Review: Amanwella, Tangalle, Sri Lanka

Room looks great, and nice setting. But the lack of gym, cost of sunscreen, and just OK service for an Aman would prevent me from ever staying here. The sunscreen part is truly obscene. You are right, that is flat out extortion.

I was eagerly waiting for this review following your other Aman review. It looks like the Amans in Sri Lanka tend to disappoint! Nothing about what you wrote here would compel me to want to stay here either!

Great review. I too would have been outraged by the USD45 charge for a small bottle of sunscreen and extremely disappointed that a $900/night 5-star resort lacks a gym. The point about the tea plantation stop would have frustrated me too. I also agree that it seems odd there wasn't a proper full-scale spa. Definitely not too harsh of a review. Factual and pointed out some really key details that a resort of this calibre shouldn't be missing.

I came to this same conclusion after staying at a few One&Only properties. Palmilla was awesome, probably one of the best experiences I've ever had. Reethi Rah in the Maldives straight extortion.

You asked for recommendations as you were planning your trip and SEVERAL people told you that you were missing the best parts of the country by narrowly focusing on Aman. The best parts are the tea trails/ plantation, the mountains, and sigiriya. If you don’t want advice don’t ask for it. You missed the best parts of Sri Lanka.

@Tiffany: Looks like the anchor links to the comments sections have been missing for a while now. Is this a new bug or feature change? Sorry if I missed something.

I guess they figure some one who's willing to spend almost $1K a night for a hotel room won't miss $45 for a little sunscreen. But why didn't you pack your own?

For sure you did SL wrong, but it sounds like you've learned the lesson. I spent 17 days in SL a few years ago with a guide/driver seeing most of the big sights (Cultural Triangle, Sigiriya, Kandy, Nuwara Elia, Ella, Yala NP, another NP, Galle and a couple of days hanging out in Negombo). I think I paid him somewhere around $1200 for his time and the transportation. The hotels were a couple thousand on top of that all together. And then I paid out of pocket for admissions to the various sights (not much money) and a couple of safari type thing which were more (like $100 each) but totally worth it. I stayed at a couple of unique hotels (one of which was great and one of which was odd and buggy) in addition to some more standard places. Even the 2.5-ish star place in the cultural triangle area had lovely service but not great facilities.

My feeling is that SL is still learning how to do tourism so you need to keep that in mind. It's a beautiful country though with some really incredible nature and some good hikes if you're up for it. And the people are great.

@ GoAmtrak -- Somewhere in-between; it's intentionally/temporarily disabled.

Definitely a trick missed not going to see Sigiriya and the likes, a stunning place. There's more to life than fancy hotels and those hotels could've been anywhere really.

Still enjoyed the review!

Or you can walk <200m to the grocery store outside this hotel and buy sunscreen for $5

There is also a wonderful seafood restaurant at the end of this very beach we stopped at when driving by.

From the last two reviews, I still dont get it, what is so luxurious about these properties?
The facilities look like run of the mill 4* hotels at best, the beach/pool is poor, the food looks delicious but is clearly overpriced.

Why would anyone go all the way to Sri Lanka to stay here? There are soulless luxury hotels at home! This is not what Sri Lanka is about.

"We did Sri Lanka wrong. We should have done the tea trails, and maybe a couple of nights at Amangalle. While Amanwella is nice, we flew a long way to get here, and there are more beautiful beach resorts we could have stayed at."

Missing the Cultural Triangle and Sigiriya in particular would be a big mistake. Most people I know who go to Sri Lanka hire a car and driver and spend at least a week visiting all the key spots from Colombo to the Cultural Triangle, to the tea plantations, to the safari jungles, Kandy and to Galle and the beach.

I feel like this blog is starting to lose touch with reality....What happened to the aspirational points stays? I am happy you are doing so well and can afford these things (you deserve it) but this isn't what the blog used to be. You spent almost $10K between the properties and for what?

Curious if this was before or after the bombing and what the occupancy was like.

