Reviews of Avani Kalutara Resort

Anantara Kalutara Resort Review (Upgraded from Avani-) I originally booked a 3D2N stay at Avani, but when I arrived at 4:30 pm, I had to wait about 20 minutes before being informed that the hotel was fully booked due to overbooking. I was then upgraded to the neighbouring Anantara Kalutara Resort at no additional charge. While I appreciated the complimentary upgrade, the overall arrival experience was disappointing. If the hotel knew they had oversold their rooms, they should have arranged the upgrade before guests arrived. Instead, I was sent by buggy (about a 5-minute ride) to Anantara, where I had to wait another 30 minutes for my room to be ready. By the time I finally checked in, it was already 5:00 pm. Room:---I was assigned Room 218, which overlooks the garden. The room was spacious, as was the bathroom, which featured a separate bathtub, walk-in shower, toilet, and double vanity. The bed and mattress were comfortable, although they did not feel particularly luxurious like Ritz Carlton and Sheraton's amentities. After checking the room rates, I found that Anantara Kalutara charges around US$400 per night. In my opinion, the hotel does not justify this price. Having stayed at many luxury five- and six-star hotels, I found Anantara Kalutara to be overpriced for the level of comfort and service it offers. Resort:---The resort grounds are large, beautifully maintained, and shared between Anantara and Avani. Morning walks are especially enjoyable, with fresh air, a cool breeze, and a peaceful green atmosphere. I enjoyed my morning walk. However, after 7:30 pm, many of the pathways become extremely dark. Since the gym operates 24 hours, I had planned to work out in the evening, but walking around the resort at night felt uncomfortable due to the poor lighting. The resort is also located quite far from the city, so guests will most likely dine within the resort during their stay. Breakfast at Anantara:-----The breakfast spread was above average, offering a good variety of both local and international dishes. However, for a luxury resort in this price range, I did not find it to be at the same standard as the breakfast offerings at Cinnamon Life Colombo or Sheraton Colombo. Overall, the breakfast was satisfactory, but neither the food selection nor the service justified the premium positioning of the resort. Dinner at Avani Buffet:----- On my first night, I tried the buffet dinner at Avani, which cost LKR 9,700 (approximately US$27). The price is reasonable and affordable for a hotel buffet. The selection mainly consisted of fish, chicken, and pork, with virtually no seafood available. However, there was a good variety of vegetarian dishes. I found unusual was that dinner service only started at 7:00 pm. About 50 minutes into my meal, a waitress politely asked whether everything was satisfactory, which I appreciated. However, just 10 minutes later, she brought me the bill even though I was still eating. Since I tend to eat slowly, enjoying small portions at a time, I found this rather offensive. It gave me the impression that guests were being encouraged to finish their meals quickly.

Arrival & Check-in @Avani The arrival experience was pleasant. The lobby is fresh, airy, and welcoming. However, the check-in process was slower than expected. Room ---＞＞＞ The room is of average size by Sri Lankan resort standards. It comes with a balcony and a separate shower area. Room amenities are quite basic, and the bed and mattress are nothing exceptional. Unfortunately, I found stains on the mattress and had to request a replacement. The bath towels were noticeably old and worn, so I used my own towel instead. However, housekeeping mistakenly removed my personal towel during cleaning. It was quite obvious that it was my own, as it was a completely different brand, quality, and color, while the hotel's towels were still hanging on the towel rack. This suggests that housekeeping lacks attention to detail. Breakfast---＞＞＞＞＞＞ Breakfast was disappointing. The coffee served was an instant coffee mix, which is below expectations for a resort of this category. The overall breakfast quality and selection felt underwhelming. Facilities & Location The hotel has a swimming pool and gym facilities. Unfortunately, I was on a work trip and did not have much time to enjoy them. The hotel is beachfront, so the location is ideal if you are visiting Beruwala for a beach holiday. The beach access and seaside setting are definitely among the stronger points of the property. One thing to keep in mind is the cost. I found Beruwala noticeably more expensive than Colombo, so it is worth factoring this into your budget, especially for a longer stay.

A wonderful place for a quiet getaway. Excellent rooms, lots of wildlife on the hotel grounds, and delicious food. I'll definitely be back again, Avani never disappoints.

We went following a wedding, and the stay was really relaxing. Perfect for families/couples who want to simply relax by the pool and enjoy the sun.

Overall a pleasant stay. Friendly staff at the reception and the restaurant, location is also a short drive to the town with grocery stores, bakeries and restaurants. Pickme and UberEats had some options too. Pool was quite nice and we also used the gym, AvaniFit, couple of times, which was quite adequate too. Breakfast was ok with eggs, vegetables and some local delicacies as well. Could've been more diverse though. Air conditioning seemed to be set at 24, but never felt like it was at 24, but thank goodness for the fan in the room which kept us cool for the most part. Access to the beach, and the lagoon, were the best part of our stay! To see the sunset every evening was a great highlight.

Best place to relax

The hotel is excellent, and the pool and sea view are simply magnificent. They even provide mosquito repellent!

5* hotel booked to end our trip in style. Bar staff and cleaners were super happy, polite and love to great the guests in the hotel. Reception staff were generally unhelpful. I tried to book activities and excursions, but was initially told to go the hotel next door before being given a random book While trying to sort late check out one receptionist began serving another customer over my head. Late check out was eventually agreed to which was helpful but after being sat face to face in silence for minutes. Facilities are wonderful. Nice private beach, great pool area. Two bars and buffet style restaurant with ala carte option. Locals got charged significantly less for our event dinner. Some would say that's fair, others would disagree, but not being transparent probably suggests it was trying to be hidden. Service wasn't 5*. When we arrived our bedding was ripped and had a huge hole in it. Thankfully this was fixed, but I think atleast 2/3 people came to check before it was resolved.

Luxurious hotel with impeccable service. Comfortable rooms, and outstanding amenities. The staff is attentive, and the dining experience is superb. A truly five-star stay.

The best guest service in Sri Lanka. Avani Kalutara is on of our highlights in Sri Lanka trip and we never forget to stay here. Special thanks goes to staff and especially FOM Jayantha always happy to serves much as possible. Glad to be here again and thank you Team and Jayantha make our stay memorable. Definitely we will see you all next time in Sri Lanka

We had such a wonderful stay here for our honeymoon. Everything was lovely, and we truly enjoyed our time at the hotel. A special thank you to Kanishka and all the other staff members for being so friendly, kind, and helpful throughout our stay. You made our honeymoon even more special and memorable. Highly recommended! 🤍

We had a nice time with avani . rooms, lication, service is really really good. foods are amazing. thank you nimesh amashi and bhagya for your friendly support .

Best time with avani.nimesh amashi and piyathissa. Thank you so much for your friendly services . Foods are amazing . Will come back again.

Best time with Ava I. Overall best hotel. Thank you nimesh amashi and bhagya. Foods are very tasty. Best experience