almost every evening, that could be heard up to 3 miles away I'm sure. It was impossible to get any sleep until it stopped at midnight. Not what your average Saga guest wants. Fine for the younger folk, and we are not kill-joys, but why oh why does it have to be so loud!!!???
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| Board Basis: |
All Inclusive |
| Date of
Holiday: |
Oct 2007 |
| Tour
Operator: |
Mercury Direct |
| Submitted
By: |
Miss E Smithes |
| Overall
Rating: |
10/10 |
| Comments: |
WOW what an amazing trip! My boyfriend and I loved the country and the resort! Absolutely gorgeous. Not too westernised to cater for the tourists, with a touch of tradition! Loved the food, the service, the lagoon in particular! Beautiful, great for couples and families alike, as it has so many different activities to keep everyone entertained.
A simple trip to the "cultural triangle", kandy, and the nation museum showed us its ancient culture with such rich history, we couldn't get around how unique it was.
In response to the previous post, I'm sorry to hear your holiday was unpleasant. I cant possibly decipher how you could have encountered such a horrible experience when ours was possibly the most wonderful journey imaginable.
Sri Lanka was wonderful, beautiful people, yeh its a bit chaotic, a third world country it is. Though havocked with a civil war, you would actually expect far worse from this beautiful place. You cant go to a 3rd world nation and even expect anything close to this. Next time be a little more open minded.
There's no where else quite like it! Absolutely extraordinary!
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| Board Basis: |
All Inclusive |
| Date of
Holiday: |
Sep 2007 |
| Tour
Operator: |
Mercury Direct |
| Submitted
By: |
Mrs V J Wallhead |
| Overall
Rating: |
10/10 |
| Comments: |
We arrived at this hotel on the Sunday morning after a long flight with Qatar Airlines; one we would recommend nothing too much trouble on the flight. Met at the airport and quickly onto the bus.
The pool was absolutely wonderful, the best we have ever had, it is very big and the water was always warm, it was cleaned and hoovered every day and the staff were
always obliging with the towels and sunbeds. The beach was very disappointing but the pool made up for it.
The restaurant was good, Curry after 14 days is too much, but there was other menu items for us, and the waiters always helped they brought us ice cream every lunch time.
Even the head waiter helped us with a Dentist and an English speaking Sri Lankan to help us, nothing was too much trouble for them.
Take a trip to Mr Stitch, made suits dresses and blouse for us.
We took the Mercury two day trip, thoroughly enjoyed with Lucky our guide, who was very knowledgeable about the history. All in all a wonderful relaxing and enjoyable holiday.
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| Board Basis: |
All Inclusive |
| Date of
Holiday: |
Jun 2007 |
| Tour
Operator: |
First Choice |
| Submitted
By: |
Bonny123 |
| Overall
Rating: |
1/10 |
| Comments: |
Hi to anyone thinking of going to SRI LANKA. BEWARE DON'T !!! We have just gone to Sri Lanka for our wedding with First Choice. Yes a reputable company we thought!
This country still has a bad civil war and you are advised not to go out of the complex alone. We arrived after 11hr bad flight with First Choice then a 3 hour transfer from the airport to the resort hotel Club Palm Garden. The bus was old and the driver a local lunatic. We nearly had a head on crash with a lorry! Hence to say after arriving through the poorest cities I have ever been through, and several military police stops we decided we did not want to stay at this hotel,in Sri lanka at all.
We had to book a return flight for the earliest which was 2 days later and return without our wedding being a disaster. We have been to Manchester to report to First Choice along side some evidence photos of our disgusting and unclean, damaged room. Not to mention the all inclusive which comprised of cold soup at lunchtimes and chips, salad and hot curry as the only options. I have been to Caribbean on all inclusive and this was not all inclusive far from it. They are in the process of investigating our case but ABTA are very interested to take it further and if we don't get all our money back it will go to court!!
This has been a truly traumatic time and I hope no-one else falls for the promises and nice photos in the brochure as it is all lies and certainly don't book a wedding as the weddings dept. are all youngsters who do not have any experience booking a wedding.
We had to meet with a First choice customer service representative and the lady head of booking for Sri Lanka, who has never been. They use a local Sri Lankan company whilst out there and it is all bribe money when you get there. Maldives may be better but we were advised it is just for sunbathing with a selection of watersports. There were complaints in the hotel whilst we were there and many had bad experiences to tell. Save your money and go to another country as there is no culture here just poverty !!