I think unfortunately that the Aman chain is no longer what it was. There are still the core Amanresorts which continue to be superb and remain world-beating experiences worth the cost of admission, but the expansion of the chain has led to nice but pretty ordinary hotels (some in ordinary places) at spectacular prices.

There is no way to have such a large chain retain its special-ness without some compromise . . . there aren't enough good hotel managers in the world to run them all.

a few years ago, I paid $1100 for a private car/driver, 10 nights of 4 and 5* hotels, most meals, and most activities. In total, I think everything else I paid for on top of that cost less than $400. So $1500 for 10 days, including safaris, tea plantation visits, temple visits, etc, etc and I didn't have to plan a single thing and had a private driver willing to go anywhere at any time.

Sri Lanka is absurdly cheap, there's a lot of very cool stuff to see, and there is absolutely no reason to pay more than $150/night anywhere there. I can definitely see doing it in the Maldives or Caribbean or the like, but in Sri Lanka, it's nearly criminal to do such a thing.

My goodness. I just read both the Amangalla and the Amanwella reviews and I have to say... If I paid what you paid to stay at both of these resorts for a week, I would feel pretty lousy. These look like nice properties for the most part, but at several thousand dollars per week, I'd expect absolute perfection. Some aspects of the trip that you shared would be unacceptable from a standard Marriott property.

@Tiffany

I'll second what @GoAmtrak said, seriously, it's really annoying having to scroll back through long articles that we have already read to revisit the comments. Is this some annoyingly twisted way to try to clean up the comments section?

I enjoy reading reviews of these luxury places -- obviously, here I am writing a comment. However, as far as offering practical knowledge for your readers, I question how many of us are going to get our families halfway around the world in a premium cabin on points, and then spend that kind of cold, hard cash on a hotel. You could have stayed at the Anantara nextdoor for a fraction of the cost (free gym!) and used the savings on better food, spas, and experiences. I think what I loved so much about Tiffany's recent series of posts is that I can actually imagine doing everything they did. After reading this, I guess I'm just left thinking, "glad I never would've gone there."

I hired a driver for 5 days for $30/day plus lodging. He planned everything and I had an amazing experience. Highly recommend doing Sri Lanka like this.

@DB, Tiffany said it had to do with a long delay of loading the article or something.

I would have gone home feeling very disappointed and wishing I had spent less money staying elsewhere. At these prices the service and facilities should be perfect, and asking you to pay 90USD to be taken to the nearby gym is ridiculous. Did you pay or decline- or negotiate a better deal? Aside from what was included in the room rate would you tell us how much the total extras were for the stay?

Have to agree on the Aman's. The first few i stayed at (in Indonesia) felt special, Sri Lanka was almost on par in terms of service. . Jena is managed well but i didn't feel "special" like the others.Summer palace was a total rip off. I am off the Aman's. My new favorite city hotel is the Siam in Bangkok.

When I stayed there we met some Aman Junkies who told us the Sri Lankan location are widely regarded as the worst Amans. We did the tea trails and we loved AmanGalle. AmanWella I agree just didn't cut it (and we paid half what you paid).

My experiences at multiple Aman properties can be summarized through your writing - decent, but nothing memorable. I think they are overpriced. My favorite luxury hotel properties are owned by Taj Hotels & Resorts - their unique properties, hospitality and luxury touches are fantastic.

I also warn anyone reading this article, with the thought of visiting Sri Lanka, against making any impressions of Sri Lanka based on what is written here. The jewels of Sri Lanka were far from visited here.

I’m afraid I don’t see what makes this an Aman other than the prices. The pool looks great but everything else from the food to the rooms looks like it could be any one of hundreds/thousands of lowish end 5 star resorts globally.

Unless the service was spectacular (and it doesn’t sound like it was) I can point to many Park Hyatt/Ritz-Carlton type resorts that are better, let alone Aman-level properties.

Having stayed at many hotels in SL, the consistent theme is the high cost for less than stellar products. Often while the physical aspects of the high end places may pass for unique/world class, refinement of service, food, and the constant feeling of being ripped off detracts from an truly enjoyable stay. Even Tea Trails is way overpriced, though definitely a unique and higher quality experience. I wonder how the tourism turndown after the recent attacks will recalibrate tourism there.

