Royal Palms Beach Hotel

The hotel was lovely. I could not fault it. There was nothing out of place Very clean hygienic The swimming pool was wonderful The weather let me down as it was monsoon weather and unfortunately the beach was waved off at all times it was high tide But there is a mystery beach to your right which in September is invisible to go to The tours I did privately also with the hotel it was a pleasure to visit Sri Lanka for the second time

What a fantastic hotel. From the welcome on our arrival until when we had to say goodbye this hotel was nothing short of amazing. The rooms were well equipped, clean and spacious. The pool and garden area were very well maintained. The restaurant was clean, the food was excellent. A mix of Sri Lankan cuisine but for those who don't like spicy food there were always 2-3 alternatives plus live cooking stations. The area around the hotel has a few shops, there is a supermarket 5 minutes by Tuk-Tuk or a ten minute walk away. Be aware on leaving the hotel you will be approached by tuk-tuk drivers, shopkeepers and those using the old scam of pretending to work at your hotel to direct you into the "friends" shop. A friendly but firm "No Thanks" always did the trick and we never felt uncomfortable. The hotel does warn you about the scams but can't really do a lot else. But the thing that made the hotel and holiday so special was the staff at the hotel. Every single one from the gardeners to housekeeping to the pool guys to the restaurant staff to the bellboys to reception were outstanding and a credit to not only the hotel but Sri Lanka in general. Their friendliness and professionalism was amazing. It would be unfair to single anyone out as they were all brilliant, you really got the impression they were genuinely happy to have you stay in their hotel, rather than chasing tips (which we have experienced in hotels in other countries). We fell in love with Sri Lanka and would love to return one day as there were things we didn't see, if we did return we would not contemplate staying anywhere else than the Royal Palms.

Chanaka was the best room server we had all holiday.

I have just returned from my fifth visit and I can honestly say, in my opinion, that this is one of the best hotels that I have EVER stayed in. There is something about this hotel that I love. The laid back atmosphere makes you feel so relaxed that within minutes you are down by the pool luxuriating in the wonderful grounds. The food is superb; I am still discovering new dishes although I must give a special mention to the exquisite coconut pudding, brinjal moju and egg hoppa; which must be eaten with the fingers, there is just no other way. The rooms are clean and all have seaviews. They are spacious, have all the required facilities and the beds are really comfortable. All the staff are courteous and from the moment you arrive they give 100% attentive service and it would be disingenuous to single out any one member for special mention. I am already thinking about when I can go back to this wonderful place that has given me so many lovely memories. Thanks to everyone for making my stay, once again, unforgettable!

We have just returned from spending two wonderful weeks at the Royal Palms Beach Hotel, and I can honestly say that this is probably one of the best hotels we have ever stayed in, with some of the most amazing staff we have ever had the pleasure of meeting. The hotel far exceeded our expectations. The décor was lovely, the cleanliness was exceptional, and it genuinely felt like a home away from home. To put that into perspective, during our stay we decided to take a weekend trip to the Maldives. As wonderful as that experience was, we genuinely couldn’t wait to get “home” to Royal Palms and settle back into our beautifully appointed room! The housekeeping team were excellent throughout our stay, and their towel sculptures were quite simply the best we have seen anywhere in the world. I have included some photographs so that other travellers can see their incredible creativity and attention to detail. However, where this hotel really sets itself apart from anywhere else we have stayed, and we have been fortunate enough to experience some truly top-end hotels, is its staff. Quite simply, nothing is too much trouble for them. Whoever is responsible for the training and development of the staff at Royal Palms should be incredibly proud of what they have achieved. Every member of staff we encountered was first class. What particularly impressed us was how many of them spoke so positively about their jobs and the opportunities the hotel provides to develop their skills, undertake training and progress in their careers. It was genuinely refreshing to hear how much they enjoyed working there, and that investment in their development was evident in every aspect of the service we received. The standard of service was, quite simply, faultless. There were far too many wonderful staff members to mention everyone individually, but we would particularly like to give a special shout-out to a few absolute legends who helped make our stay so memorable: * Chamal, Restaurant * Kaveen, Restaurant * Indiga, Housekeeping * Nimal and Saranth, our fantastic pool guys * Shashimal, Restaurant * Maleesha, Restaurant trainee, who quite literally never stops smiling! Each of these individuals helped make our holiday special, and we are genuinely grateful to them. That said, the management of Royal Palms should be immensely proud of their entire team. From housekeeping and front of house to the restaurant, bar and pool staff, everyone contributed to making our stay exceptional. We have stayed in some wonderful hotels over the years, but few have managed to create the sense of warmth, familiarity and genuine hospitality that we experienced at Royal Palms. It is a beautiful hotel, but it is the people who make it truly special. We very much hope to return someday and, who knows, perhaps we might even earn our place in the legendary “Red Band Gang” alongside Gary! 😁 I have attached some photographs from our stay, which I hope will be useful to other travellers considering booking this hotel. If you are thinking about staying at Royal Palms, our advice is simple: Go for it! You will be exceptionally well looked after by a truly wonderful team at a beautiful hotel. Thank you to everyone at Royal Palms for making our holiday so special. We hope to see you all again someday! Jonathan & Nina