|
December 28, 2009 :
My best experience yet with Red Dot. Herman is very knowledgeable about his country, and the perfect ambassador. He drives well, and doesn’t take undue risks. He is always around when you need him. Nothing is too much trouble for him. He is a great asset to your company.
Seashells - Although the A La Carte dishes are of a good standard, the buffet is abysmal – mashed potatoes for breakfast!! Items available are wrongly labelled. When they run out of food they are only replaced only when you inform the waiters. Instead of being idle they should check.
Upper Glencairn - Perfect location, but not well maintained by the operating wing. However, considering the overnight charge, this is acceptable. Service is poor and the residence manager need to take a more hands on approach to his duties. The one redeeming feature is the food, which is very good and well presented
Hibiscus Garden - This hotel has very good rooms in a nice location, but it would have been better sited near the main tank although it does lie within the bird sanctuary. The food is not that good and for half board offers only western dishes. When we asked for rice we were told they need three hours advance notice.
--- PB – Phillipines
|
|
December 28, 2009 :
We have been very impressed with the tour that has been put together for us. A very good interpretation of our request. Ranjith drove very well but driving in Sri Lanka could be hair raising at time due to buses racing and other drivers road sense. All part of the experience. We very much enjoyed Ranjith’s company. The vehicle was always very clean every day. We are sad to say goodbye.
Amaya Lake - Beautiful location. Nice touches like flowers on your bed spelling “Good Night” and “Goodbye”. Very relaxing, exceeded expectations. Restaurant very large and public.
Hunas Falls - Immaculate. Great retro style, needs some updating to reach its potential (bathroom etc). We had cold water one night and one morning. We found the restaurants lacking in atmosphere though the food was very good and the surrounding stylish piano music was out of tune and not always relaxing. Fourteen honeymoon couples were there on our stay and they all seemed rather quiet which perhaps contributed to the atmosphere. We were charged for a phone call we did not make which when we disputed it took half an hour to sort out.
Rafters Retreat - Accommodation as described. Couple of things could be better like the lighting didn’t work on the balcony, sheets were clean but stained. Staff were nice and food was good. We were the only guests. We had conflicting views about the place, I found it a bit scary being open in the jungle. My partner liked it. Couldn’t do it more than one night. Good experience overall.
Kalus Hideaway - Luxury accommodation, slightly unexpected in the location. On our second day we were the only guests. Rooms, Dinning area and terrace all were very comfortable. Service was great. The staff couldn’t do enough for us and on our first day we met Kalu, the owner who made us feel very welcome and spent quite a bit of time with us. Nice pool, relaxing and intimate. Exceeded expectations. We were sad to learn that the drivers accommodation was not very good, unclean and no electric light.
--- GL – Herts
|
|
December 28, 2009 :
Good presentation for itinerary, and an extremely helpful consultant, Ayanthi, tailored the whole trip to our tastes. Ananda should be you no 1 driver. He is absolutely fantastic. He has excellent knowledge and he was a great ambassador both for Red dot and Sri Lanka. He gave us great tips and advice, answered all our questions, has a brilliant sense of humour and has made our holiday the best experience. Because of the star service we received we would recommend Red Dot to any of our friends. Recommendations for tea factory and turtle hatchery were terrific. Professional, polite, friendly and brilliant at all times.
Hotel Sigiriya - Staff at reception were lovely. Staff in restaurant were much less friendly and very slow. Incredible location, very well designed hotel. Rooms very comfortable.
Glendower hotel - One of the evening meals was very poor. Would have liked tea/coffee facilities in room. Bathroom not well maintained and it was hard to get hot water from the shower. Staff were friendly. Location was good as it was close to market and town.
Yala Village - Best hotel we stayed at. Would definitely recommend. Staff friendly though very slow at getting drinks to tables in the evenings. Good pool and got to see many wild animals. Lovely chalets.
Ice Bear - Toilet not working when we arrived and no hot water. Other areas of accommodation were very good. Lovely bedroom. Staff as elusive as leopards in Yala. However very friendly when we did manage to locate someone. Good location and nice to walk to the shops
Hotel Suisse - Bathroom could have been better maintained. Air conditioning quite temperamental and hard to get temperature right during night.
--- TG – Birmingham
|
|
December 28, 2009 :
The advice offered by Dirk was invaluable in helping us to plan a great holiday. Dirk was very patient as we looked to refine what we wanted. Herman [our driver] was excellent. Very helpful and thoughtful. He was always on time and was flexible to our needs. He was very knowledgeable. He added a great deal to our holiday.
The Wallawwa - We arrived late at night and the staff were very welcoming. The room was nice. When we got up the following morning it was a lovely setting for our first morning and the start of our holiday. We only stayed for breakfast but felt we would have liked to stay longer.
Heritance Kandalama - Everything about this hotel was fantastic. The setting was beautiful. The staff could not have been nicer and any more helpful. The food was very nice with a very wide choice. We would definitely stay here again.
Ellerton - A lovely small hotel with a fantastic view from the verandah. The pool was small but nice because we were the only ones in it. The set meals were nice and plentiful. Service was fantastic and the staff were wonderful. The dogs were nice too.
Galle Fort - The hotel was very stylish and nice. The staff were very helpful. We had to change rooms after the second night because of very noisy plumbing but the hotel made for it by giving us a free upgrade. We were glad of this as the garden room was a disappointment after the other rooms we have had and it was more expensive.
--- HB – Wigston
|
|
November 26, 2009 :
Great website. Service and flexibility to adapt trip was excellent. Also great advice given. Wijekoon [our driver] was a star! Provided great service and was flexible, adapting the tour to make the best use of time and so we also had time to rest. His knowledge of the sites was fantastic and his company and guidance was one of the highlights of the trip.Wish when we'd booked that the journey from Tea Trails to Galle was so long as it was a difficult and tiring journey for us.
The Wallawwa - Fantastic, can;t fault it. Staff were brilliant and the hotel provided the perfect place to relax from the flight. Disappointed no-one was available for massage when we were there. In particular we loved the food and the pool.
Deer Park - Good hotel. Scenery is gorgeous and rtoom comfortable. Service was great, the food was OK and the set menu was good value. Mosquitos were bad in the restaurant though and no candles / coils were available to repel. Again, mossies in bathroom were bad. I got bitten so much I had to see doctor.
Chayya Citadel - Beautiful setting and views from hotel stunning. Food (buffet) was Ok but it was a free for all as so busy. Was further outside Kandy than expected.
Tea Trails (Castlereagh) - Amazing! Wish we'd stayed longer. Words cannot describe how good it was. Food was fantastic and the tea factory tour with Andrew was very interesting. Well worth the money!
Galle Fort Hotel - Hotel and rooms were very beautiful and the location, inside the Fort, was great. However the hotel and service lacked sopme of the real Sri lankan warmth we saw and experienced in Walawwa, Tea Trails and Aditya.
Aditya - Near perfection! Hotel is small with real personal service. Food was first class and menu so extensive we never needed to eat elsewhere. Room was stunning, best I've ever stayed in. Service puts many top London hotels to shame. Will definitely be back.
Dambulla cave temple - Loved this, climb was hard in humidity but worth it.
Anuradhapura - Brilliant. With Wije's input and tour it was very interesting.
Sigiriya Rock - Great, although hassle from `helpers' annoying.
Temple of Tooth - Rushed as our schedule was tight but still worth it.
Train to Hatton - Favourite bit of trip!
--- RH - Herts
|
|
October 22, 2009 :
We thank George for a wonderful and informative tour.
Kandy temple - Really enjoyed the cultural show and the tour of the temple.
Pinnewala Elephants - Nice opportunity to see elephants.
--- AM – Aranda
|
|
October 22, 2009 :
very impressive response to enquiries enabled the trip to be booked at a very short notice (one day). Jayasuriya was a delightful gentleman who did all he was asked, Gave advice when requested. Showed patience and got involved when invited to do so. We would happily have him again. Jayasuriya helped us find a very good bank shop in which he clearly had no interest.
Yala village - The hotel satisfies its purpose as a base for safaris and whilst we were happy some guests complained about how little wildlife they had managed to see. The pool was an enjoyable distraction between safaris. There was a smell of drains which waffed up in to the restaurant.
Wallawwa - A very good location in proximity to the airport to start and end a tour. Superb welcome and acknowledgment of anniversary on first visit. Seemed a little stretched on second visit when there was higher occupancy. Tea making facilities in room would be appreciated.
The Lighthouse, Galle - A dependable hotel with very helpful staff and good facilities. The A la carte meal in the Cinnamon Restaurant was excellent as was the table d’hote menu in the main restaurant. The buffet in the evenings were a disappointment, especially the western evenings but breakfast were great. The bathroom area of the room was starting to look a bit tired.
Landa - A beautiful setting with a delightful, genuine staff who could not do enough to help us celebrate our anniversary. The accommodation was good when we were the only guests but a lack of soundproofing between the two rooms in a chalet was intrusive when the other room was occupied. The bed was a little hard and the lighting a little dim for our liking and it took a little to get used to sharing the wet room with ants. Overall we had a wonderful time
--- NH – Dorset
|
|
October 22, 2009 :
A special thank you to Nicola and Punchee who together made our holiday to Sri Lanka one that we will never forget. Outstanding service from both at all times. Punchee was absolutely brilliant and I would recommend him to anyone. Nothing was too much trouble and he clearly went out of his way to ensure we enjoyed our stay in Sri Lanka. He was friendly and funny and the extra tours he provided for us were greatly appreciated. The car was always clean and comfortable and he made us very welcome. Having travelled around quite a bit we can both say that Punchee is the best guide we have had and we will miss him.
Yala village - Exactly what we had hoped for. Great staff, great surroundings. Really felt very happy here. Plus the added bonus of seeing Leopards and a Sloth bear.
