Shangrela Beach Resort by Ark

The only place we (my wife and I) have checked out of before the end of the booking period as it was so appalling. Booked for 5 days but left on day 2. Smelly mouldy bedroom - we got moved to one with bathroom door which would not shut; waited 45 minutes for set breakfast (which they tried to double charge for as we had pre-paid for this). No pads on the sun loungers; NO DRINKS LICENSE therefore no alcohol. They offered to send someone into town for beer for us, but took 50% mark-ups - which I'm sure was illegal. Local cats walking across table tops in dining area. I have lodged a complaint with manager & owner, requesting refund of money paid (up-front) for accommodation. No reply. DO NOT STAY HERE. DO NOT PAY UP FRONT (AS THEY REQUIRE). I have to suggest you read all the 1 star reviews if you are thinking of booking here. I quite frankly do not believe the 4 & 5 star reviews are all genuine. We moved to The Pleasure, Kosgoda at the last minute just an hour up the coast - not too far from Colombo, which was fabulous, cheaper, and had the ocean at the foot of the garden. Go there!

I’m perplexed by the high ratings for Hotel Shangrela in Ambalangoda. Our stay was fraught with issues from start to finish. We arrived around lunchtime but had to wait an inordinate amount of time for a welcome drink. The lunch starter was a peculiar onion soup that no one wanted to drink. The meal portions were insufficient, so we had to order additional fried rice. The pool was in poor condition, with debris such as nuts, dry branches, and leaves floating in it. The water had a high acidity level, and cracked tiles led to our two kids injuring their fingers. It was clear the pool hadn’t been cleaned properly for a long time. In our room, we dealt with water leaks from the sink and commode, which also affected two other rooms and caused an unpleasant odor. Low pressure showers. & no dustbins in all 2 rooms. Dinner offered a menu almost identical to lunch, with only kottu being the new option. The meal was tolerable, but we didn’t receive the requested water after dinner. The restaurant and garden area felt overcrowded in the evening, and breakfast was the only highlight of our stay. While the room was spacious, it had limited amenities, and there were no creamers available for coffee. Additionally, stray cats roamed the restaurant area, causing further discomfort. The beach area was poorly situated next to a road and lacked any private access. Overall, the experience was disappointing and did not meet the expectations set by its reviews. The hotel staff should focus on improving their customer service and facility maintenance to enhance their guests' experience.

Stayed in the resort for 3 weeks. Beautiful experience, delicious foods with fancy presentations. Amazing people, helpful and friendly staff. Full of love and nice people. Good place to be and spend time. Close to the center and next to the beach. Also I believe it's a good base, since it's close to the touristic spots and equally away from Galle and Colombo, gives you enough time to go around.