Reviews of Club Dolphin Hotel, Waikkal, Sri Lanka

My family and I have just...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

Jul 2006

Tour Operator:

Mercury Direct

Submitted By:

Mrs K A Rowlands

Comments:

My family and I have just returned from a wonderful 2 week holiday at Club Hotel Dolphin. The location by the sea is fantastic, the facilities at the hotel cater for all ages and the food could not be faulted. The animation team provided activities throughout the day for both adults and children alike, this meant that if you didn't want to sit on a lounger at the beautiful poolside you could get involved with some fun and games to break up the day.



Outside of the hotel we went on a day trip with Tamil from the ASDA shop. We were very pleased with the tourist places we visited but were concerned by some of the erratic driving of the local Sri Lankans.



One word of caution if you agree a price for saris to be made at the ASDA shop ensure that is the price to be paid when collected as the price changed considerably for me. There is also another shop nearby called Tesco run by Edward who is a lovely man but drives a hard bargain.



He also runs trips which were highly recommended by other guests of the hotel. We enjoyed this holiday and our stay at Club Hotel Dolphin so much that we are thinking of returning next summer. We particularly look forward to meeting all of the animation team especially Pali, Asha,Shami,Sunny and Ritchie.

We had a fantastic two week...

Overall Rating:

9/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

Jul 2006

Tour Operator:

First Choice

Submitted By:

Miss L J Marsh

Comments:

We had a fantastic two week holiday at Hotel dolphin. The hotel staff were brilliant, always polite and helpful. During the day there is the choice of the quiet pool or the larger, more lively pool, where the entertainment team provide activities throughout the day.



We also did a range of trips, some with First choice and others with Edward and local taxi drivers. With Edward we visited the Millennium Elephant sanctuary where we had the opportunity to wash the elephants in the river and also to have a quick 5 min ride.



During the trip we also visited the elephant orphanage and watched the elephants bathe in the river - an amazing sight. We booked a trip with a local taxi driver to visit Columbo (the capital) it wasn't what we imagined - not commercialised at all. One tip if you're planning to see the capital - take off your hotel wrist bands as we were targeted by people pretending to work at our hotel and trying to scam us!



I thought the food available at the hotel was very good - I’m a vegan and very fussy and they were still able to cater for me!



Overall we really enjoyed our holiday and we made some great friends (Hi to Caroline and James); FiFi and LaLa really made our holiday and I hope we will return soon so we can see them all again.

I had an absolutely fabulous...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

Jun 2005

Tour Operator:

Thomas Cook

Submitted By:

Shezzie

Comments:

I had an absolutely fabulous time at this hotel, I would go back tomorrow if I could.



It's so beautiful around the pool area and beach and the rooms were lovely too. The animation team were fabulous, the hours they work is unbelievable, it just wouldn't happen in England.



They work for an average wage of about £15.00 a month so rely heavy on tourism which has dropped really badly, understandably since the tsunami.



The staff are so friendly, and always happy and smiling. A special mention to LaLa, you rock my world!

We had the most wonderful...

Overall Rating:

9/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

Jul 2006

Tour Operator:

Mercury Direct

Submitted By:

Ms WR Elliman

Comments:

We had the most wonderful fortnight at the Club Hotel Dolphin. We were three generations together, and all six of us found our place with the activities, food and facilities, which were creative, friendly and fun. Being somewhat isolated in Waikkal, its programmes ran from 11.00 a.m. till after midnight each day.



Set amid beautiful gardens with a magnificent pool, I'd also have been content to do little more than lie around! The hotel also served as a good base from which to see more of this wonderful island. We shunned the larger organized tours and traveled with Benedict, proprietor of the ASDA store along the beach, in an air-conditioned minivan.



For £20 less per person than on the big tour buses, we saw and did far more: we scrubbed elephants down with coconut shells, rode on their backs and got showered from their trunks, visited a gem mine, a turtle hatchery, Buddhist temples, a mask factory, a tea plantation, and climbed our way up Sigiriya. Benedict proved a pleasant and energetic escort, who never stopped buying us gifts.

The service received during our...

Overall Rating:

9/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

Apr 2006

Tour Operator:

First Choice

Submitted By:

Miss L Clegg

Comments:

The service received during our two week stay at the Club Hotel Dolphin was to the highest standard desired. The staff could not do enough for us at the hotel despite, the quietness and effects on tourism form the tsunami and the current troubles.



The food available on the All Inclusive package was excellent and provided a wide choice even for myself, as an awkward vegetarian.



The bar, restaurant, animators and pool staff worked long hours to ensure that the service provided was first class. Not a bad word can be said!



Although not 5 star, the facilities available at the hotel were varied for everyone’s tastes, and ensured that the more active or sun loungers like myself could partake.



The evening entertainment provided from the animation team, was excellent and thoroughly entertaining.



Although located away from the main tourist areas, I would strongly recommend this hotel for a pleasant and thoroughly enjoyable piece of Sri Lanka!