Wallawwa - Staff greeted us well, the room was lovely and we had supper and breakfast delivered to our room.
Grand Hotel - Awful place, we checked out before we had completed booking. We were not made welcome. The whole place is very old fashioned and the room felt more like a prison cell. They have made no allowance for the fact the weather can be bad so you are likely to be in your room a lot. Very pleased with the assistance from Punchee and red Dot who arranged an early check out straight away. I would not recommend sending people to this hotel.
Amanwella - Absolutely beautiful. Room was lovely, staff were lovely and the settings was amazing. A little disappointed that we were not able to dive or even snorkel due to the sea conditions.
Elephant jungle trek - Absolutely brilliant. Also went to wash the elephant which was amazing.
Sigiriya rock / Polonnaruwa - Could not complete the climb due to the height. Both good experience though.
Elephant Orphanage/ Temple of Tooth - Elephants were amazing & we are fed the babies. Temple was very interesting.
Yala National park - Did 3 safaris here instead of one and loved them all.
Buduruwagala - Not to be missed.
--- TF – Leics
|
|
October 22, 2009 :
Very good guide and driver. Very calm and reassuring. Excellent local knowledge.
--- MP – Dubai
|
|
October 22, 2009 :
Our last minute booking was handled very efficiently. Kamal was an excellent drive and guide. There was a very flexibility in changing things to meet our needs. He looked us very well during our visit. It was an unexpected surprise to have the benefit of his knowledge on the history and also the wildlife of Sri Lanka. It was a big help to have Kamal’s assistance in finding shops for the things we wanted. It would have been much more difficult on our own.
--- MF – Doha
|
|
October 22, 2009 :
Keerthi was a very knowledgeable, courteous, thoughtful and polite
---DK – Bangalore
|
|
October 22, 2009 :
Excellent communication. Good information and speedy response. Bubsy drove at a good speed and made adequate comfort stops. The transport was comfortable and kept clean. We were not really interested in shopping, but Bubsy offered us opportunities and was happy to give advice. Sigiriya rock - Spectacular views and interesting history. Local guide did a good job explaining the history.
Elephant safari - Excellent activity organized by Bubsy. Was a magical experience riding around the lake and well hosted.
Temple of the tooth - Interesting historically and Bubsy was a good informative. guide.
Yala Park - Saw lots of wildlife including a leopard .
---CS – Yorks
|
|
October 22, 2009 :
Ayanthi is a gem. I asked many questions and was slow to make decisions. She has guided me with extreme patience and knowledge so that I was able to get this wonderful holiday organized. This is our second visit with red Dot and I cannot thank you enough. The issue with the hotel in Kitulgala was sorted quickly and very professionally. Ayanthi’s help has been invaluable both on the end of the phone and on email. Boniface, our driver, has been superb, giving us an insight into Sri Lankan and stopping for me to take so many photos to record our visit. He has made our holiday such a good experience. Red Dot did it again. Excellent.
Heritance Kandalama - Stunning beautiful hotel, where the join between exterior and interior spaces is seamless.
Plantation Kitulgala - This hotel was very poor. Ayanthi had told us in advance it was nowhere near the standards of the others, however it was worse than expected so we chose not to stay. The room was behind reception, the door didn’t lock, The curtain at the bathroom window was tied up and didn’t fit properly. It was for only for one night but we were not prepared to stay there.
Temple Tree - Beautiful modern hotel, exceedingly friendly and helpful staff who prepared our table by the pool with candles and free flowers and provided us with excellent dinner
Galle Fort - Really beautiful oasis of calm with exceeding helpful and friendly staff. Great room and food
Kandalama jungle trek - Very knowledgeable naturalist. Thoroughly enjoyed the experience .
Minneriya safari - Superb, even if only a small group of elephants. They had a one-week old baby.
River boat trip from Galle Fort - Excellent trip saw lots of birds, monitors.
---LC – Derbysire
|
|
October 22, 2009 :
Very straightforward and prompt responses to email queries. Dushan [our driver] was a nice guy. Lots of good info. Never pushed when we said no to a suggestion.
Heritance Kandalama - Dining room too small and noisy bit like a school canteen. Drinks overpriced. Fantastic location and experience.
Temple Tree - Amazing staff, very peaceful. The perfect place to end a great holiday Citidel Kandy Service was generally good. Management service was not as good. Had to be moved due to the noise from the bar.
Club Bentota - Awful place. Dirty rooms. Management was rude. Place need some updating. Dirty ashtray in bedroom. We couldn’t stay.
---DM – Cardiff
|
|
October 22, 2009 :
Wijeykoon was friendly and very reliable. He gave us an excellent tour of his beloved country. Helpful and accommodating at all times. He really made our holiday. We will recommend to others coming to Sri Lanka. Thank you for organizing us a fantastic and unforgettable honeymoon. We will be recommending red Dot to friends and family.
The Lavender House - The staff at Lavender were wonderful. Very relaxing. A beautiful house in a stunning location. Great food too.
The Dutch House - Another beautiful hotel with great staff in a stunning location. Had a relaxing time. Lovely pool. On reflection five nights is probably too long to stay here.
--- MS – UAE
|
|
October 22, 2009 :
Despite the initial email response being slow, all other correspondence was quick, helpful and informative. Nalin was exceptionally polite, good command of English and a good sense of humor. He kept the vehicle clean and drove at a sensible speed with due care and attention.
Havelock Hotel - Hygiene of the swimming pool appeared insufficient. Quality and price of food were fantastic. Staff were very helpful and service was great. The general ambience was wonderful
Amaya Hills - Wide range of well priced food with discreet background entertainment. Staff were polite and helpful. Fantastic views. Good swimming pool however the sides were slippery. Overall a wonderful experience.
--- SS – Bristol
|
|
October 22, 2009 :
A different driver met us at the airport due to accident to the original vehicle. He dealt with all our needs excellently. Seashells The only issue with we had was with the location of the room relative to a loud speaker system in the street that was blasting out music and messages.
Chaaya Village - Excellent location with friendly helpful staff. The buffet dinner and breakfast were the best we have come across over many years with food freshly prepared.
St Andrew’s Hotel - A hotel and location of real character allowing you to step back in time and experience a lost part of history. Excellent for exploring the hill country. Could do with some new pillows though.
Fort Printers - Staff showed great kindness and professionalism. The location was excellent and the room had the most comfortable pillows we experienced on the whole holiday.
--- DW – Farnham
|
|
October 22, 2009 :
This is our second tour with Vijay. He is completely helpful and professional. He does his absolute best to iron out any little problems. He is wonderfully protective and we always felt completely safe with him. He is also a very knowledgeable guide and a thoroughly nice man.
Yala village - The problem was the remote location. The road to Tissa is being rebuilt and is currently dreadful. Swimming pool wasn’t clean and smelt of rotten eggs. This hotel need a new manager to iron out all the little problems which make inconvenience to guests.
Barberyn Beach Resort - The attention to details and guest comfort is outstanding. Everything works exactly as it should. The only negative is that the deluxe room was not so deluxe but fairly basic. However the room was spacious with large balconies. Superb views.
Galle Face Regency - A superb hotel in a wonderful location. We loved the colonial atmosphere combined with modern comfort. Excellent value for money.
--- JB – Southampton
|
|
October 22, 2009 :
Villa Talangama - A wonderful surprise, beautiful location. Very well maintained, excellent food. Attentive host.
Kalu’s Hideaway - A big disappointment. The location is fabulous, we saw so many different birds from the garden. Unfortunately we felt that management was not that great. The rooms were large but no bedside tables or lamps. The hot water system is one of the most strongest we have ever seen and most possible the most dangerous. One room had no hot water, and it was possible to have boiling hot water or very cold water but nothing in between. Service was generally slow. The place was not clean.
Olanda beach villa - Beautiful house and location. Problems were taken care of promptly. Staff were very nice. Our only criticism is that cleaning should have been of a higher standard.
--- SH – Israel
|
|
October 22, 2009 :
The Beach - Negombo A great place to recover from a long journey to Sri Lanka Sigiriya Village The staff were outstanding. Very friendly and eager to please.
Chaaya Citadel - We did not like being taken to the royal garden. It felt like a place where all the tourists were taken by their drivers. It was below standards.
The Grand Hotel - The communal areas were smart and well presented. Our room was shabby and the bathroom had a dirty feel. It smelt of urine and body odour. The food at the Indian Grand was poor.
Amanwella - A beautifully situated and well designed hotel. Service was good. Well worth the 7-hour car journey from Lavender house.
--- JC – London
|
|
October 22, 2009 :
Barberyn Beach Resort - The attention to details and guest comfort is outstanding. Everything works exactly as it should. The only negative is that the deluxe room was not so deluxe but fairly basic. However the room was spacious with large balconies. Superb views.
Galle Face Regency - A superb hotel in a wonderful location. We loved the colonial atmosphere combined with modern comfort. Excellent value for money.
--- JB – Southampton
|
|
September 02, 2009 :
Booking process was very efficient and friendly. Prem was an excellent driver. Very friendly and keen to inform us about Sri Lanka in general and about the sites. Very informative guide, made very sensible changes to itinerary to allow for very busy periods in Kandy. We cannot recommend him enough
Browns Beach Hotel - Just right for an overnight stop. Interesting town
Victoria Golf Chalet - Nice to escape Kandy at busy times. Refurbished, brand new & unusual room.
Norwood Bungalow - Wow! Luxurious but relaxed feel. Perfect
--- RH – Derby
|
|
September 02, 2009 :
The driver was absolutely excellent! Extremely enjoyable, helpful, courteous and very accommodating in terms of alternatives to our trip (Horton plains was avoided at our request). A real asset to your company and some one I would recommend in the future.
