03rd July, 1989

K.MATSUI , ID : MHA02645

TITLE : SRI LANKA 5-R

HOTELS IN SRI LANKA

When you visit Sri Lanka for a journey or business, whatever else, one

of the most important things is to choose an appropriate hotel, for you

and your purpose of visit to Sri Lanka. As a matter of fact, there are

a large number of choises for your hotel from very gorgeous/deluxe

hotels to simple/plain, consequently very cheap hotels. It depends

totally on the purpose of your visit.

If you are a businessman, you'd better stay in such hotels as the

Ramada hotel, the Hotel Lanka Oberoi, etc because they could provide

you with a well-equiped business room for a reasonable price, and they

also have reliable international communication systems, such as

international telecom., facsimile, telex. Some hotels are very weak in

international communications, which is definitely disadvantageous for

busy Japanese business men.

If you want to get acquainted with the European tourists, it's rather

easy to go to simple/plain hotels located at such seaside resorts as

Mount-Lavinia, Klutara, Bentota, Hikkaduwa, Galle, Matara, Hambantota

and Kirinda, because the European tourists , unlike Japanese tourists,

tend to stay in one place they like for a long time, say 2 weeks /

even one month. Many Japanese are quite eager to look around all over

Sri Lanka for a short time period. It's a very good way to know what

Sri Lanka is like but I think it's rather tiring.

If you want to spend gorgeous time in Colombo, I recommend that you use

5 star hotels. The charges of 5 star hotels are very cheap in Colombo

compared to other countries, though they were doubled in 1988 due to

instructions given by the Sri Lankan government. We used to use them at

a cost of 3000 yen per day, but now you should pay 5000 to 6000 yen per

night, but it's still very cheap when I think of the gorgeous

facilities such as sports facilities, dining facilities, shopping

facilities, etc. You could really enjoy yourself and relax during your

stay in Sri Lanka. Outside of Colombo, there are only a few 5 star

hotels.

I list the names of hotels and their ranks, where I stayed at least one

night.

NAME OF HOTEL RANK COMMENT

Airport Garden Hotel *** Katunayaka, near Air Port.

Convenient for those who take

early morning flights.

Nice barber shop run by women,

which is unusual in Sri Lanka.

Riverside, nice swimming pool.

Hotel Lanka Oberoi ***** Well equiped business facility

and international communication

system.

Deemed to be the No.1 hotel in

Sri Lanka.

Fantastic classical music is

available every evening by a

small orchestra.

Nice swimming pool and pool side

to relax.

Enough room space.

Not suitable for work in the room

as there is not enough light.

Work must be done in the business

room.

Hotel Ramada Ranaissance ***** Well equiped business facility

and international communication

system.

Neat, tidy and large rooms.

Very nice swimming pool and

poolside.

Dancing every evening on the

lobby.

Nice bar and sauna facilities.

Hilton International Colombo ***** The newest hotel in Sri Lanka.

It is only around 2 years old.

Most of the Japanese prefer this

gorgeous hotel.

Sri Lanka No.1 Japanese

restaurant "Housen" from Ginza of

Japan is there.

Japanese food is very tasty, but

the price is as same as in Japan.

Hotel Galadari Meridien ***** Relatively unknown by the

Japanese.

Not so many Japanese.

I used to use this hotel.

Nice swimming pool beside the

Indian sea, although it's rather

small.

You should make a reservation for

a seaside room, it's just

marvellous.

Nice Discotheque "Colombo 2000

Night Club".

Hotel Taj Samudra ***** Neet and tidy rooms.

You shoud reserve a seaside room.

Fantastic sunset can be seen.

Just beautiful.

Gamblers must stay here.

Gambling is available at several

places in Colombo but I recommend

only here and the Hotel Ceylon

Intercontinental.

Actually it's exiting.

Roulette, Black Jack, Bakala, etc

available.

It's not so difficult to earn the

money for your air-ticket from

CMB to Japan.

Hotel Ceylon Intercontinental ***** Located just beside the Indian

Ocean.

Nice pool side , would be so

romantic when you are with your

partner.

Sun set in the Indian Ocean is

just beautiful.(usually 6 to 6:30

pm)

One of the nice Casinos in Sri

Lanka.

In case you lost money at the

Taj, come here , the way of

gambling and atmosphere are

different from those of the Taj.

Hotel Holiday Inn ***** Just plain large bed in a large

room.

Americans like this simply as the

size of the bed is large.

2 girls in the coffee shop are

extemely beautiful.

