Just returned from just over 2 weeks staying at this hotel, and it was absolutely fantastic.

We stayed in the cottages, which were excellent. The rooms within the hotel are more expensive and the only difference is that they are bigger. The cottages are more than big enough and have identical facilities, i.e. tv, dvd player, air con, fridge, etc. The bathrooms in the cottages are unique, in that they are partially open air. They are still private, and we had no problem with insects! The best bit about the cottages is that you can go to sleep listening to the sea, which is right on the doorstep.

The hotel generally is very clean and the staff very friendly and willing to help. They do not expect daily tips, as has been my experience at other all inclusive resorts, but you can expect to give tips to the staff towards the end of the holiday as a lump sum, as opposed to everyday. Having said that, when I say a lump sum, we are talking about 500 sri lankan rupees, which is about £3!

The food in the restaurant is excellent. There is a good variety, and the hotel has different theme evenings. We never had a bad meal and there was plenty of choice. There are 2 poolside bars which serve snacks at lunchtime if you don't want to go into the restaurant.

The worst bit about the hotel is definitely the evening entertainment. It can only be called "entertainment" in the loosest possible sense of the term. It is shocking. There are different things on every evening from the animation team but I can't recommend any of them. On the musical evenings the entertainers basically mime along to a backing track. The last bar closes at midnight, so I would say that this is not a hotel for those looking to stay up drinking into the night. There is a disco three nights a week but the drinks in there are not part of the all inclusive package.

We went on the one day trip to Kandy with First Choice. On the whole it was very good. We were a small group of 4 people so got personal service, and the guide was very knowledgeable. As with most tours, there was a bit of taking you to places to try and get you to buy stuff (e.g. jewellers) but there was no pressure to buy. I would recommend clarifying with the rep as to where exactly you'll be going, as there did seem to be some minor differences in peoples experiences. The elephant orphanage is amazing, as is Temple of the Tooth. If you get chance, go to the Millenium Elephant Foundation on the way to the orphanage, as you will get chance to support the charity by having a ride on an elephant (there is an extra cost involved).

Change some money at the airport if you can before going to the hotel - you get a better rate than at the hotel and it will give you some rupees to tip the porters on arrival.

As has been mentioned in other posts, Sangems the jewellers is very good. It is located just outside the hotel gates (there is a sign which you can see from the hotel). Take sterling notes to pay for jewellery and you will probably get a discount. The workshop makes up jewellery to your design within a matter of days and it is excellent quality, particularly the sapphires in various colours.

Overall, the best all inclusive hotel I have stayed in.

We stayed at the Club hotel Dolphin from 15th to 29th October. We had a beachfront cottage near the quiet pool. The cottages are quite quirky and in need of a little TLC but we enjoyed sitting out having a drink in the evening when it wasn't raining!!

The beach boys and First Choice tell you the price of the trips in £sterling but you pay in rupees. They use an exchange rate of 200 rupees to the pound. While we were there the exchange rate started at 177 and ended up at 156 by the end of our holiday so can work out far more expensive than at first glance.
I won't go into details of the trips as they have been covered by lots of previous posters.

The food in the restaurant is very good though after 2 weeks we were looking forward to "normal" food. We started off having lunch in the main buffet restaurant but after a couple of days we stated eating at the pool bar. This is the only place that you will get chips. We had a meal at the canal restaurant opposite the hotel. Two crab cocktail starters, 1 jumbo prawn main dish, 1 thai prawn main dish and 3 beers cost 4300 rupees including service charge. Lobster Thermidor is 3050 rupees and must be preordered that morning.

We didn't experience any problems getting drinks from the bars and the bar staff must have had lessons in smiling because they were always friendly towards us and it didn't seem to make a difference whether or not you tipped them.

We have to agree with previous posters that the entertainment is so bad that it has you crying with laughter. If you see their rendition of the Lion King you will see what I mean.

If I had to make any criticism it would be that wine and diet drinks are not part of the all inclusive. The hotel charges 410 for a can of diet coke. A 500ml bottle in the supermarket is 70. Red wine in the mini bar is 5030 a bottle. A bottle of merlot is 1080 in the supermarket. Just ask one of the beachboys to take you in his tuk tuk.

To sum up, we enjoyed our stay at the hotel but having stayed in 5* hotels in Mexico and the Caribbean, the Dolphin does not match their standards but then again you are not paying the same kind of money either. It is what it is, a beautiful 3* hotel with 5* smiles. Would we return? No I don't think so as there are lots more places we want to visit but we would certainly recommend this hotel and cottage 55.

came back last week after our 2nd time of going.had an excellent holiday again this time we travelled down south we went with harald he showed us where the tsunami hit and explained the devestation of it all we went to the turtle farm and held them very intresting then we went on a glass bottom boat and saw turtles swimming in the sea we also visited the fishermen on stilts.he stopped whenever we asked nothing was too mush trouble a long day but worth it and excellent value approx £35 each asda maybe cheaper but what they dont tell you it dose not include entrance fees or drinks with haralds tours its an all inclusive package when you do trips with him some people we know booked with asda to do the elephants etc was approx £5-10 cheaper than harald but then found they had to pay extra for rding the elephants about 2000 rupees each to ride the elephants then their entrance fee into the orphange and extra to wash the elephants also had to buy all their own drinks so beware .we will go back soon every local really loks after you

Hotel is much better than the three stars it is rated.A few hiccups ie Tea + coffee in room did not arrive until second week of stay.but nothing to upset the holiday.Went on two overnight trips with the holiday company one to the elephant orphanage in the centre of sri lanka,the other to the turtle hatchery and safari on the south coast~these trips are £5/person cheaper than the local Harald tours although harald tours are cheaper for day trips.Did a boat trip on the river with harald well worth it, monitor lizards water snake(lucky to see) birdlife etc.
Local town Negambo is 9.5Km away for £3.50 a tuk tuk will take you there and wait until you are ready to return~pay onthe way back!(a taxi is about £6 for the not so brave)Ther is a jeweller in the hotel but the one opposite the hotel beside the nice fish restaurant and the one inside "asda" seem better value for money.Gems are a fraction of UK prices.
I will return to Sri Lanka ~ Enjoy yourself
Hi Sue+Colin