--- SW – London
|
|
September 02, 2009 :
Chrishan was an excellent driver and host who was always punctual and attentive. We would be delighted to have him as our driver again in the future. Hasanka joined us for the final leg of the trip. He was also very good. I was surprised when we were charged extra when one of our trips exceeded 100 km as a number of other trips were less than 100km and I assumed it would be balanced out over the whole trip plus an average used. This aspect should have been specified in the booking instructions.
Ranweli holiday village - A good friendly hotel which suited us well. Good eco place. Mosquito nets should be fitted as standard. We brought some with us and hung it ourselves.
Kandy House - A superb boutique hotel with extremely high standards of service.
Mahoora - A great camp with great service and perfect location. Mosquito nets should have been set over the beds. Mosquitoes were not a big problem but nets would have been re assuring. The guide and the eco team were very knowledgeable and friendly.
The Fortress - A world class 5 star hotel.
The Beach Hotel - A great beach hotel close to the airport with a business feel. I was pleased that we pitched the Ranweli for our initial stay as this had more of a holiday feel to it.
--- JH – Merseyside
|
|
September 02, 2009 :
We cannot begin to put into words what an amazing time we have just had in Sri Lanka. Our most sincere thanks to all the team who went to so much trouble to ensure our 25th Anniversary was so special.
Our special thanks to Jayasuriya, our driver who went out of his way to make things go smoothly - including his considerate driving! He followed the instructions I gave in my email, exactly.
Thank you to you, too, Nicola for your prompt service which allowed us to jet away so quickly. We had cancelled a previously arranged tour with another company because of financial restraints and the increased army activity leading up to May.
Thank you once again to all at Red Dot...a very impressive team.
--- JH – London
|
|
September 02, 2009 :
George unfortunately got stuck in the traffic jam on our day of arrival. Luckily we had to wait for about 15-20 min. Otherwise, very professional and knowledgeable. It would have been nice to have at least 1 bottle of water per person for each trip available in the car.
Heritance Kandalama - Location of hotel is great for the view from lobby and swimming pool. Rooms were clean and ok. Food choice was too limited. Worst part of this hotel was the service. Especially when ordering some food and drinks.
Kandy House - Nice place. We had a great room, but other rooms seemed to be quite dark. Nice garden and pool, but location of hotel was bit too far outside of Kandy. No problem for 1 or 2 nights, but not if you want to stay longer Leopard Safaris Noel is a fantastic guy and he has a great team. Superb service and good food, especially considering that you are in a camp.
Dutch House - Great hotel and fantastic room. Food choice is however too limited. It was especially great as we were the only guests in the house.
Tintagel - We booked this hotel ourselves. Quite a disaster. Hotel looks nice and some rooms are quite big. But otherwise everything was bad: worst was the service. Big lack of any hospitality training. they made huge mistakes with payment (tried to overcharge, then charged me 10x the bill on my credit card, promising to rectify this, but not having done so). No apology or any other gesture. Breakfast menu was almost non existent. And orange juice was out of stock. Didn't go for lunch or dinner because restaurant was always completely empty (except for the general manager eating there). They also did not have a liquor license. Room was smelling a bit and outside patio was smelling due to smoke from the neighboring house
--- AH – Singapore
|
|
September 02, 2009 :
Ceelan could have done with a four wheel vehicle on some of the tougher roads. Ceelan was friendly, helpful and polite at all times and is extremely knowledgeable about all aspects of his country.
Browns Beach Hotel - Just right for an overnight stop. Interesting town.
Victoria Golf Chalet - Nice to escape Kandy at busy times. Refurbished, brand new & unusual room.
Norwood Bungalow - Wow! Luxurious but relaxed feel. Perfect
--- RM – Somerset
|
|
September 02, 2009 :
Wallawwa - We were impressed by the Wallawwa.We have no hesitation in giving an unreserved recommendation for the Wallawwa.
Landa - The Landa was a good choice for us as the staff and indeed, the whole surrounding village made us feel so welcome.
--- NH – Dorset
|
|
August 10, 2009 :
Ayanthi was charming and extremely helpful, giving excellent advice. It was her help that made me book with Red Dot.Ranjith was a delight and made our Trip a pleasure. I would highly recommend him.
--- SC – Cornwall
|
|
August 10, 2009 :
Emails were answered very quickly with any changes made to the itinerary that we had requested.
Taj Exotica - Beautiful location and hotel. We felt the buffet dinner was a letdown. However the excellent local restaurant shack, barely signposted, was a hidden gem
The Beach - Fantastic Hotel, shame we only had one day here. Restaurant was excellent.
Hunas Falls Hotel - Such a gorgeous location but feel this hotel need some updating. Unfortunately it was very quiet when we stayed, much of the food and wine on the a la carte menu was unavailable and the buffet dinner / breakfast was poor we felt.
Vill Uyana - An amazing place, Thank you for suggesting it. A real once in a lifetime experience.
--- SB – London
|
|
August 10, 2009 :
Punchi was an excellent driver and guide. He made us feel very well looked after. He suggested some very interesting places to go and gave helpful advice on our travel plans. He took us everywhere we mentioned we might be interested in even if it was way out of the way. He did not take us to places which we would feel under pressure to buy things as I have experienced previously so that was great. He was punctual always available to help and was extremely courteous. He gave us honest opinions about things and was interesting to talk to. It was like having a friend guide us. Punchi was discreet at all times – a gentlemen.
--- SP – King's Lynn
|
|
August 10, 2009 :
Ellerton - Brilliant – we were only guests! Well looked after, great service, good value, beautifully appointed
Kandalama - We love this Hotel! Lovely spa bath in room, fabulous wildlife. Only quibble – restaurant is a bit soulless. Beverage and drinks are very expensive.
Yala Village - Great location, peaceful and relaxing. Service variable – food pretty basic, not very fresh.
--- DB – London-
|
|
July 28, 2009 :
The vehicle was very comfortable but we noticed that the gearbox needs some attention.We would be only too delighted to recommend Red Dot to other visitors to Sri Lanka, and we thank Red Dot very much for making this Holiday unforgettable and Enjoyable.
Kelbourne Cottage - Wonderful views, very relaxing and attentive service.
Yala Village - Well worth a visit. It was unfortunate that they were repairing the view point at the time of our visit. Views fantastic.
Ranweli Village - Lovely Location & Lovely Hotel
Chaaya Village - Laundry service was excellent. Some of the waiters were over enthusiastic about special promotions. Good view of the sunset from the tree house by River.
Hunnas Falls Hotel - Fantastic Location. Excellent room service
The Lighthouse - Outstanding Hotel.
Galle Fort Hotel - Beautiful Hotel. Lovely Ambience
Dickwella Village - Pool was out of order due to construction. Tv did not work. No Hot water
Martins Lodge - Welcoming environment. Close to the Rainforest. Good Birds
--- RM – Edinburgh
|
|
July 28, 2009 :
Ervine was a lovely driver, considerate, informative, pleasant company – the best
The Beach - Fantastic room & location, expensive for food & drinks.
Palm Garden Village - The Italian & Sri Lankan food was great but the English food they served was not good at all. We also had to ask to move room as although the hotel was empty they moved people in to the next room at 4am and kept us awake the whole night.
--- JB – East Sussex,
|
|
July 28, 2009 :
Excellent service, always polite and enthusiactic. Boniface made every effort to accommodate our request. He organized a trip to horton plains on very late notice.All transfers and accommodation arrangements went completely smoothly and much of the credit for this goes to Boniface(and Ayanthi of course)
Chaaya Citidel - Superb Hotel. Lovely location with very enjoyable pool side sheltered area we had a fantastic BBQ under one night. Staff are very attentive and at Boniface’s request they produced a lovely birthday cake for Liz. The layout and furnishing of the room were nice, although given the hotel appeared to be fairly quiet, it seemed odd that our room was next to a (at times) noisy staff room.
Cinnamon Lodge - We would recommend the ala carte menu rather than the buffet as it had a good selection and we was better value for money. Room was nice but the bathroom was a bit dated and could have benefited from the air conditioning being piped through. Great pool
St Andrews Hotel - This Hotel was below the standard of the other hotels we have stayed in Sri Lanka. On arrival the hotel seemed empty to guests and Boniface had to find the lights for us in the Lounge. The restaurant was also in complete darkness and the daily set menu was also from 3days ago. We ordered some room service and asked for a bottle of white wine. After 4 attempts of which the waiter bought up a bottle of red and white wine we had ordered, it was established that none of the wines we had ordered was available in which time we had finished our dinner. Though clean, the bathroom was of much lower standards we would come to expect from the Jetwing Chain. The staff were not adequately trained. The receptionist wasn’t helpful when we asked about tours to Hortoin plains.
--- RR – London
|
|
July 23, 2009 :
We just wanted to let you know that we had a fantastic holiday in Sri Lanka and everything was amazing.We would like to thank you for your help with the booking and please pass on our thanks to Guna who was a wonderful polite considerate driver.Thank you to Nicola for all your help before arrived & to Gune whilst we have been here.We would certainly recommend Reddot tours to any of our friends and would have no hesitation in using you again.
Chaaya Citidel - Very friendly and welcoming hotel
Cinnamon Lodge - Service from some staff was excellent but others could have been better
Tea Factory - Very pleased we chose this hotel
Activities - Jeep safari was amazing but everything we did was a great experience & very interesting We were pleased that Gune suggested taking the train to Nuwara Eliya
--- DN – Kent
|
|
July 23, 2009 :
Ananda really made my holiday. Excellent company, excellent local knowledge and suggestion on what to see.You have a excellent policy and Ananda stuck to it. I didn’t mind at all going to restaurants that gave drivers free lunches. But if I’d not been told in advance and told later I would have been annoyed.Ananda took me to a range of shopping and house of Fashion in Colombo.All were as described. He did warn me about overpricing in Kandy.I was very impressed by Red Dot and will say so on Trip Advisor.One way to offer even more would be to loan clients a few books about Sri Lanka (Lonely Planet) when they arrive, taking them back at the End of the trip.