Hey Lucky,

Really loved these reviews - as an Aman lover myself I would have probably would have done the same thing, but grateful I'm now more informed!!! 🙂

Keep up the great work - love your blog

It looks like a nice enough place, but I don't really see any "value" for what you're paying to stay there. You're right; there are other just as nice, if not nicer, places to stay that are less expensive.

The pool is the only thing that looks good. Not worth it for 900USD a night.

Thanks for the review, I def won’t visit Amans in SL. I have three or four Amans that I visit regularly and love, but wouldn’t stay anywhere just because of the brand. Have been burnt before at FS. I was surprised that SL Amans were so inexpensive, maybe they are in Asia. Staying at Amanyara next week and it’s $2,500+ per night low season.

So glad you have gotten a reality check on these Aman properties, what with the outrageous prices, lacking of basic amenities, and negligent service (this is, I believe, the second or third Aman at which you've been ignored for coffee).

If having a gym is such a necessity, don’t book hotels that don’t have gyms.

Thanks for your detailed and honest review. It confirms that I won't plan to stay at Amans -- seems overpriced for what you get. I'm willing to pay good money for a top-notch experience, but this doesn't appear to be worth it.

@John, curious which FS you didn't like? I've found there can be big variation, although they are a much bigger brand, so that's to be expected vs. Aman.

Great review again Ben. This place reminds me of a recent resort trip to Bali , oh except it was a fraction of the cost , all inclusive and with much better service.

Respect to Ben for stating he screwed up with Sri Lanka choices. Happens to everyone. Still, hope to see more reasonably priced hotel reviews in the future. And these do not need to be chain hotels, but quality boutique stuff would be interesting too, especially if they are priced half of chain hotels like in Phnom Penh.

@JD - I am a bit of a FS loyalist. For me, the the FS Sydney was a bit of a let down (Austin was just OK), albeit it was a bit cheaper. I believe they have stepped it up a notch since their recent renovation.

Besides that, the newer FS have blown me away... Denver/Seoul/Tokyo to name a few. Rarely stay at resorts, but I did enjoy the FS Chiang Mai.

I don’t understand how this could be your experience and you don’t come away feeling completely fleeced. It’s like you got scammed but don’t really want to admit it to yourself.

Great review Ben, thanks, but I would have been infuriated with the experience there, for all the reasons you listed.

While it looks lovely, no part of this experience looked or sounded like it was worth 900 USD/night.

Moreover, the Anantara next door where you actually used the gym looks lovely. While it’s a much larger resort, I note their rooms start in region 200USD/night, and I have been very impressed with all the Anantara properties I have stayed at before (including the Siam in Bangkok). I would have been tempted to ditch the Amanwella and spend my last few days in the resort that actually has facilities!

@JD - FS Bangkok, FS Provence, FS Sydney

What I discovered in each case was there are much better hotels in these places for less $$ and I need do my homework not just blindly book FS. I think FS Bangkok and FS Provence have rebranded since I stayed.

And just to be clear, I’m a huge fan of Aman and FS. Between them they operate some of the best hotels on the planet, haven’t vacationed anywhere else for 10 years. My advice is still do your research.

I appreciate your honesty in the reviews. Reads to me that the focus on staying at Aman hotels led to not planning a visit to the highlights of Sri Lanka and not evaluating the hotel itself in the decision - when we go to resorts, what they offer in terms of spa, gym and sightseeing is part of our hotel decision process. While I am surprised at the weakness/lack of spa and gym, those are things that you could have learned from a quick web search before booking.

lol alot of people do Sri Lanka “wrong”.
In retrospect, one must do a whole-island road trip to truly experience the place. Beach Resort stays are not what this place is meant for - although there are plenty of nice beaches no doubt.

I will stick with COMO after reading all these, they are much more consistent across the board and more willing to please.

Also bring along track shoes for resorts, there is a beautiful beach that is begging you to take advantage of to do some jogging or running, and it's also free or rather included in the room rate you paid. The gym can wait for when you are back home.

