Hotels Near Secretariat Halt in Colombo

Hilton’s breakfast buffet is simply outstanding! There’s such a wide variety of dishes, from local specialties to international favorites, all super fresh and full of flavor. The setup is gorgeous, and the staff are so friendly, always making sure everything is perfect. On top of that, the hotel’s overall vibe is just amazing—elegant yet relaxed, with a warm and welcoming atmosphere that makes you feel at home. It’s the perfect place to start your day feeling refreshed and pampered.

Super nice hotel, I’ve stayed here for three times now. Excellent location, clean and modern rooms, helpful staff. There are also plenty of local restaurants to eat just a few seconds walk away- including the famous Ministry of Crab, which was voted as one of the Top 50 Restaurants in Asia. 👍

Check in went smoothly, the rooms were comfortable, the shower good. It was noisy on Friday night from music somewhere outside the hotel. Normally, that wouldn’t bother me as the noise stopped not too late for a normal nights sleep but I had an early airport transfer so wanted an early night. There is a lovely view from the restaurant terrace of the Lotus Tower. I liked the hotel, the location and all the staff were very helpful.

This is the worst Shangri-La I have ever stayed in. The various room types are confusing. It is very unfriendly to guests who want to extend their stay. You cannot check in directly at the front desk. You must book online. Even if you book the same room type and price online, you will be forced to cancel and pay the cancellation fee before you can check in.

Location of this hotel was excellent but unfortunately service lets it down. At the breakfast buffet the first day was excellent after that it was a steady decline. We had to ask for a cup of coffee numerous times from different waiters before getting one minus sugar, saucers & teaspoons. One morning one of the managers in yellow tie picked up our plates unfortunately I hadn’t finished & had to grab my good before the plate was taken. With room service one time we had no hand towels that was no big deal the next day they cleaned the room & left no towels they told us they would be back in 5 mins with towels one & a half hours later we had to ring reception to be told they would send someone up straight away, over 2 hours later we finally received our towels. In the cafe we sat at a table had to ask for menus waited over an hour & a half but no one took our order! Not to mention our room bell rang at 11:10pm & someone trying to open our door when we shouted out they said they were bringing us water!

My friend and I travelled to Colombo in January from the UK. The hotel is large, modern, well appointed. Comfortable bedrooms, ample choice at breakfast (which can get busy). Our room had a Lakeside view, pretty enough, but it also overlooked the poolside bar/club which had loud music playing till the very early hours, rendering sleep a challenge. I would recommend checking this, before you book, or stay on the other side of the hotel. However, what soured our stay was that the day after we checked in at the hotel, we were victims of a scam. As we left the hotel to walk to the local temple in the morning (still jet lagged), a man claiming to be a hotel employee started a conversation with us. He claimed his name was Sangha Perera. He appeared to be helpful, giving us directions. As it was raining, he advised us that taking a tuk tuk around the main tourist attractions would be easier and cheaper. As he was connected to the hotel, we trusted him. He 'found' us a tuktuk, and even joined us acting as an unnoficial guide. Eventually he ended up taking us to an 'officially credited' government approved jewellery shop, which had 50% off,  he even told us a percentage of profits would be donated to tsunami orphans. We were pressurised by the shop management (all men) into purchasing items.  After that the tuktuk driver told us the ride for 2.5 hours would cost equivalent of £100 in rupees, and things got very heated until we paid up. We reported the matter to the Jeevani Perera, Lobby Manager at Colombo Cinnamon Lakeside hotel. She told us the man did not work at the hotel, and an identical incident had happened previously. We also spoke to the hotel security officer, who said he would check hotel security videos. Later we even sent them photos of the man claiming to be an hotel employee and the tuktuk driver. We were disappointed to receive no response from them. BE WARNED if you stay at this hotel. Scammers are working around there, and the hotel seemingly turns a blind eye, without advising guests checking in! (SEE PHOTOS OF SCAMMERS ATTACHED). Am sure the same thing goes on outside other hotels too... We eventually went to the local police, who were helpful, and they went with us to get our money back from the jewellery shop (Lanka Sapphire Lapidary PVT Ltd., no 83 Dharmaphala Mawatha, Colombo 07), but it was not easy to do so. A salutary lesson.

Hotel is in nice location, close to Pettah market and Fort Railway station. The room was large and everything was clean and tidy. As with all the places I've stayed in Sri Lanka, the place feels very tired, and in need of maintenance and renovation. Would recommend for a 1-2 nights stay for exploring the city.

Very beautiful hotel, especially the night view. It is a rare experience to watch the sunset from the sky bridge on the 29th floor. The breakfast is rich, mainly Indian style but there are many types, you can always choose the right one. The breakfast room faces the sea and it is very romantic. In addition, the waiter's attitude is really good, responsive, and treats guests as gods. But I still have to complain a little. I booked a room for 3 people and specified 2 beds, but the 2 beds they can provide are split from a 1.8m big bed. How can I sleep well? A room like this for 3 people should have at least one bed that is not less than 1.2m.

The room's condition did not meet the expected standards. The walls were in poor condition, and the shower door did not close properly, requiring me to hold it shut while showering. Additionally, the duvet cover was torn. As a five-star establishment, we anticipate a higher level of quality and were disappointed with the current state of the room.

I have booked this hotel on Ctrip many times. Safety! The hotel is very grand and the service is first-rate! The breakfast has a variety of varieties, especially the fresh fruits are many and sweet, and the coconut juice is great 👍