Lions Rock Hotel- I asked for a budget hotel and this was a good choice for the price. The only hotel to have a mosquito net. Food well priced
Grand Oriental - Over priced, but good quality.
--- RC – Yelverton
|
|
June 08, 2009 :
Amaya Reef: This was a disaster! Initially we were shown a room on the ground floor which has a view of the toilets, we did not like this. Then another room which was small, dark and dingy. The third room which took 30 minutes to find was OK. The biggest issue was that [sum of Money] were stolen from our room. The room had no safe but we keep our money with us normally. It was only left in the room when we went for dinner in the evenings. We reported this to the management, who seemed shocked but basically did nothing except write a note.
Earls’ Regency: The hotel felt run down. Glad we were there only one night.
Mahoora Camping: We were expecting a luxury camp which it was not. No hot water, a muddy shower and an old vehicle which had no threads on the tyres and was broken down. Cycle ride was poorly managed. The staff were very good and tried really hard, but the management has not provided the right equipment to call this a luxury camp.
-BK – Worcester
|
|
May 01, 2009 :
Erwin was exceptionally efficient and friendly
---BC – Australia
|
|
April 30, 2009 :
Ayanthi was really helpful – throughout. She put together a really good itinerary. Chandra was a great driver and skilful, especially around Colombo. Well informed guide, friendly a sense of humour. We would use his services and Red Dot when we return Sri Lanka again.
Cinnamon Lodge: Lovely hotel. Excellent wildlife, birdlife all around and very well positioned for visiting sights within the cultural triangle.
Kandy House: Beautiful location. Good pool and lovely garden. Very relaxing atmosphere.
Tea Trails (Norwood): Very comfortable. Great views and pool. Excellent staff.
Galle Fort: A really inspired conversion and great bare in the fort. Staff very attentive, food was excellent.
The Walawwa: Absolutely lovely! So relaxing. A charming delightful staff. Pretty garden and nice pool.
---SC – Down
|
|
April 10, 2009 :
Dushan is a pleasure to be with- a true gentleman. We always felt safe and well advised with him. We would not want to visit Sri Lanka with anyone else!
Tea Trails (Norwood): Fantastic! Wish we had have stayed longer (Loved every moment here).
Kulu Safari: Truly a unique experience. Mark and the team all to make us enjoy our stay.
--- LS – Qatar
|
|
April 05, 2009 :
Horathapola: absolutely wonderful for our first night. The tranquillity, beauty, house rooms and food was superb-we wished we had stayed 2 nights, days-the bullock cart ride through their small estate was a delight
Kandalama: A different more impersonal style but really first class-the location and setting(especially the infinity pool looking over the lake) was truly memorable-half board was a really good recommendation.
Hotel Suisse: Very adequate and good value-we loved the old style of the hotel and service was excellent-the weather was poor which didn’t help.
Kelbourne: We loved the peace and simplicity of Haputale and the tea estates above and of course the views are spectacular (if you can see them!!) but the weather was a bit of a disappointment. The service was excellent and the food good.
Sea Shells: very fairly priced and good quality hotel and ideal for a late stop over for an early departure. We would not choose that stretch of the beach for a holiday but as you said it was ideal for our purpose
---AH – Surrey
|
|
April 03, 2009 :
We just wanted to say a big big thank you, for all your help in organising our wonderful holiday. Everything went to plan, Sri lanka is an amazing country you are lucky to live there all the time! All the hotels were perfect and we wish we could do it all over again. A special mention for Seelan, what an absolute gentleman, he certainly put himself out to make our trip extra special. Some of the roads he had to contend with to access the hotels were very rough indeed but he managed it with great skill. We cannot speak highly enough of him. His knowledge of birds and wildlife is excellent, we cant wait for our next trip to Sri Lanka with Seelan as our guide of course!
Kalu’s Hideaway: Ideal place for one night stay to get to Udaalawa. All the staff was very helpful and friendly.
Rainforest Edge: More than we expected for the location. Would recommend this place to others.
Lighthouse Hotel: Excellent location and food. We enjoyed the beach.
The Beach: Nice surprise, though the place was lovely and wish we could stay longer.
--- DA – Herts
|
|
March 16, 2009 :
Nicola was very knowledgeable and made excellent recommendations for our trip. She was also very friendly and responded to our questions promptly. Our chauffeur Wijekoon was brilliant, always helpful and a very easy person to get along with. He looked after us extremely well throughout our holiday in Sri Lanka.
Park Street A good choice for the first bight. Very impressive décor and helpful staff.
Kandy House: Amazing hotel with a beautiful setting. Very friendly staff and the board games and books etc. made it feel home way from home.
Tea Trails (Castlereagh): A lovely place. Everything was lovely and the setting next to the lake was awesome.
Leopard Safari: The best part of our trip! Noel and his family were the perfect hosts and we enjoyed their knowledge and experience as well as enjoying their company. The campsite and the food were excellent. The safari drives were totally brilliant.
Cinnamon grand: Very pleasant. The gardens in the evening were very pretty.
--- EG – Surrey
|
|
March 14, 2009 :
Very safe driver. We felt happy with every aspect of Seelan’s service, it exceeded our expectations. Excellent standard of guiding and a superb knowledge and love of Sri Lanka.
Vill Uyana: Absolutely loved it. A perfect start to our trip. The staffs are excellent. We felt well looked after. Food and service was great and stunning location to see wildlife.
Kandy House: Beautiful property and wonderful swimming pool. Excellent food too.
Tea Trails (Castlereagh): Faultless! Stunning location. The staff, property, service and food was superb
---JH – Leeds.
|
|
March 09, 2009 :
Chris (Chryshantha) was an excellent driver, cheerful, most helpful and informative. Nothing was too much trouble, we would highly recommend him.
---RH – London
|
|
March 05, 2009 :
Hasantha was a great asset in every way. Very knowledgeable, reliable and pleasant
---JR – USA
|
|
February 28, 2009 :
Niroshan was a safe and careful driver. He is passionate about his country and our tours were very pleasurable and informative. He was also very accommodating and helpful even with things not concerned directly with the tours
---GM – London
|
|
February 28, 2009 :
Pradeep was helpful suggesting and arranging our holiday. He was very affable and considerate of our needs. He also acted as an excellent guide at Sigiriya and Kandy
---AR – London
|
|
February 24, 2009 :
Our second visit with Red Dot and booking process continued to work exceptionally well. We could not fault Sathyaseelan (Seelan) – his attention and interest in assisting us to enjoy our holiday was superb.
Sea Shells: Location and buffet breakfast was excellent. Alankuda: A wonderful place to relax and chill out. Very good hosts and excellent location for a relaxing few days. Dolphin watching on complimentary was well organized.
Lion Rock: With little improvement hotel would be great. The location is good but off the beaten track which means one needs to find excursions – clients should be made aware as unless they wish to rest there.
Hotel Suisse: A truly colonial experience, perhaps not too everyone’s taste, but we felt it a excellent choice for Kandy. Good diversity from other accommodation on our itinerary.
Kalu’s Hideaway: A really authentic rural retreat with just a little bit of luxury. Wonderful natural surroundings and a superb host.
---RM - Somerset
|
|
February 22, 2009 :
Ranjith Alwis is a great credit to your company and we both feel most fortunate that he was our allocated guide. He was very safe driver, incredibly knowledgeable on all aspects of the country whilst being an excellent travelling companion with a great sense of humour. He has made our stay in Sri Lanka a truly memorable experience and we would certainly recommend him to all our family and friends who intends to visit Sri Lanka in future.
Chaaya Citadel: Wonderful position. Lovely room and food very acceptable.
Tea Factory: Wonderful location. Food, service and views to be enjoyed were truly wonderful. But the road from Nuwara Eliya o this hotel was absolutely dreadful.
---MH – Warwickshire
|
|
February 21, 2009 :
Excellent service and excellent level of information /knowledge by our guide Seelan. We are very pleased with our tour and will contact Red Dot if in Sri Lanka.
---JG – London
|
|
February 18, 2009 :
Excellent guide, Pradeep was just the right character; he is always smiling and helpful. His knowledge is excellent. He helped us when we need and left us in peace when required. We would recommend him to others.
Kasapa Lion Rock: Great surrounding – liked it a lot.
Hotel Suisse: Colonial feel – very grand.
Ambiente: Fantastic view from the hotel. Building could do with some maintenance.
Kalu’s Hideaway: Lovely setting. Intimate feel to the place.
---RG – Hampshire.
|
|
February 17, 2009 :
Our driver Hasantha was very accommodating. He made sure that we did everything in our itinerary.
---JS – Canada
|
|
February 15, 2009 :
Excellent driving style, courteous and personable. We would request for George again
---AH – Kent
|
|
February 12, 2009 :
Sunil was very well informed and attentive. All very enjoyable.
Galle Face: Staffs were very friendly (Especially in 1864 bar). Not entirely satisfied with room. Efforts were made to change it, but hotel was too busy.
Royal Lotus: Room and facilities generally good. But limited food options for dinner.
Hotel Sigiriya: Nice pool. Staffs pretty helpful and friendly.
Hill Top: Bar and restaurant staffs very friendly. Internet availability limited
---GF – Malden
|
|
February 06, 2009 :
Amila is a very qualified bird’s guide. In this short trip we spotted 216 species and 31 of the endemics. Special moments include the search for night birds for me in only a couple of days, which is a very good humour. Serendib’s Scops Owl was one of them. In Yala we managed to see 7 leopards and a Jungle Cat.
