Blue Water Hotel

11 readers found this review helpful

We chose this location and hotel to hold our wedding and i must say it was truly magical. We were treated like royalty from the moment we arrived as was our wedding party. We stayed at this hotel for two weeks on an all inclusive basis and i can not fault it in any way. We are looking forward to going back for one of our wedding anniversaries. I, along with all my wedding party would highly recommend this hotel. Absolutely stunning views and amazing food, pool, rooms, staff, spa, beach and anything else that was there. I loved it and it made our wedding even more special.

3 readers found this review helpful

Hotel in a wonderful location right on a sandy beach
The hotel has a luxiourious feel to it, however the service and the staff did
not live up to my expectations
Unfortunatly I felt ripped off constantly by the hotel and this has left a
bad taste in my mouth
The pools where stunning, and the food was average
The best point about Sri lanka is its beautiful scenery and wonderful sightseeing trips
I would definatly return and although I wouldnt rule staying at this hotel again
I would not make it a priority to return
It did not have the WOW factor
Go to Sri Lanka its fasanating and extra ordinary

11 readers found this review helpful

My wife stayed here in 2006 and insisted that I came to this hotel with her. I have to say that the hotel was first class. The staff were superb, they like to speak , even to say hello , followed by a smile. Yes, some visitors were miserable but a small effort by anyone was always returned. I had, years ago, sponsored a girl in Sri Lanka and having found her one of the Managers did a food shop for me to take to her family home without me asking!
The hotel food was excellent, plenty to choose from. As a person who enjoys his vegetables there was a selection available most days.
My advice would be to book all inclusive unless you do not eat lunch time.
Needless to say a return in January to see my new sponsorship near Panadura will mean another stay at the Blue Water.

7 readers found this review helpful

We stayed here for 2 days' R&R between cricket tours. When our tour party arrived, we were greeted with glasses of freshly squeezed juice and a cool face cloth to freshen up. The hotel grounds were stunning with a water theme - waterfalls, pools, and stepping stones - throughout. Our room was tastefully furnished with the most fantastic bathroom I have ever seen - black marble, chrome, and azure blue tiles. We had everything we wanted, including a balcony overlooking the sea. The health spa is housed in what looks like a bunker but the treatment (I had a massage and reflexology) was very professional and, compared with UK prices, an absolute bargain. There is a library on the top floor so you can drop off any holiday reading you've finished with, or you can pick up a replacement (no charge). The drinks are expensive by Sri Lankan standards but this is a 5 star hotel and, at the end of the day, drinks are still far cheaper than in a similar graded hotel in Europe. If you order a bottle of wine but don't manage to finish it, the staff keep the remainder for you for the following evening - a nice touch, I think. The only negative point is the food. The selection from the buffet was not extensive and the food was lukewarm, at best.

10 readers found this review helpful

We booked our one week holiday as a last minute deal on the internet. Having never been to this part of the world before we didn't know what to expect. The transfer from the airport, even though it is only 20 miles, took around two and a half hours because of the unusual numbers of tuk tuks and cows on the roads!
The travel is worth it though, as soon as you reach the Blue water you feel immediately relaxed. All the staff are very friendly and willing to do anything for you. The pool is great and very large and all the hotel is very elegant. The restaurant food was very good and there was always a great variety. Other reviews have said that there is nothing in the surrounding area to do and that the sea is always too rough. However we found this didn't matter, the pool is large enough that you don't need to go into the sea to swim but the beach is very nice to walk along and paddle in. There are many taxis and Tuk-Tuks which are very cheap to use to go to the local villages and markets and are well worth a visit but trips out to the rest of the Island are a must, especially the Elephant orphanage, Kandy, Sigiriya and Nuwara Eliya.

12 readers found this review helpful

My husband and I were desperate for a break after a long summer working all hours. With only 2 weeks to go I booked our 8 night break to Sri Lanka and the Blue Water hotel. With only 2 days to go I stumbled across this website and the last review from Ms Dobson. Dreams of a relaxing holiday shattered!
Well, I am pleased to say our experience was nothing like the one Ms Dobson experienced.
Visiting a third world country is always going to be an experience - the greatest one is dramatic contrasts that exist in lifestyle. Architecture (aside from the historical and cultural sites) is either modern glass showrooms or 'shanty' style low buildings housing families that start their days very early (schools start at 0730), who work hard to earn a living in conditions that the first world would not tolerate. Main roads are crowded with buses, cars, tuk tuks, motorbikes and pushbikes - and cows! All you need to drive in Sri Lanka our driver said was a brake and a horn - the most important - a horn. No wonder then that it can take a little while to reach any destination.
Our trip to the Elephant Orphanage took 3 hours - we left the hotel at 0530 to miss some of that school traffic, with our breakfast packs and bottles of water we were happy to experience the early morning activities of the locals. We booked our trip with our local agent - we were not taken anywhere we did not want to go - in fact our guide was most careful in advising us to watch for the 'touts'. We saw and experienced things we would not have expected to have seen - riding bareback on an Elephant seemingly double my height; capturing on film the baby elephants at the orphanage; families washing under a stand pipe or from a water butt; smartly dressed, in white, school children appearing from their shed like homes; children laughing and playing, still full of innocence, waving enthusiastically as we walked past - Sri Lanka a country of vast contrasts.
As for the Blue Water hotel we experienced a friendly and professional team of staff, the food was excellent, and we are somewhat fussy on quality and service in restaurants, the wine selection was good and whilst the prices are not those of the French hypermarkets, we found them to be comparable with the UK high street and our local restaurants.
The Indian Ocean on the south west coast is known to be rough at certain times of year, it will never be the crystal clear waters of the Maldives. The hotel however gets its name from the blue water of the expansive swimming pool, surrounded by palm trees creating a natural canopy from the sun. The calming effects of the water pools and fountains around the hotel added to the relaxing ambience of the hotel already evident and inherent in its architecture and interior design.
Before I finish - the spa needs a mention. Beautifully designed with friendly and competent staff, a spa that certainly qualifies to be amongst the top ranking in Asia.
My husband and I had a relaxing time - exactly what we wanted from the holiday. There is far more of Sri Lanka to be seen which can really only be accomplished by a tour completing that with a stay at a beach side hotel such as the Blue Water. We would certainly recommend it - but I would also recommend that any 'holiday maker' do some research before deciding to take a break in a third world country and therefore be prepared for the possible downsides. We all have different opinions and experiences - this is mine.