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| Board Basis: |
All Inclusive |
| Date of
Holiday: |
May 2007 |
| Tour
Operator: |
Mercury Direct |
| Submitted
By: |
Mrs M D Franklin |
| Overall
Rating: |
9/10 |
| Comments: |
Just returned from the best holiday I have ever taken. The hotel was fantastic, we had a room facing the lagoon, and it was gorgeous day or night.
The service was without doubt the best ever and the food was superb, very varied and the desserts were fantastic.
The pool, the biggest I have ever seen was some days very warm because the sun shone every day 30 degrees plus, take plenty of factors 20!!
And although we were there during the monsoon season we had only about 1 hours worth of rain the whole fortnight!
We took a couple of trips with Mr Susi! Real name Susila Fernando, you can find him outside the gates of the hotel and he lives just up the road. Give him a chance, he will tailor any trip you want to go on, and he and his driver are the greatest guys, very knowledgeable, very funny!
I didn't want to leave and would go back like a shot.
The reason I have only given a 9 is that wine was not included in the all inclusive and was so expensive, but that’s because I am a wine drinker!
And that really is the only criticism of this beautiful place, all the Sri Lankans we met were smiling, happy and calm.
Anything you want to buy is so cheap, there is a tailor just up the road from the hotel; he will make you want you want, shirts, trouser suits, dresses, anything just take a picture of what you want, and he will copy it. Had a great trouser suit made to measure, £45.00!!
A beautiful country, a beautiful hotel, beautiful people, only one thing left to say is GO!
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| Board Basis: |
All Inclusive |
| Date of
Holiday: |
May 2007 |
| Tour
Operator: |
Mercury Direct |
| Submitted
By: |
Miss R Jury |
| Overall
Rating: |
10/10 |
| Comments: |
It was absolutely amazing! When you go in it seems a bit big and we got a bit lost sometimes but eventually you know where everything is! At check-in, you get this really exotic green fruit cocktail thing with a melon ball in it which was a lovely start.
The whole place is beautiful, the beach is literally 2 minutes away and everyone, staff and visitors are so friendly and love young children. The bar serves delicious drinks and a list of about 12 all-inclusive cocktails.
The pool is the biggest I have ever seen! Every morning at 11, there is water aerobics, followed by volleyball, which is always entertaining to watch! The food is always different. My personal favourite was "Flambe Night"! What else?...oh yeah, there is a small hut like thing where there is a bunch of Tuk-Tuks just waiting to drive you where you want to go. It costs about 500 rupees to get from the hotel to town and back which is about £2.50!!! Ok, well I’ll leave some stuff for you to experience!
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| Board Basis: |
All Inclusive |
| Date of
Holiday: |
May 2007 |
| Tour
Operator: |
Mercury Direct |
| Submitted
By: |
Mrs J Heath |
| Overall
Rating: |
10/10 |
| Comments: |
Just got back from the most pampered holiday of my life. The Hotel staff couldn't do enough for you and were fantastic, so friendly and always smiling.
Our room was in a cabana against the lagoon...paradise! A sandbar separated us from the sea.
Woke in the morning to watch fishermen at work in the lagoon and a great variety of birdlife.
Food was awesome...lots of variety for the most picky of pickers.
The massage is something to go for...if you miss this, you have missed a real treat.
The guys who run the entertainment are great and made my holiday with their sense of fun and providing things to do in the pool.
Don't just stay in the Hotel, Tuc-tucs are waiting outside the gates and at the other side of the sand bar...great adventure just to explore locally you are perfectly safe with the drivers.
Give Slimline Tours a go...I did and thoroughly enjoyed myself with river trip, Colombo and an overnight trip to Kandy and the tea plantation...all organised by Samudu the owner of Slim Line Tours, a lovely guy who really looks after you and is overflowing with knowledge of his beautiful land.
Can't wait to go back...saving up already.
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| Board Basis: |
All Inclusive |
| Date of
Holiday: |
Apr 2007 |
| Tour
Operator: |
Mercury Direct |
| Submitted
By: |
Mrs S.C White |
| Overall
Rating: |
9/10 |
| Comments: |
We have just returned from a wonderful, relaxing holiday in this hotel.
The staff were friendly and so hard working. We seldom got to the point where our glasses were empty! (Or our stomachs.)
Susila Fernando is an excellent tour guide and can be found outside the hotel gates along with a few others. His tours are cheaper especially if there are more than two of you.
I do think though that the hotel should try to develop the beach more as some guests like to use the beach area, as it is usually cooler there with the gentle sea breeze.
We look forward to returning to this lovely hotel and to discover some of the other treasures of this beautiful island and its wonderful people.
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Club Palm Bay Hotel ReviewsPage 1 2
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