Batticaloa Hotels with Parking

I recently stayed at the Giman Free Hotel and had a unique experience. This hotel is truly isolated, far away from civilization, making it a perfect spot for introverts or those looking for solitude. While the hotel itself is clean, it is clear that some renovations are needed to update the facilities. However, the staff more than makes up for any shortcomings with their friendliness and willingness to accommodate guests. The restaurant at the hotel surprised me with its delicious food, which I found to be better than what I have experienced at some five-star hotels in Sri Lanka. The beach near the hotel is clean. However, the downside of the beach which is very wild and long is the amount of garbage and plastic that washes up on the shore. Since the beach is deserted it was disheartening to see all the pollution scattered along the shoreline. Overall, if you are seeking a quiet retreat away from the hustle and bustle of city life, the Giman Free Hotel is a great option. Just be prepared for a bit of roughness around the edges of the beach.

The trouble with rating this resort is that it is 2 distinct sides of the coin. On the one hand, the location and room size is by far the BEST in Passikuddah. U cannot find a more value for money location and room size with views overlooking the gorgeous ocean all day and from each room! Their staff are extremely cordial and super helpful especially Mr. Sujan went out of his way to help us out with any queries or hiccups we may have had at the place. But the two things that really need extreme help are their sad breakfast and their funny rule of cleaning up rooms only once in 3 days which for a beach resort is unheard of!!! We had to ask them to clean up the room which is when we got to know about this rule they follow and to be honest, it was shocking cuz we have never heard that ever in our entire lives - they did it immediately, again with Sujan's help but I don't think one should have to ask for a clean room when you are at a resort - it's a given!! Second, their breakfast is a no-show. They offer toast, a handful of fruits and eggs besides coffee. That's just about it. For a beach resort, with that kind of view, this breakfast is a complete insult to the staff, the town and the vibe! They really need to work on that.

High quality of service!

El personal del hotel muy amable. Nos atendieron cuando necesitabamos (aunque fuesen las 6:30 de la mañana) y siempre muy amablemente. La piscina estaba bien pero el agua muy caliente. En cuanto al resto de instalaciones, la habitación estaba bien y el baño pequeño pero bien. La sala de estar también bien.

The rooms are incredible and the beach is lovely but this is NOT a 4* hotel. The rest of the place seems run down and not looked after, the gardens are a mess, volleyball court isn’t usable and I’ve not seen a children’s play area. Staff are scarce, there is no pool bar and you have to go in search of beach towels or drinks. The restaurant is extremely poor, long wait for service and we were the only ones in the restaurant. Food options weren’t available and beer was only put in the fridge when I asked for it, so I then had to wait for it to cool down before it was served, when food arrived it wasn’t great, felt like a quick microwave meal. Room initially had no hot water, which we had to wait to be fixed, there is nothing in the mini bar as advertised, you just get an empty fridge, hairdryer had to be requested and room was missing towels and robes etc on arrival. Rooms took a long time to be made up each day and again some towels and robes were not replenished and had to be requested again. Parts of the hotel were closed and lots of lights at night flickered. They also advertise that the hotel has a night club and a billiards room, we haven’t seen any sign of a nightclub and the billiards room is two pool tables, one completely out of use with tape over it and the other is extremity rundown, dusty and wonky that you can’t play a game on it properly. No staff ever gave us a briefing on arrival or told us about the hotel, we have had to explore, guess and ask questions. Staff have been somewhat helpful, they speak English but don’t seem to understand it when they’re asked questions. Hotel has a what’s app service but responses are very slow and even then not fully understood. It’s like it used to be a 4* hotel but it’s run by pirates 🏴☠️