---AP – Sweden
|
|
February 04, 2009 :
Very helpful and informative driver with excellent driving skills. A credit to Red Dot Tours.
Galle Face (Regency wing): Everything as expected from an old established hotel.
Hotel Topaz: Very helpful staff and excellent swimming pool, great view too. But the bathrooms very basic and only one chair in the balcony (double room).
Mangrove Garden: Very friendly and helpful staff. Standard of food and cooking was very good. Cabana rooms were very basic, also bath rooms very small and simple.
---DB – Kent.
|
|
January 30, 2009 :
Wijekoon was very helpful and courteous at all times. He was also a safe diver.
Bentota Beach: The location was idyllic. We felt that dining room was too small for the clients.
Victoria Golf Club: We felt that the administration of the club is poor.
Tea Trails (Castlereagh): The location was superb. Staff extremely friendly and helpful. Food was delicious and there was plenty to do.
Ambiente: Disappointed as the owner did not show much interest on our needs.
The Colony: A superb location. We were well looked after.
The Walawwa: Having crawled through the streets of Colombo it was a thrill to arrive at such a wonderful location. The hotel is very well equipped, the grounds relaxing and the service good.
---PD – London.
|
|
January 26, 2009 :
Hemantha was extremely helpful, efficient and friendly. He also had the knowledge of Sri Lanka.
--JR – Australia.
|
|
January 26, 2009 :
Seelan, thank you for a wonderful three weeks we have spent in your company. You have thought us so much about your beautiful country and we have loved every minute and we appreciate how well you have looked after us.
---SK – France.
|
|
January 25, 2009 :
Red Dot had upgraded us to a 4WD, it was so great to have the extra comfort especially on the hill country roads. Rowan was charming, courteous and an excellent driver. We would recommend him to anyone.
Tea Trails (Norwood): Our fourth stay in Tea Trails and of course it lived up to our previous experiences. Breathtaking scenery and the best service we have received in any hotel in the world. Perfect climate, dreamy landscapes and great walking.
The Walawwa: Personal welcome from manager, all staff very welcoming with a real pride in their work and in the hotel. Delightful garden and lovely old building. Super massage. It’s a pity most people like us will probably only spend one night here on the way home but this place merits a longer stay. Good luck to the team in the future and we wish every success.
---JA – Glos
|
|
January 24, 2009 :
Miral was very helpful, flexible, polite and respectful professional.
---AJ – London.
|
|
January 17, 2009 :
Vill Uyana: Pleasant and quiet resting place. Good for bird viewing.
Tea Trails (Norwood): Excellent all around. A pleasure to be at the hotel.
Rainforest Edge: No mosquito nets and not enough sitting space in the bed room. Approach road to the hotel is almost impossible due to state of road.
Galle Fort Hotel: Very kindly upgraded to avoid many steps. Menu limited and little choice.
- --JL- Burford
|
|
January 16, 2009 :
Ranjith was a knowledgeable and a safe driver. He has always got excellent places to stop for lunch and tea etc.
Villa Thalangama: A perfect start to our holiday. We loved walking or sitting in the balcony looking at the lake with all the birds.
Vill Uyana: Stunning location. This is so close to Sigiriya rock and also a fantastic place to relax. Our only criticism was to food ad service was a bit slow.
Tamarind Lodge: Golf was excellent and good value for money. Dan and Dissa looked after us brilliantly. The infinity pool was breathtaking. Far exceeded all expectation.
St. Andrew’s: The lighting in the hotel is poor, hotel is too dark. Interesting historically. Nice golf course.
Rainforest Edge: Amazing location and views. Lovely infinity pool.
---CL – Dorset
|
|
January 15, 2009 :
Roy has been at all times patient, considerate, helpful, informative and professional. At all times we have been confident Roy as our driver and as a guide.
Lion Rock: A very nice hotel, slightly off the normal tourist area.
Hotel Suisse: Everything I expected it to be – wonderful.
Ambiente: A jewel set in and amongst the rice fields. Staff were very attentive and helpful. The food was as good as you would expect in a five star hotel.
---MS – Stafford.
|
|
January 15, 2009 :
Ulpotha: A wonderful experience which I would like to repeat.
--- HD – London.
|
|
December 25, 2008 :
Niroshan was very safe, careful and knowledgeable driver. He was helpful and friendly too.
---GM – Cheshire
|
|
December 25, 2008 :
Tea Trails (Castlereagh): Excellent in all respect.
Amanwella: Splendid location. Exorbitant price though especially for food and wine. Facilities are getting a bit worn – impossible to believe it has been open only 2 years.
--MS – USA
|
|
December 24, 2008 :
Senarath provided us with excellent information, particularly relating to Polonnaruwa (guiding + birds).
Browns Beach: Very good hotel overall. Christmas eve dinner celebrations were excellent.
Sigiriya Village: Staff were helpful. But the only disappointment was during our stay The Lions Club rally was ending and hotel was crowded with about 200 locals and could not relax at the hotel.
Dunuvila Cottage: This was great for what it is, but it was more basic than we were expecting – which people should be made aware of. Very different to other hotels.
Dutch House: Amazing place, everything and everyone were exceptional. A truly luxurious stay. Need at least 2 nights.
Rainforest Edge: Staff and service was good. But we were not expecting open air bathroom. Room very nice but we had rats problems.
Kalu’s Hideaway: Seemed to be short staffed and they couldn’t converse in English. No new years eve celebrations. Breakfast was late so we were delayed starting safari.
--EJ – Herts
|
|
December 22, 2008 :
We would highly recommend Herman. He has been extraordinary patient and helpful.
Galle Face Regency: A great place for an old fashioned experience in Colombo.
Sandakirana: The service from the staff and chef was excellent.
Mr. Brown was a great walking companion. Great Christmas day and we would highly recommend. Only down fault was electricity in the sitting room. Although it was sorted out satellite TV didn’t work.
St. Andrew’s: Rooms were decent size but a bit musty. Good taste of colonial era. But shame that the dining room was so dark ad gloomy.
Tea Trails (Castlereagh): Stunning location, delicious food, very accommodative staff ad excellent service especially New Years eve the bungalow was exquisitely furnished. Great attention to detail. We highly recommend.
Chaaya Citadel: A bit more ‘package holiday’ than the other hotels we stayed in, but perfect base.
The Walawwa: A fabulous place to spend the last couple of days of your holiday and a real treat to be some o the first guest. Food was delicious and staff very accommodating with excellent service and attention to detail.
---LT - Kent.
|
|
December 22, 2008 :
Club Bentota: Excellent location and facilities. Staff very helpful. Very pleasantly surprised at the special effort made by the hotel to celebrate Christmas.
Elephant Reach: Staff was polite but very slow to clear plates, take orders and etc. Evening buffet was always cold. Expensive for what was available. We would not stay at this hotel again.
Weligama Bay Resort: Hotel décor and design are excellent. Staff very polite and helpful. Food very good quality and value for money. Weligama beach a little tatty but water sports at the hotel re excellent.
---KF - Cambridgeshire
|
|
December 21, 2008 :
Excellent experience. Despite having an over-ambitious itinerary (Involving 2days more than 8hours of driving), Ranjith Alwis made it possible. His knowledge and enthusiasm for Sri Lanka, its wildlife, politics and culture made this trip truly memorable. His flexibility and professionalism made the trip effortless.
Ambiente: Very good value and independent hotel. Wonderful location. Nice atmosphere. Good food and service too. Basic but clean rooms with exceptional views of Ella Gap from balcony.
---SL – London
|
|
December 18, 2008 :
We found our drier Senarath (Senna) charming and sensitive and would recommend him to anyone (particularly my father I he comes because he is a keen bird watcher)
Heritance Kandalama: Excellent service ad location.
Sanctuary (Victoria Golf Resort): Food at Sanctuary was satisfactory, but the food at golf clubhouse was poor. Sheets and towels were of poor quality.
Hill Club: This is not a five star hotel but for what it is it is very good and we thoroughly enjoyed our stay.
---JB – Dorset
|
|
December 15, 2008 :
Ayanthi was efficient, attentive and accommodated all our requirements. Over the course of our honeymoon Seelan became our trusted companion. He added considerable value to the experience and has surprised all expectations as a guide. He has increased our knowledge on a wide rage of topics from history to tea and wildlife. We have no hesitation is recommending him to others.
Ice Bear: Very friendly and warm service. Lovely garden and full of character.
Alankuda: Overall a very relaxing and enjoyable stay. Excellent dolphin trip and massage. Very good buffet but timing was hard.
Palm Garden Village: Lovely and quiet setting – wildlife comes alive at night. More details about lake/elephants would have helped. Excellent gym and pool.
Heritance Kandalama: A sensational setting with some of the best room views we’ve ever seen – monkeys are very entertaining. Food is high quality but dining (Buffet) experience seemed a bit frenetic. Lovely swimming pool by the café – great views again. Service was almost too attentive.
Hunas Falls: A strong candidate for our favourite hotel of the tour. Room was lovely and well maintained with great views. A great place to spend a few days – lots of things to do. The hotel prepared a lovely BBQ for us in the boat house. Food needs to be improved.
Royal River Resort: A little gem with a great eye-catching setting. Lovely swimming pool and excellent room. Large spacious room although a little cold tonight. Attentive warm service and relaxing lounge.
St. Andrew’s: Some of the best food we’ve eaten on tour. Room was large and comfortable. TV was poor and hotel plumbing failed afternoon. Service was very slow and erratic in café’s/bar.