Lucky, do you ever plan on returning to Bhutan and trying the Amankora properties? I know how much you liked it here and you lamented not being able to make it to Punakha (you absolutely should if you ever get the chance btw). They have five lodges spread throughout the country (Paro, Thimphu, Punakha, Bumthang, and Phobjikha) and I've driven or walked by all of them at some point or another and have wondered what kind of splendor lies inside. They're a little bit outside of my price range so I can't find out myself.

Last year I went to Sri Lanka and took trains everywhere in 3rd class and stayed in hostels it was amazing. Kandy & Anuradhapura were awesome.

900/nt in Sri Lanka? No way! The room and pool was nice but the outdoor corridors had the aesthetic of a (higher end) public school here in Honolulu (not good)!

Clearly, you didn't do a lot of research into these Aman properties before you went. There is a TON of info out there and you could have avoided ALL of these issues if you searched around a bit before booking. This whole report felt... Inept.

It also felt like a 'we did it because we could, not because we should have' situation. I've stayed at enough Aman properties to know they're not all created equal. Many of the older properties are showing their age and aren't being kept up. The new city hotels are stunning, but they don't have the square footage to really compare to the originals.

Bottom line, when Adrian left Aman, the soul of Aman died a little.

I like these posts even though they are out of touch with reality and do have a rockstar vibe. It is fascinating to see how the super rich spend their money. The comments are entertaining too.

Lucky,

Thanks for this review. I was hoping for more from this hotel and so were most others, judging from the comments. Just from the shot of the villa exterior I was already disappointed. Am I the only one who thinks it resembles a public lavatory? The whole aesthetic seems so stark, all I see are high bleached walls. No artworks, and no greenery to break up the monotony. The only bit I liked was the pool because of the views. Thanks again for your review. Will not be staying there for sure.

Some of the commentators on here have mentioned that there are better Aman properties to stay at - so which ones do you recommend?

That exterior view of your room - presumably the pool side - makes it look like a beach changing/toilet block. Not an impressive first look.

Finally getting caught up on reading your trip reports. Maybe I can help set the sunscreen situation in perspective. Spa Ceylon is a very expensive store. They have an outlet in Galle where we shopped (in Sri Lankan rupees). The airport location charges in US Dollars and is marked higher. I do love love their floral soaps.

Your sunscreen costs $30 without markup:
https://store.spaceylon.com/index.php/ranges/sun-care/sun-moisture-care-anti-age-face-cream-spf-25.html

Thanks for another great, honest review! I would love to hear your thoughts on the amans in North America in particular, amanera, amanyara, and OF COURSE, amangiri! after following your blog for lo these many years, i'd have a hard time dishing out the necessary cash without hearing your opinion first!! (i know there's plenty on flyertalk, but you're always spot-on, and you always point out things that i wouldn't notice but would definitely annoy my husband!)

Just finished a stay at Amanwella and will update a few things to this review given the five years that has passed.

1. You don’t need to pass through the library to the bar or restaurant. Not sure you ever did. You simply walk across the lawn in front of the gift shop. No one goes through the library.

2. Food quality is still good but WOW have the prices increased since this review. The Burger at the beach club that you show as 3500 rupees is now a whopping 16,500. The world’s only $50 cheeseburger? I think that even beats out Maldives prices. Especially shocking as I was a few weeks in the Northwest coast kite surfing and the lovely place I stayed at had delicious burgers for around $6. Even simple dishes like the chicken satay is now around $30. I have no clue why they are charging this much. Food is normally very reasonably priced in Sri Lanka.

3. The rooms are identical to 2019 photos. Nothing has changed. I would say that being 20 years old the resort has aged fairly well.

4. The ocean is only too rough to swim on certain days. It is perfectly fine on most. It also depends on which section you enter. Towards the east side of the beach it’s very calm. To the west side it gets a bit rougher.

5. Rates are now more along the lines of $1200 including breakfast. For Aman that is not bad but the food has become so outrageously expensive I question the overall value. Especially with so many new luxury resorts opening around the South coast.