Browns Beach Hotel

2 readers found this review helpful

Initially we thought that the hotel required some upgrading but after visiting a couple of other hotels in Sri Lanka realised that this hotel really knows how to look after their residents - its a bit colonial but the rooms were clean and spacious and the view from our balcony was second to none. Room service was brilliant - same price for a drink at the bar or to have it delivered to your room.
The staff were very helpful and we found that if you tip 100 sri lankan rupees for each bill the staff really looked after you. In Sri Lanka the staff can buy their dinner with 100 rupees - which is approximately 80 sterling pence - which for us Brits doesn't buy much in our Country!
Places you must visit are without doubt Pinnawela - the Elephant Orphanage - we even got to pat one of their heads - tremendous. Polonnaruwa, Temple of the Tooth in Kandy - hire a guide for a couple of sterling pounds - well worth it as you get to places other tourists don't get to see.
Shopping is a must in Sri Lanka - Kandy especially - you need to visit Barefoot - clothing and household wares - very cheap and very good quality items - eg like Habitat, Monsoon. Barefoot also has a wonderful restaurant in the back garden where live music is played -very chilled and cool. Odel is a brilliant department store with everything and anything in it along with a Sushi Bar, other restaurants and best of all it is air condtiioned. There are a number of other shops that we visited and the prices are so cheap compared to home but the quality is good if not better than at home.
The best way to do your shopping is to hire a driver from the hotel - this is a lot cheaper than using the Tour guides choice of driver - it cost us about £20 per day for the use of a driver in an airconditioned car - our chappie collected us from the hotel - took us round all the shops we wanted to visit and brought us back to our hotel in comfort - very reasonable indeed.
Take very little clothing with you - wonderful items to buy while you are there and then you can bring home all sorts of delightful items, cushion covers, clothes, household items etc - so the best piece of advice is to take an empty suitcase with you so that you can bring it back full and not have to pay any excess baggage.
Downside is the poverty - quite distressing if you are not used to seeing it. People do beg - but you really can tell the ones who are honestly very poor just by looking in their eyes. Also since the Tsunami there are a number of people trying to con you out of money saying that they are collecting money for the children - please beware of this - if someone asks you for money with regards to the Tsunami look at what they are wearing - if they can afford to wear good clothes, and have a pen and notebook it is very doubtful that they are in fact collecting for the orphanes - pens and notebooks are expensive in Sri Lanka for the everyday locals - so beware.
Restaurants are good - Sri Lankan curry is delicious and there is tons of fresh seafood - aim for the German hotel in the main street and you will get a delicious meal for a few pounds.
A few times a month there is a holy day called the "Full Moon" - you cannot buy alcohol on this day apart from getting beer delivered to your hotel room but I am sure all
our livers can resist the temptation for 1 day per week!
Well worth a visit and really the very best way to spend January especially if you live in Scotland, UK!