Elephant Reach: Great location for Yala. Good, simple and very quiet room. Pool was good but full of flies
---CE – London.
|
|
December 08, 2008 :
Niroshan has been excellent. His knowledge of the country and concern for my contentment have been outstanding. He definitely goes an extra mile and I will happily recommend his services to others.
--- CM – London.
|
|
December 04, 2008 :
Kosala, thank you for arranging a short trip for us. We enjoyed our visit to Sri Lanka very much and hope to visit your country for a little bit longer period next time. Gune was also a very good driver, polite and accommodating.
---NK- London
|
|
December 02, 2008 :
George was excellent and helpful. It as a pleasure to tour Sri Lanka with him
---JS – USA
|
|
December 02, 2008 :
Herman was informative, kind, respectful, and fun driver. We all enjoyed his company and would willingly go with him again.
---NT – UAE
|
|
November 30, 2008 :
Having had such good experiences of our previous Sri Lanka and Kerala tours with you, we just had to make it a Red Dot hat-trick to celebrate our silver wedding when a conference led to a return trip to Sri Lanka! This time amply lived up to expectations. Ananda, our driver, was thoroughly excellent: always punctual, charming and efficient and a very good driver. The hotels were great: in particular we are particularly glad we took your advice on the wonderful Lavender House, and Wallawa was an excellent place to finish the trip. It was lovely to revisit some familiar haunts and to discover new places. Many thanks again – here’s to the fourth!
--- JdeC - Gloucestershire
|
|
November 30, 2008 :
Seelan was the most wonderful person we met in Sri Lanka. His historical knowledge was outstanding and he made our whole tour so enjoyable. Our whole tour experience in Sri Lanka has been amazing.
Vill Uyana: Excellent in all respect. Our favourite place.
Kandy House: Beautiful location and pool.
Tea Trails (Norwood): Amazing place and the service was outstanding.
Leopard Safaris: A fantastic experience, expertly managed.
---SC – Sussex
|
|
November 29, 2008 :
Ranjith Alwis was very pleasant and helpful and ensured we got the most out of our holiday whilst learning a lot about Sri Lanka. We recommend his service to all.
Chaaya Village: Restaurant and bar service was not good. Staff were inexperienced and hovered around us waiting for tips.
Victoria Golf Chalets: Limited Sri Lankan food available which was disappointing.
Mahoora Camping: The camp staff were excellent. Disappointed since we couldn’t get spicy food.
Mangrove Garden: Great location ad very chilled out. Staff generally great, but slight communication problems.
The Palace: Would have preferred to be next to the beach.
---RR – London
|
|
November 23, 2008 :
It was great to have a driver (Wicky) who listened to our request. He had valuable information and was very well experienced. He was also trustworthy and polite.
---MM – USA
|
|
November 17, 2008 :
Nicola, Can I thank you for a well organized holiday. Everything went on as planed and scheduled and my wife and I had the best holiday we have had for many years. Boniface was and excellent and helpful driver and I have no hesitation recommending him and your company to colleagues and friends.
---RH – Kenilworth
|
|
November 10, 2008 :
Chandra was very knowledgeable. He was also very friendly and polite. He always made sure that we enjoyed ourselves and didn’t miss out anything
---KT – Middx
|
|
November 08, 2008 :
Lavender House: It was a lovely place. The staffs were delightful and the place had a good feeling about it. Food was excellent.
Aditya: It was a beautiful and good place for honeymooners. We were given a free upgrade too.
Casa Colombo: The staffs were welcoming. There was a laptop with internet which was useful. But the hotel was faded and the room seemed dirty with lot of bizarre / unnecessary furnishings.
---CP – Qatar
|
|
November 03, 2008 :
Ayanthi responded to our request and interpreted our needs well. We would certainly go through Ayanthi again. Erwin our driver was knowledgeable, courteous and an asset to our trip. We would certainly recommend Erwin to our friends and use him again.
Kandalama: A superb location and worth the effort of getting there.
Kandy House: A very special hotel and stay. Tea
Trails (Norwood): A lovely setting and a very high quality attentive service.
Kahanda Kanda: Outstanding hotel. A must for anyone who loves special hotels
---CD – Australia
|
|
November 01, 2008 :
Nicola had a lot to guide us with our locations and hotel choices leading to a comfortable balance of travel, cultural and relaxation. Our driver Wijekoon was a great driver and tour guide. He was safe at all times and extremely knowledgeable
---NB – Wilts
|
|
October 31, 2008 :
As usual whole experience of dealing with Red Dot Tours has been friendly and efficient. Ranjith P. has ensured that every stage of our tour has been perfect. He has maintained the perfect balance of providing information, general chit-chat a feeling security in his care
--- DB – Leics
|
|
October 26, 2008 :
Chandra was a very good driver. He was also a very good companion throughout our stay in Sri Lanka.
Ellerton: Beautiful location and accommodation in every way. Great garden.
Kelbourne Cottages: A wonderful place. Great views.
Yala Village: Excellent location. But food was bit expensive than the guest houses.
Excursions:Sigiriya Rock – Very good activity, well enjoyed / Dambulla Cave Temple – Very interesting / Minneriya National Park – Great views / Temple of The Tooth – Interesting history / Yala National Park – absolutely wonderful / Train journey – Great journey.
---DW – London
|
|
October 20, 2008 :
Sisil was highly professional, friendly, communicative, patient and in addition a great knowledge on the countries historical, political and social background and geography.
Galle Face Regency: Probably the best and most beautiful hotel n Colombo.
--- Dr. DN - Austria
|
|
October 10, 2008 :
Dirk was excellent answering all are questions to our complete satisfaction. Our driver Nihal’s English, knowledge on history and wildlife was excellent.
Kelbourne (Aire cottage): Fantastic place and service. Staff, food and views way above expectation.
Kalu’s Hideaway: Ideal stop over for nature reserve. Would have been better if there was hot water facility.
Yala Village: Well worth stopping 2-3 days. Excellent location with very helpful staff.
--- PC – Essex
|
|
October 06, 2008 :
Suren was efficient and professional. Couldn’t have done without our driver Herman. He was great. Kind, considerate and appropriate at all times. Helpful and patient at throughout.
Galle Face Regency: Great location and nice pool. First night was disappointing as we arrived tired and got a room without sea view, so required changing.
Ellerton: Wonderful quiet location.
Dutch House (Bandarawela): Interesting place. Beautiful house with excellent furnishing and lovely garden. Rodney and Eric was very caring + attentive. Staff was outstanding, particularly Dinesh. We enjoyed walking in to town. The Loom Factory was very good.
Yala Village: Staff was very attentive. Saw excellent wildlife while in Yala. Hotel needs to upgrade its standards.
Lighthouse: Highlight of trip. Really excellent hotel with high quality staff. The Beach: Nice pool and grounds.
Qatar airways: Good and efficient staff.
--- JC – Exeter
|
|
October 01, 2008 :
Rally a great job and fast response by Dirk. Our driver Ranjith P. was excellent and extremely co-operative and flexible. He is a great asset to Red Dot.
Heritance Kandalama: Great Location and service.
Hunas Falls: Very good hotel, my family enjoyed the place. Great staff and excellent service too.
Tea Factory: Great Location and service.
Rainforest Edge: Absolutely fantastic, homely, peaceful and gorgeous.
Browns Beach: Great Location and service.
--- MI – Bangalore
|
|
September 19, 2008 :
Our driver Gune was very helpful and knowledgeable. Chefs at most of the hotels were very helpful when meeting our food needs. Whole trip was a very comfortable, enjoyable and fine, especially because of our driver’s good sprits.
--- MT – Surrey
|
|
September 16, 2008 :
Booking process was very efficient. Our driver Chandra has been an excellent driver and guide. He is very knowledgeable on local history and speaks very good English too. He has made us feel safe and relaxed during our time with him in Sri Lanka.
Sigiriya Village: Very nice setting with beautiful grounds. The food could have been little better. But on the whole this was a lovely place to stay.
Suisse Hotel: We enjoyed our stay here. The food needs to be improved.
St. Andrew’s: A beautiful place to stay. The rooms and restaurant area were very impressive.
Elephant Reach: Could not fault this hotel and the food was particularly impressive.
Unawatuna Beach Resort: A great location with excellent food and service. We really enjoyed our stay.
Bentota Beach: An excellent venue with lovely spacious grounds and lots of really good food.
Ceylon Continental: Location of the hotel is good. Pool was nice and clean. We were not able to check in as soon as we arrived and the service was not very efficient.
Excursions: Pinnawala – An excellent excursion with good photo opportunities / Dambulla & Sigiriya Rock – Very interesting historical excursions. Might be wise to advice people to wear appropriate footwear for the Sigiriya Rock climbing / Botanical Gardens – Very beautiful. Saw lots of wildlife / Temple of The Tooth – A very interesting excursion.
--- MF – Hertfordshire
|
|
September 01, 2008 :
I found Red Dot through the internet. It gave a good feel and confidence. I received quick replies and competent assistance from Dirk. Our driver [Senarath] was excellent. He met all our best expectations. He was a fount of information and helped to plan our trips to achieve what we wished. His knowledge both of Sri Lanka and of birds was excellent. He was excellent in spotting birds for us.
All arrangements worked very well and contributed to the enjoyment of our Holiday in Sri Lanka.
---MF – Surrey
|
|
August 27, 2008 :
Nicola was very good at replying to e-mails and changes in itinerary. Nihal, our driver, was excellent throughout. Especially thankful for the couple of long days he did for us. He was very good at explaining everything and showing us around.
Chaaya Village: Very relaxing. Enjoyed waking around the lake and other areas. Saw lots of interesting animals too.
Hunas Falls: Amazing location. Enjoyed the walks with the naturalist. Only downside is the long drive up to the hotel. Yala Village: Amazing location. Very friendly and helpful staff.
