Mandarina Colombo

The hotel is close to the sea, but buildings block the view, so you can't really see it. It's very close to the mini-train along the coast, and there are supermarkets and malls nearby, which is quite convenient. I arrived two hours early, and they allowed me to check in ahead of time. While I waited, they even offered me a glass of juice. Surprisingly, they didn't charge me the extra $3+ that I was supposed to pay on-site (I reminded the staff, but after checking, they told me it wasn't necessary). I booked a two-meal package, both buffets. The dinner selection seemed less extensive than breakfast, perhaps because fewer people booked it. A bit of a mix-up happened because I wasn't told the dining times, so I went for dinner before 7 PM. The restaurant was completely empty. Later, I saw on a screen that dinner apparently starts at 7 PM, but the staff member just let me in without explanation – which honestly gave me a very good feeling about their service. The room was spacious, and the type I booked surprisingly had two beds pushed together to form a super-king size. The soundproofing with the next room was pretty good; the people next door were playing music from check-in until after 10 PM, but I could only hear a faint sound once the street quieted down. That's acceptable. Sometimes the street noise was quite noticeable, but my tolerance for ambient street noise is higher than my tolerance for noise from neighboring rooms. The pool is on the top floor, and so is the restaurant. As an introvert, I'm not a big fan of this design. Overall, the stay was quite comfortable and offered excellent value for money.