Hotels met Pools in Eastern Province, Sri Lanka

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 🏴☠️

Those who like the seaside can experience it, because the hotel occupies a large sea area. Compared with the Dameisha sea area and the surrounding five-star hotels and Sanya, this place is definitely better.

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.

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 reception was warm and welcoming, and the staff were incredibly friendly, attentive, and genuinely caring throughout our stay. The room was beautifully spacious and comfortable, creating a very relaxing atmosphere. We stayed in an ocean-view bungalow, which added a wonderful sense of luxury and made the experience feel truly special. The amenities were excellent, with a wide range of thoughtful touches that made everything even more enjoyable. This place is a perfect getaway for anyone looking to relax and unwind. We highly recommend it – without a doubt the best accommodation in the area.

We enjoyed our stay at the beach bungalows here. We came during off season and they cleaned the pool for us and we had the beachfront bungalow. The breakfast was really good! However, this hotel also operates a liquor store that runs 24/7 right in the middle of the guest rooms so at all hours of the day there were people walking through to buy alcohol (during breakfast time even) and then would sit down on the premises to consume their purchases. As two young travellers it was not a huge deal but if you are a family it might not be the space for you!

The hotel looks very primising in the pictures, beautiful setting and facilities. Unfortunately we were a bit disqppointed on the way it is managed. It looks like the place is abandoned relying on its own structure and pictures. Pros: - beautiful setting and location, in front of a beautiful beach. - rooms are well done, big bathrooms, nice outdoor area. - faclities have a beautiful decoration, the bar, the restaurant. Cons: - cleaning! The resort has a cleaning issue. To the point that we wrote ”clean me” with our fingers on the restaurant toilet mirror, and it was there during our entire stay. Nothing has regular cleaning, spots everywhere, toilets are terrible specialy the poil toilet (see pictures). - bar drinks are not good. We tried many drinks and juices in all the hotels we stayed in Sri Lanka, and this one we had to give up, drink after drink, juice after juice, were not good at all. Also the drink glasse come very very dirty. - bar is beautiful but never had any music during our stay. Its a silent empty place, no one uses it... and the bartender usualy is not there which makes it a ghost place. - service is welcoming but not prepared. For example before you reach the breakfast area upstairs they ask you: ”what do you want for breakfast? So i dont have to go upstairs to ask”, overall staff is tired, not motivated and have no training, they are as abandoned as the hotel. - spa was closed during our entire stay, because the lady had days off. So we booked a hotel with a Spa that did not exist...you have to be lucky not to book on her days off. - when at check-out i tried to tell them the place have lots of potential but they need to pay attention to this details they just replied: thank you for your stay, please make us a review on tripadvisor! So they just don't pay attention... which is sad to see. I wish they could change the management and have someone motivated and energic to transform the place into the best hotel in Sri Lanka, because they could be.

Excellent hotel with well-maintained grounds and delicious food. Everything looks beautifully designed. There's a warm, large swimming pool with varying depths. It's not usually crowded here, but on weekends, locals from Colombo come to celebrate weddings and have fun, so it can get noisy. The beach is close by. On the property, you can find small creatures like lizards and chipmunks, and there are wild monkeys near the border with the neighboring hotel. There are also koi carp swimming in the courtyard. I've written more extensively about the food in another review; I'm writing this one because I extended my reservation. You definitely won't go hungry, and it's a great place to relax. A big thank you to Andrew and Yimukshi from the front desk – they upgraded our room a bit and exchanged money for us! Everything was superb, I would definitely come back again.

Maldives in Sri Lanka. The sea absolutely beautiful and I enjoyed so much the walking on the endless beach. The staff is amazing , made my solo trip so rich of memories and extra care, done multiple activities and I recommend the dinner in the cellar as they have the best cellar in Sri Lanka , and also a must the dinner on the platform in the middle of the sea! A big thanks for the unforgettable memories , they made me live a dream

The location is very good, very close to the beach and the swimming pool is beautiful. The hotel sent a day's breakfast. Although the breakfast is really simple, it is also a bonus service. After all, it is free. The room was average. During our stay, there was a power outage for a long time. It was too hot to stay in the room. There was no place to have air conditioning when we went out. This was very collapsed. Continued cleaning is not to say that it will not be cleaned, you have to take the initiative to mention it yourself. I think the bedding is not clean. We stayed for four days. I had five or six big red envelopes on my stomach, as if I was bitten by a scorpion. But if this kind of thing wants to prove to be a hotel problem, I have to go to the hospital, so I didn't say anything to the hotel. I'll go home.