Heritance Ahungalle: Food was delicious. Would recommend to anyone.
Blue Oceanic: Hotel good but would not recommend for beach stay.
Excursions: Sigiriya, Dambulla, Elephant ride, Temple of The Tooth, Trekking at Hunas Falls, Yala safari – everything was excellent. Nihal was great at organizing all. Overall Sri Lanka was even better than we imagined. Hope tourism will pick up in this wonderful country with friendly people. Many thanks to every one involved in organizing a great holiday.
---KG – Nottingham
|
|
August 26, 2008 :
Nicola arranged the holiday efficiently. We had fantastic 3 day tour with Ranjith and would recommend him to others.
Sigiriya Village: Great location near to Sigiriya Rock. Rooms were very nice.
Excursions: Temple of The Tooth – Guiding was very good and knowledgeable / Spice Gardens – Really enjoyed this and found it very fascinating / Sigiriya Rock – Brilliant. Guiding was very good and informative
--- RC – Essex
|
|
August 19, 2008 :
Sisil was a fantastic driver/guide. His knowledge and commentary was excellent and really cemented my enjoyment of the trip. I will definitely recommend his services to my friends and family.
The Beach: Great way to start a trip. Very relaxing and lovely pool.
Cinnamon Lodge: Lovely surroundings. Great base for cultural triangle trips. Excellent staff.
Tea Trail (Summerville): Highlight of the trip. Absolutely stunning location. Staff, food and everything was perfect.
Yala Village: Nice to enjoy a completely different experience. Yala safari was great. All other excursions were excellent.
--- MP – London
|
|
August 17, 2008 :
Thusitha handled everything in a very pleasant manner. Our drier Herman was very professional. He was very kind and helpful. He drove us around very carefully. We thoroughly recommend him.
Vill Uyana: Outstanding. Very good food.
The Fortress: Very beautiful. Staff fantastic.
---SB – Yorkshire
|
|
August 07, 2008 :
Booking was prompt and adjusted according to our itinerary. Herman was the definite highlight of the tour. We would recommend him to friends wishing to use Red Dot.
Galle Face Regency: Offered rooms different from booked due to high occupancy and delayed rooms for 45 minutes. Good room.
Amaya Lake: Very good.
Amaya Hills: Very good location and good food. Poor room & bath. Offered higher category rooms due to complaints but turned down because of hassle of packing.
--- PP - Cheshire
|
|
August 05, 2008 :
All went very well and according to plan - in fact even better than planned As always the secret behind these trips is the guide/driver - and Bubsy was second to none. Always very willing to help explain, listen and above all not too OTT! We changed the schedule around a little bit according to his experience, but every part of the journey was made more interesting by his knowledge and comments - stopping here and there whenever he thought we might be interested in something. As for his knowledge of the flora and fauna of the Botanical gardens - amazing!
We discussed the Perehera and how we simply could not fit it in, so he changed plans for when we returned from Nuwara Eliya to Kandy and organised (with some bargaining involved!) some excellent seats.
Cinnamon Lodge: Excellent - could have stayed a couple of nights there. Great pool too - children loved it. Definitely a recommendation.
Suisse Hotel: This has definitely seen better days and I think is in need of a bit of restoration - having said that, certainly comfortable and from another bygone age - Raffles before it was tatted up, the Strand in Rangoon or even of course Galle Face!
Hill Club: A unique experience. Great staff - rooms out of the 50's, reminded me a bit of the old days of club rooms in London. But the atmosphere is quite unique. And how nice to have to dress smartly for dinner - excellent food - proper service - the log fire - etc.
Excursions: Elephant Ride - very enjoyable and very different to riding the in India and Thailand / Sigiriya - So all in all we had a fabulous time - well enjoyed by all. Train Journey – Exciting… the children were certainly challenged, such a different experience for them. Thanks for recommending that part - something I would definitely recommend to others - including a visit to the signal box to see how everything used to be done - Made in England of course!
--- JH - East Sussex
|
|
August 04, 2008 :
Dharmawardena was a very helpful and courteous driver and his knowledge of flora, history, culture and wildlife was extensive. He was a valuable asset to our holiday.
Kandalama: Fantastic location and architecture. Vill Uyana: Very lovely place. Thank you Red Dot Team.
Kulu Safari (Udawalawa): One of the highlights of our holiday. Brilliant campsite location near the river. Wonderful food and service and especially a unique experience.
Rainforest Edge: Lovely food and very good service.
41 Lighthouse Street: A lovely villa in prime location. Another experience not to be missed. A brilliant chill-out place.
--- AG – Hants
|
|
August 04, 2008 :
Hasantha [our driver] was a lovely man! He was a real asset to our holiday. He went out of his way to provide precisely what we wanted and took the time to find out about our interests. His vehicle was always kept in pristine condition. He greeted us every day with a big smile and enthusiasm for the day ahead. He was an excellent ambassador for your beautiful country and we were amazed at his breadth of knowledge.
The Beach: This was an excellent way to start the holiday; it was particularly what we needed after our long flight. The breakfast was exceptional, the buffet was good but unfortunately we didn’t try the fine dining restaurant. We also took advantage of a locally offered excursion through the canal system and it was a super and relaxing experience introducing us to some of the local wildlife and ways of life.
Kandalama: A stunning location, an amazing feat of architecture and almost at one with nature. The main restaurant was very good and the fine dining restaurant was excellent.
Earl’s Regency: A beautiful hotel, lovely reception and facilities and excellent spa We were in the executive suite and we thought it was absolutely wonderful. Throughout the holiday you always managed to get us adjoining rooms and this was really appreciated especially in this hotel as we shared a private roof garden with stunning views. The fine dining restaurant was an exceptional culinary adventure on a par with the best French Michelin restaurants. One night was simply NOT enough in this beautiful hotel and city.
Tea Trails (Castlereagh): Just amazing! Everything was perfection.
Galle Fort: A beautiful hotel. We loved the swimming pool and courtyard. Great food too.
Temple Tree: A wonderful room! It was the best room we had in Sri Lanka. To really emphasize the point I would like to say that we have travelled a lot and all the hotels we stayed in Sri Lanka with the exception of Yala were better than any of the hotels we have stayed in any where in the world. A beautiful hotel, swimming pool and garden and beach location. But the food was a real disappointment and the service extremely slow when serving food.
--- CA – Cheshire
|
|
August 03, 2008 :
We were very impressed by Erwin’s ability to navigate the Sri Lankan traffic and his encyclopaedic knowledge. He was a joy to be with for two week and truly made our holiday as special and memorable as it was.
Amaya Lake: Lovely location, good food and service. It would have been good to know that the pool was out of action at the hotel.
St. Andrew’s: Amazing place with excellent restaurant!!. Loved the bongo and guitar players.
Galapita Eco Lodge: This was a beautiful place but it seems to be loosing its sparkle despite the best efforts of Suresh who was brilliant. The owners need to take more pride in this place.
Rockside Cabanas: What a place..
Serendib: A beautiful place.. Incredible spa with trustworthy workers.
---CM – London.
|
|
July 31, 2008 :
We have just returned from the holiday of a lifetime in Sri Lanka. Although my wife and I have been 3 times before, this was the first time for our son, daughter-in-law and 3 grandchildren – and the first time we have used Red Dot Tours. Everyone had a fabulous time, the highlight of which was seeing a huge male leopard lying on a branch in a tree in Yala National Park consuming a large Sambah deer he had just caught and dragged up the tree. As a result, he wasn’t going to move so we had a very rare close up viewing and photo opportunity!
I cannot praise Red Dot Tours enough and have already recommended you to all our friends and will make a suitably laudatory report on the ‘tripadvisor.com’ site. Although we organised our own return flights with Emirates, Kaushini of Red Dot Tours did the entire organisation for our time in Sri Lanka, albeit to our own specification: hotels and excursions. She was absolutely fantastic and a joy to deal with. Nothing was too much trouble and, as a result, our whole trip ran like clockwork – everything was perfect. A huge thanks to her for her professionalism, charm and efficiency – quite the best travel ‘consultant’ I have ever dealt with, and I have dealt with many top tour operators over the years!
I must also heap praise on the freelance driver you provided. Chrysantha Gunasekera was outstanding in every respect. Most impressive was the way he left nothing to chance, right down to phoning our friends in Wye Estate in Bandarawela to make doubly sure of the exact route to their house. He left nothing to chance and so everything ran, again, like clockwork. We were always in the right place at the right time. He was courteous, professional, drove with care to ensure our comfort at all times, always met us with a beaming smile, was very knowledgeable and had excellent English. His vehicle was extremely comfortable and always beautifully cleaned and prepared for us each day – quite something with 3 untidy grandchildren amongst his passengers! He was also most helpful at all our stops ensuring we had a trouble-free holiday. We felt he became ‘one of the family’ though he always subtly and tactfully knew just when to be to one side. Like Kaushini, he is a gem. I recommend you continue to use him whenever you can.
Lastly, I would like to thank your Managing Director for giving us a very clear, unbiased appraisal of the security situation before we left. He was quite right in everything he said and, despite the Foreign & Commonwealth advice not to go to Yala, we were able to make a reasoned and considered decision to ignore their advice and go. Thank goodness we did, because we saw every animal, except the sloth bear, with the leopard in the tree being the absolute highlight.
Thank you for ensuring we had such a fabulous, faultless holiday.
---TP – Devon
|
|
July 30, 2008 :
We have returned to London with much regret at leaving a wonderful country. Such lovely people, fantastic food and the most tremendous wildlife. I may even take up bird watching having seen some beautiful specimens whilst in Sri Lanka. [Ayanthi] Thank you so much for all of your help in arranging our family holiday. Your suggestions were excellent and we hope to travel back soon. Our driver Ranjith was a kind, gentle and charming man with a huge source of knowledge about your beautiful country.