4 readers found this review helpful

I have to say a real let down considering the reviews I read. Everyone had the exact same complaints about the hotel. One the beach. It was covered in oil, the sea was too rough, wasn’t clean. Second the basic manners of the staff with things like approaching to make conversation whilst you are eating and the room cleaners ringing you if you have do not disturb on your door to ask if they can come in.
Then the moocher. Everyone who has been there will know the moocher. A waiter who consistently hovers around trying to mooch. Gosh it was his birthday on the Thursday and he spent the two days before reminding you what shifts he was working before his big day. You couldn’t walk past the guy without him stopping you to remind you again. I got to the point if he spoke to me once more I was going to explode. He asked one of the women to send him a mobile phone as he couldn’t afford one.
I found it quite a good thing that it was so remote. If you want to see sites, do not stay at this hotel. It is about two hours each way to the closest sites (which really are more you pay about 100 pound for the day to be sold to by various factories and as much as you say. No more factories just take me to the turtle sanctuary. You get taken into more factories). Then its about five and a half hours up to the elephant orphanage. Anyone who went on a day trip from the hotel was told it was only a couple of hours and lost the will to live. So please don’t be told its not five and a half hours as it is. Each way for about fifteen mins in the elephant orphanage and numerous factories again where you are sold to (think the drivers are on kick backs).
There are some lovely people working at the hotel, one very smiley lovely man who was management and a lovely lady in the business centre, the pool towel little old man was great too but that moocher. I know anyone who stayed there will know what I mean. Apparently he has been there eight years and I am shocked he still has his job with his level of unprofessionalism and blatant vulture like behaviour around your wallet.
Basically, awful beach, no blue water (regardless of the description on here), food is average, DRINKS ARE EXTORTION and bizarre manners of some staff such as dropping by for a chat whilst eating and ringing you when your do not disturb sign is on (in fact one cleaner knocked on one couples door and barged right in past him when he said no when his do not disturb was on). I will mention the price of drinks etc again as it is UK hotel prices, which as we know is ridiculous. It was about 1.50 for a can of coke from the pool bar!
Take into consideration its location. Its quiet and hours drive at 20 mph in an automatic car where the driver is constantly on the breaks. If you want to visit places, be prepared to spend most of the day in the car.
On the plus side, rooms are lovely, balconies a bit grotty and the nightly bands did the same five songs over and over again in old working mans club singer style things like Eric Clapton. Which was funny at first but again, lost will to live after hearing it for the twentieth time.
Great hotel to stay for a couple of days before going up to Kandy for most of the sites. If you are wanting something more lively, maybe try Hikkaduwa as that’s where the water sports are and its much more bustling and has outdoor restaurants and bars. You really are confined to the hotel here. No bars or restaurants outside to just walk to in the evening etc which a lot of people complained about. It didn’t bother me to be honest.

3 readers found this review helpful

We found the hotel most impressive with ever helpful staff, lack of entertainment for children but a beautiful well maintained hotel, excellent food.
We booked our tours with the beach boys who were very friendly, honest and helpful and undercut the tour companies by up to 50%,they were insured and the service was of a high standard with excellent English spoken.
Would recommend these people are used as its their living and their local knowledge is excellent.

4 readers found this review helpful

The hotel is superb. It was very quiet when we were there making it supremely relaxing. Viewing the sea from your balcony is a beautiful way to end a day before tucking in to a fantastic buffet.
The staff were almost too attentive and often at dinner our plates had gone before we had finished chewing the last mouthful. Everyone is very friendly.
Drinks are very, very expensive. A bottle of wine with dinner will set you back at least £15 while even the local beer is £2 a bottle. Don't think you are going to have a cheap holiday once you get there. At least not if you want to drink anything.
The big downside is that there is nothing to do in the surrounding area. You either go out for the day or stay in the hotel.
Travelling around the island takes a long time as the roads are very busy and the drivers are absolutely mental. However the countryside is stunning.
Expect people to stick their hands out for tips wherever you go - it does get annoying.
Also prices will immediately be inflated at every shop when the western visitor turns up.