Bentota Travel Forum

Hello,does anyone have experience of the Taj Exotica or Bentota Beach hotels. Paid a deposit to stay at the Taj for our honeymoon but worried that i should have booked Bentota Beach judging on a few dodgy reviews(although there have been good ones as well). At the Taj is it worth upgrading to a Superior Sea View rather than a Standard Sea View.
Cheers all
Nev and Magda

Hi Nev & Magda
Although i have not stayed in either hotel, i have actually been to both for flying visits for lunch, or dinners, what i can tell you is that they are both excellent hotels, with the Taj being the better of the two, i do know that visitor numbers at both are well down on usual, for obvious reasons i guess, so maybe an e-mail to the Taj and explain it is your honeymoon, and i am sure that an upgrade would be given.
They will be so glad to have you there as guests, i am sure that this would not be a problem, from personal experience, an e-mail 4 weeks before you go would be best.
Cheers, all the best, and have a great honeymoon.
Dave

Hello,

Both hotels are equally good and share the same stretch of beach. However, the Taj is slightly more superior I would say.

Hotels usually give you free upgrades. If you work on it now you should be able to get the upgrade free. When are you traveling?

Cheers

Nilanka

hi
the taj exotica is a supierier 5 star hotel , you couldnt get better.
in all the hotels in sri lanka the staff go out thier way to make your stay exceptional nothing is too much trouble.
have a wonderfull honeymoon.
hippychic

Having stayed at the Taj in April this year I'll be totally biased and agree with the other replies.
We were automatically upgraded to superior sea view room (and we are not even married - let alone doing anything special like a honeymoon) and if you want to see some pix of our amazing view then just let me know and email me.
The lobby is air conditioned to the hilt and amazing... which is just what you need after 11 hour flight and 2-3 hour taxi ride from airport. The rooms are big and gorgeous - with robes, slippers and all other trappings of 5 star luxury. Room service is the best we have known, and so friendly despite all that they have gone through since the Tsunami. No damage to the hotel. It was farly busy.... busy enough that sun loungers around the pool were hard to find after 10am! so that's a good sign that it's business is picking up.
You'll have a great time, and good luck with the wedding! Charleygirl76

Hi, I stayed at bentota beach hotel last year for two weeks, and also visited it most days for two months when I was in Sri Lanka this year, to use the pool, and I have to say I can't imagine a more perfect hotel to spend your honeymoon- it's where I want to stay for mine!

Hello and a big thank you to all of you who replied. You've certainly reassured us and we can't wait to go.Good advice re the upgrading-i'm waiting to hear from the travel company.
Cheers all, Nev and Magda

Hi,
my wife and I stayed at the Taj and found while it was not up to the standards of 5* hotels in the far east, it was however probably the best on Sri Lanka.
We visited the Bentota Beach hotel, and felt it was a shame for the guests staying there. They were not aware of the luxuary just a few 100 yards away!

the Bentota Beach was more like a holiday camp and more in keeping with an 18-30 group, each trying to see who could get pissed firt on the local 'all inclusive' hootch1

Go for the Taj!!!

Best wishes on your holiday

John

FOR LUXURY... you got the best hotel.

Taj exotica is better than bentota beach hotel by a long shot!

very very beautiful!