A la Colthard/Marriott and Shangri La Hotels
Marriott
This is part of an international chain .Sometimes this can lead to a formulaic hotel. I was initially concerned when I saw a large sixties style block but inside there was some deference to Sri Lankan arts and crafts. The room was large with a balcony over looking the Indian Ocean. We mostly ate at the Big Fish Restaurant. There we had a delicious barramundi. Once I ordered it with a mustard sauce which rather dwarfed its flavour and the next time with a lime and chili sauce. Much better.
My only beef with this hotel was in checking out. I dislike the procedure of taking a pre-authorisation payment, in this case $400. The hotel seemed to have no record of this. Worse the bill was not itemised and in dollars, not local currency, so they make a turn in conversion.
Shangri la
This main hotel is situated on the south of the island at Hambantota. It’s one of those resort hotels with a golf course, three infinity pools, spa, and two restaurants.
We ate at one last night serving South East Asian cuisine. It was disappointing with the cheapest wine at £38 and the food served oddly.
We were first given the drinks menu which was of not much help until we had the food one.
Then one of our group never received his appetiser and my crab and sweet corn soup, whilst delicious, was too copious in its vast bowl.
As Rusters here have observed the Sri Lankans are a friendly sort, smiling with gleaming smiles and warm eyes – am I being vain in thinking I have noted their eyes one me??? !
