On every visit to Sri Lanka, we always try to stay in at least one luxury hotel in Colombo. This is our review on The Kingsbury Hotel, Colombo.
The Kingsbury Hotel, is a 9 story 5* hotel, located in the old Dutch Fort in Colombo. Built in about 1973 and previously named Ceylon Continental Hotel Colombo and Ceylon Inter-Continental hotel. Doesn’t it sound lovely, this was one of the reasons we chose to stay here. Steeped in so much history, and the facilities looked as though we could sit back and relax. So keep reading to find out what we thought of The Kingsbury Hotel, Colombo – review.
Before booking your stay at The Kingsbury Hotel, there are some things you should know before you go to Sri Lanka, which is all included in this Sri Lanka Travel Guide.
Table of Contents
The room
Our room was of a very good size, and to a very high standard. The room consisted of a double bed, wardrobe, TV, tea and coffee making facilities, mini bar, desk and chair. What we loved about the room, was the colonial décor, however this is not to everyone’s taste. The wardrobe is a good size, and enough room to store your clothes and luggage.
A mini bar is stocked with alcohol, chocolate, and soft drinks. But are not complimentary, and will be charged to your room if consumed.
The bathroom, has a walk-in shower, which is a spacious two-person shower, a toilet and sink, with the standard soap, shampoo and toilet paper for use. There are plenty of mirrors, one along the wall by the toilet, and above the sink. Unfortunately, if you like to have the choice of a bath or shower, then not all rooms have both.
The food
The food at The Kingsbury Hotel, Colombo – review is of a very good standard, with a number of different restaurants serving different cuisines from around the world. We tried Yue Chuan, which is a Chinese restaurant, with a variety of meat and vegetarian dishes, served with rice or noodles.
The afternoon tea is the highlight at The Kingsbury Hotel, for guests and non-guest alike. This is no ordinary afternoon tea, but a stand out buffet, all you can eat and drink High Tea. You do not have to be a guest to indulge in their High Tea, but it is a very good idea to contact The Kingsbury Hotel, to book a reservation.
What you’ll expect to eat and drink at The Kingsbury Hotel, Colombo High Tea
There is a combination of savoury and sweet dishes, as well as cold and hot drinks and food. These are as follows, and what you might expect to have at their High Tea.
- Hot and cold savoury – The standard sandwiches with a combination of fillings, vegetable spring rolls, samosas, French fries, a variety of vegetable and meat salads, different flavoured pizza, and kebabs.
- Sweet – If you have a sweet tooth, then you will be in sweet heaven with a large variety such as profiteroles, brownies, tarts, doughnuts, fruit cakes, and fruit salad.
- Cold and hot drinks – There is a small selection of different flavoured teas, or normal English Breakfast tea, or coffee. They even serve different flavoured ice tea, or ice coffee. If you want to keep it plain and simple, then a glass of milk is available.
We really enjoy the High Tea here, and would recommend The Kingsbury High Tea on any visit to Colombo.
The facilities
The Kingsbury hotel, Colombo is abundant with things to let you relax during the day, and have a few drinks in the evening whilst you watch the sun go down.
Pool
One of the best features of the hotel is the pool and the pool bar. Whilst the sun is out, there are no shady sections apart from the beach umbrella’s. The pool is of good length, with a shallow section for bathing in the cool water, to the other end which is deeper at about 3-4 ft. The pool area is kept clean and tidy, whilst the staff are always on hand to help. You can only use the facilities if you are a guest at the hotel.
Gym
A fully equipped gym, with the essentials to keep you fit, such as running machines, cross trainers, exercise bikes, weights, and weight machines.
The Spa
There are various different spa treatments from body massages, to hydrotherapy bath, and hot stones. All treatments vary in price.
Sky Lounge
Located on the roof of the hotel is the Sky Lounge, this is the place to meet friends, or just watch the sun set into the Ocean whilst drinking a cocktail, or cold beer.
Location
The Kingsbury Hotel in Colombo is in a good location, only a short distance from Fort train station, and the historic Colombo Fort. It is within an easy distance to explore Colombo Fort, Galle Face Green, and the Old Dutch Hospital.
There is so much to see and do in Colombo, there are remains of the colonial era, evident in the buildings around Fort, and the various different temples, mosques and churches in and around the Colombo area.
Service
On our visit, the level of service was very good. A doorman, will open the main door into the lobby with a smile and welcome. At check in, the receptionists are polite, friendly and very helpful, making the check in smooth and quick.
We encountered many staff members from the pool bar man, to waiters/waitresses, and every member was polite, friendly and welcoming, and always had a smile on their faces.
Price
In our opinion the price to stay at The Kingsbury Hotel is reasonable, this is a 5* hotel, with great rooms, facilities, friendly and helpful staff, so you would expect the price to be reflective of this. Depending on when you plan to visit, you can expect a standard room to be priced between £80.00 – £200.00 per night.
When it comes to the High Tea, we would say the price is perfectly reasonable at about Rs2000 per person. The food is to a high standard, a wide selection of foods, and freshly made, you certainly couldn’t go hungry for the rest of your holiday on this.
Cleanliness
It is evident that the hotel is kept to a high standard of cleanliness throughout. The rooms are clean, tidy, bed perfectly made, the bathroom is spotless, and fully stocked on soap, shampoo, and toilet paper, there are no horrible smells, or of the cleaning products used.
We noticed that the communal areas are kept clean and to a very high standard.
To book your stay at The Kingsbury Hotel, in Colombo, just click the link.
Your Say
Have you stayed at The Kingsbury Hotel in Colombo? If so, what did you think of the hotel,? Was there any highlight for you that made your stay outstanding? We would love to hear from you, so please leave a comment below.
Continue your Sri Lankan travel planning, with these useful posts:
- Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage – Should you Visit?
- Bucket list of must Places to Visit in Sri Lanka
- Best Places to Visit in Sri Lanka
- Sinhala New Year Celebrations
- How to Navigate Colombo Airport