For those who want to see Sinhala

Beauty.

Hotel Renuka *** Very convenient for those who

stay in the centre of Colombo for

a long time.

Actually I stayed here for 40

days when we evacuated the

construction site due to the

terrorist problem on site.

One day 2000 yen for long term

contract.(including tax)

Bring your favourite bottle to

the bar so that you could keep

the bottle for only Rs.150 (600

yen). Very reasonable!!

There is no beauty here.

Just drink and sleep for tomorrow'

work.

Hotel Empress ** No TV , Hot water and bathtub

attached.

Room acceptable.

Just for sleeping.

Korean restaurant attached. Very

cheap but wonderful taste.

Many Japanese come for lunch and

dinner but not to stay.

I tried one night's stay.

Rs.250 (1000 J.yen) for one night.

The wife of owner, Mrs.Lao, is

very beautiful.

The owner is a Thai

Chinese-Merchant.

I drank together with the owner

once.

Hotel RanwanLanka ** Hot water, and bathtub available.

No TV , place just for sleeping.

Rs.250 (1000 J.yen) for one night.

Hotel Havelock * Hot water not available.

No TV.

No A/C (Air Conditioning).

Mosquito coil (KATORI SENKOU) is

indispensable.

If you don't bring mosquito coil

with you, you will see the

consequence.

Must be avoided.

Mount Lavinia Hotel **** Very old but traditional.

Very Very Romantic , if you

accompany your partner to this

hotel.(even if the partner is

your wife.)

Mount Lavinia is the closest

resort for beach life from

Colombo. Only 10 miles from

Colombo.

At most 200 Rs. (800 J.yen) by

taxi from CMB to M/L Hotel.

Mount Royal Beach Hotel ** Located in Galkissa near

M/Lavinia.

Visit here on 24th December,

special menu for Cristmas is

waiting for you.

I tired that turkey and filet

steak with special champagne

provided by the Hotel.

I requested them to fill my glass

with more champagne, then they

said free drinks are restricted

to the first one only.

So I reluctantly ordered another

glass of champagne as I'd thought

that Today was free of charge as

far as champagne was concerned.

Anyway that was interesting.

Hotel Sea Breeze * Located in Galkissa near

M/Lavinia.

Place only for sleeping.

Mosquito coil (KATORI SENKOU) is

indispensable.

If you don't bring one with you,

you will see the consequence.

Must be avoided.

But,

This hotel has nice massage (not

message) served by young Sri

Lankan Beauty, rubbing and

kneading the body to remove pain

or stiffness from your tired body.

I recommend this massage when

you've got tired in Sri Lanka.

One hour only 600 yen.

Girls at most 30 years old.

Ocean View Tour Inn * No TV, no hot/warm water, no

bathtub. Mosquito Coil is a must

to stay here.

But,

I like this place best because I

could get aquainted with European

peaple easily here.

The owners name is Rohan, who is

my friend and the owners niece is

in Japan working for a milk

company at Tsudanuma.

I've got a German friend, British

friend but I never saw an

American here.

Coral comb Hotel ** Located in Hikkaduwa.

Nice place.

I talked with Indian oriented Sri

Lankan for a day long including

nice lady from Europe.

Drugs can be obtained here easily

but I couldn't try them.

Marijuana is, I think very

popular for Europeans, but It's

not popular for Japanese, and I

coudn't try it.

Peacock Hotel ** Located in Hambantota.

I think none of you would go upto

Hambantota, as there are so many

nice places before you reach

Hambantota.

I went there to seek white sand,

nice and calm sea.

You will be disappointed when you

go to search nice tropical

seaside (beach) in Sri Lanka ,

because the beachs are rather

steep, not very suitable for

swimming and further sand colour

is rather dark, as at

KUJUUKURIHAMA in Chiba Prefecture.

I went upto Kirinda to seek white

sand, where I only found very

rough and wild waves in the sea.

Note:

Precise information will be given next time. Sorry I've got tired.

I'll only show you a list of hotels.

Tissamaharama Rest House * Tissamaharama

Royal Lotus Hotel ** Giritale

Polonnaruwa Rest House * Polonnaruwa

Hotel Amalian Nivas * Polonnaruwa

Mahiyangana Rest House -* Mahiyangana

Hotel Topaz ** Kandy

Janaki Hotels * Kandy

Queens Hotel ** Kandy

The Citadel ** Kandy

What a large number of hotels I stayed at ! As I listed them, I

realized.

Kandy is a much more interesting place for me than Colombo.