We stayed at the Club Hotel dolphin from 11th April 2008 to 25th april 2008. A wonderful experience from the first to the last day.
We traveled with First Choice, we didn't bother with the upgraded seats at £145 each and found the standard seats to be comfortable and roomy. A choice of 2 meals was served followed later on by a snack. For £5 each we upgraded the entertainment system to get more films and games which was good value for money. I would recommend getting to the airport an extra hour early to ensure that you get to sit beside each other as First Choice 'sit together' can mean one row in front of each other or across the aisle.
The transfer from the airport to the hotel was smooth and took half an hour or so, check in was seamless with the cases brought to your room for you (a 100 rupee (50p) tip is appreciated but not compulsory. In fact a 100 rupees which is very little to us is a reasonable tip
for the room boys every couple of days and the gardeners who all earn a very low wage. Doing this we got flowers every day but even if you don't tip you will still be welcomed every day with handshakes and genuine smiles.
We stayed in a cottage and to be honest I was amazed that this was the cheaper option, I would normally expect to pay more than for a standard room. The aircon was great, we even had to turn it off at times. the semi open bathroom is interesting and a nice feature. The room boys visit twice a day to clean, make up the beds and spray mosquito reppelland and plug in an electric version. On mosquito repellant don't bother taking any from home, it doesn't work on sriLankan mossies. In the shop near the busy pool snack bar they sell 'Citronella' at 230 rupees a bottle, this seems to do the trick. If you do get bitten a 500 rupee TukTuk trip to and from the Pharmacy at Chokinade wil enable you to buy a tube of antihistamine cream for about 50p.
The food was varied and excellent, we never had a poor meal, a choice of curries is always available along with soups, salads, pasta, rice, and various other items depending on the days theme, there is always at least one dish cooked fresh in front of you. At breakfast the chef cooks fresh fried eggs, omlettes and waffles. If there is anything special you fancy, ask the head chef, he will oblige, even to the chips if you really must. he made us a wonderful chicken breast off the bone marsalla. Fresh fruit and desserts are really good.
We tended to stay around the quiet pool to read and sip cool drinks but the busy pool is so big that it never gets crowded. The entertainment team try to keep those who want to keep busy going all day. Their evening entertainment is maybe a bit poor although the cultural nights are good. If you can't face the evening entertainment you can always borrow a DVD from the quite extensive library in the business centre.
The staff really can't do enough for you, this hotel is listed as 3+ star but for the service alone I would give it 4+.
Excursions available are extensive, we did the £10 First Choice Sunday train ride, Lagoon boat ride and Negombo trip which was a good introduction. After this although Zam the First choice rep was Ok we found one of the beach boys and booked all our trips through him. Don't take any notice of the reps horror stories find Fernando, he will either be on the beach of if you turn right on the beach immediately after the hotel perimeter there is Asda's then Sainsburys. Sainsbury's is owned by Leela Fernando she will contact Fernado for you. get a small group of 4 or 6 people together and Fernando will arrange half day, 1 day and 2 day trips in airconditioned minibuses at half the price of the rep, he even stops and buys fresh fruit for you. Arrange breakfast and lunch boxes at reception, you probably won't eat them but leave them in the minibus and the driver will give them to the poor.
Both Asda and Sainsbury sell the same things as the hotel shops but at up to half the price, they even give you small gifts when you leave the shop. tescos to the left on the beach we didn't really like, the owner can be a bit pushy. If you go out the front gates and turn left for about 50yards there is Harolds shop, Deepitha here will also treat you well, she will also arrange TukTuks at the best price and the 2 hour boat trips on the canal and river from Harolds at either 7am or 4pm are only £5 each for 2 or £3 each for 4-6, the boys will even climb coconut trees for King coconuts and pick fresh Cashew nuts for you. A visit to the Elephant ophanage is a must, ride an Elephant through the jungle, get showered by an elephant in the river, feed a baby and wash an Elephant in the big river.
We had achange one night and had dinner in the seafood restaurant just out side the hotel, A whole lobster, 6 Jumbo Prawns, drinks and dessert and still change from £18.
Sorry to go on for so long but this just has to have been the best holiday ever. We will be going back to this hotel. next time for one week with the second week in a hotel further south.
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May 1st, 2008
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