Mudhouse: I am glad to see that Red Dot have added and are sending people to Mudhouse, as the place is a dream, not necessarily the place for teenagers but as an adult retreat it meets all of our expectations.
Chaaya Village: A comfortable and relaxed hotel. An excellent position for visiting the sights for the Cultural Triangle.
Ellerton: ‘’English country home’’. A beautiful country location with stunning views. Terrible road to access and far from Kandy.
Tea Trails (Castlereagh): Stunning place!!.. most informative and fascinating tour around the tea factory..
Kulu Safari: A wonderful experience.. ‘’Susantha’’ a brilliant safari guide. Kind and charming and was able to speak perfect English. Surprised by the food. Best food in the whole holiday..
Mangrove Garden: Very kind and helpful, charming owner on site.
41 Lighthouse Street: Paradise!!
Bentota Beach Hotel: The one let down was Bentota beach hotel, it could easily have spoilt our trip had we by then not been so relaxed.
---CG – London
|
|
July 27, 2008 :
Kandalama: Great location. Staff good. Kandy House: The setting is great. Bit far from Kandy though, only had one night here, but would like to stay 2 or 3 nights and relax.
Tea Factory: General design of the property is very well done. Bu the standard of the bed rooms were poor though. Road up to the hotel is disgraceful.
The Fortress: A nice relaxing place to end a holiday. Probably the nicest room I have ever stayed in. Lots of food options and not expensive.
--- DW – London
|
|
July 26, 2008 :
Ayanthi was so helpful and put together an amazing itinerary accommodating our preferences and reassuring us on maters of concern. We thoroughly enjoyed ‘Sunils’ company for the duration of the tour. He looked after us really well and passed on his wealth of local knowledge and made sure we got the most out of the time we had available.
The Beach: Ideal location for start of the holiday. Only stayed one night, but couldn’t fault it.
South Point Villa: Even better than our expectations. A wonderful place to relax. Staffs were excellent and looked after us very well. Virtually our own private beach on the doorstep and able to go in the sea even in July.
Elephant Reach: The rooms and pool were good and friendly staff. The downside on this accommodation was that there were so few guests and place seemed deserted. Food bit disappointing.
Tea Trails (Castlereagh): We had high expectations of this accommodation and it did not disappoint. It was real luxury in an outstanding setting.
Bamboo Lodge: We loved this enormous villa – its design and furnishings were great and setting was wonderful.
Cinnamon Lodge: Fantastic accommodation – exceeded expectations. Rooms, pool, bar, food all excellent and wildlife is a bonus.
Galle Face Regency: Enjoyed the old world and charm of Galle Face. Very comfortable and food excellent - especially in ‘’Seaspray’’.
Sights: Yala Safari – Well organized and thoroughly enjoyed / White Water Rafting –Great fun – even for nervous novices / Sigiriya Rock – Challenging in the heat, but well worth it. Amazing place / Polonnaruwa – Fascinating archaeology. Very enjoyable.
Sri Lankan Airlines: Generally ok. Flights on time. But seats were not comfortable enough to sleep over night. Uncomfortably cold on return flight.
---AT – Sussex
|
|
July 25, 2008 :
Nalin" was well informed and friendly. I do not think that we could have got a better driver. All the activities and excursions were well organized and great fun. We had a lot of fun and enjoyed it a lot
--- CW – Brighton.
|
|
July 24, 2008 :
Every thing was well reserved and all information we were given by Nicola prior to booking was very helpful. We couldn’t have asked for a better driver [Rajith Premaseela]. He was helpful without being pushy and if he recommended a route or a active it was always good. He also had a really good sense of humour.
Blue Oceanic: Service and friendliness of staff was very good. Bathrooms were outdated and light bulbs should be done.
Chaaya Village: Beautiful !!! and can not be faulted in anyway..
Chaaya Citadel: Beautiful !!! and can not be faulted in anyway.. Very different location..
St. Andrew’s: A real different part of Sri Lanka. A lot of fun to stay in – faded grandeur. Quirky hotel and the hot water bottles helped at night time. Bathrooms a bit dangerous as wife and daughter slipped over in bath. Staff, Fantastic !!..
Star Dust Hotel: Even though it didn’t have a/c or hot water this as the best hotel.. A real home for home. The food was brilliant and we couldn’t have asked for better service. Surfing was superb and this part of the holiday was a proper adventure..
Elephant Reach: Felt like hotel is still developing.. Had to move rooms because of strange smell in room. Food choice was quite limited for vegetarians and would have been good to have more Sri Lankan food. Local village was good.
Amaya Reef: Really friendly staff and beautiful location.. Surprisingly quite for touristy part for Sri Lanka. Rooms could have been a bit cleaner.
Galle Face Regency: Lovely way to end a holiday…
Qatar Airlines: Excellent and very good value or money. Getting through immigration was very slow though – it took 2 hours.
--- DW – Wales
|
|
July 24, 2008 :
Senarth’ guiding was very good. We were able to find places to see a variety of species across the different zones and fauna of Sri Lanka. Good knowledge of different aspects of Sri Lankan history and life including culture, religion, geography, and life styles. Excellent at driving carefully whilst noticing birds and other interesting aspects of Sri Lankan life.
Martins Simple Lodge: A basic hotel. Best place to stay in when visiting the rainforest.
St. Andrew’s: Useful base to visit Horton Plains..
Mud House: A real gem for a natural experience. Sleeping outside was very good, no disturbance from insects or animals. Good Sri Lankan food.
Sea Shells: Very friendly and helpful staff. Good for one night stay. Bit of a change in standards. Room was damp and smelt.
Sights: Sinharaja – Walks excellent / Horton Plains – Very good and enjoyable / Anuradhapura & Polonnaruwa – Brief visit, but saw key sights with our knowledgeable guide / Minneriya – Saw number of elephants and birds.
--- CR – London
|
|
July 15, 2008 :
Thank you Ayanthi!!. Overall an excellent holiday experience.. Well done ‘’Red Dot’’ we will use your services again!!. Sunil was an excellent driver and tour guide. Smartly dressed, polite and good sense of humour.
Galle Face Regency: Lovely room, although no view.. Kandalama: Location and view was superb. Would have preferred a separate shower to Jacuzzi.
Kandy House: Wonderful house and beautifully decorated. Friendly management. Beautiful varandahs!!. Room was little small due to the addition of bath. Not enough choice on menu.
Tea Trails (Norwood): Stunning location.. Bungalow décor was somewhat austere. Internal fittings (e.g: lights and dining tables) seemed out of for this area. Tea tours could have been improved with taste of various teas. Teas offered at bungalow is limited. Taprobane Island: Excellent.. Absolutely perfect!!. Exceptional.. Staff were attentive and discreet.
Aditya: Very disappointed in because so many children at this supposedly relaxing boutique hotel. Pool full of noisy children and toys.
Sri Lankan Airlines: Poor seating and entertainment..
---DB – Suffolk
|
|
July 12, 2008 :
Our driver… we cannot praise ‘Erwin’ enough. Our two weeks holiday was planed as a very special holiday and Erwin has made this possible for us. We will recommend Erwin to our family and friends.
Cinnamon Lodge: Wonderful in every aspect. Our room and service were excellent. We would definitely visit again.
Tea Trails (Norwood): Absolutely fantastic!!. The service and ambiance here were truly wonderful. Again we would definitely visit again.
The Fortress: Again, Wonderful in every aspect!!.
---JM – Chester
|
|
July 07, 2008 :
Suren was Very helpful and flexible. Chandrasekera was very knowledgeable, helpful and a good empathy both with us and the country. We were very lucky to have such a good experienced driver.
Sea Shells: Loved this hotel and the surroundings (houses / beach / fishing boats).
Hotel Sigiriya: Loved the pool and the location. Rooms were very dark and noisy, sheets were too small – felt it was not generous.
Chaaya Citadel: Lovely position and good rooms. Enjoyed our stay.
Kalu’s Hideaway: A really lovely spot and a great place to stay. Lovely surprise to find a beautiful pool. Good service. We should have booked on half board as the meal prises was non-negotiable.
Blue Magpie: Good location. But felt no one was in-charge. Would recommend to book on half board as there is no other alternative.
Flower Garden: Great spot, staff was really friendly and we felt very comfortable. Fun place to be.
Bentota Beach: Much too big and not really a beach hotel despite it’s location. Too impersonal. Excellent room.
---AB – Aldbourne
|
|
June 25, 2008 :
"Chandra" made our trip a real pleasure.
Kandy House: Amazing place with lovely staff.
Tea Factory: Road to the location is a bit of a mess.
Kalu’s Hideaway: Not up to standard. Very disappointing!!
Excursions: All of them were excellent and well organized.
---SW – Kingston
|
|
June 21, 2008 :
We felt that we were personally looked after from the point at which we initially enquired to the point at which we left home. This is Red Dot’s strength [Kosala], as we have never been to Sri Lanka before and we were informed and reassured throughout. ‘Erwin’ our driver really made for a wonderful holiday. I would recommend him without hesitation.
Kahanda Kanda: The quality of the accommodation and the personal service were first class. George went out of his way to make our stay really enjoyable. I would (and perhaps will!) return here if we come back to Sri Lanka.
Rainforest Edge: A great place to stay for visiting the Rainforest, as it is very local. The experience was pleasant, but the accommodation is a bit ‘gloomy’ and it felt somewhat out-of-season, which of course it was!!
Kelbourne Cottage: A very pleasant place to stay with fantastic views. The service was good and the food was cooked to our taste. Could do with new mattresses on the beds.
Palm Paradise Cabanas: A really beautiful setting with a comfortable cabana. The food was good and we could always choose the menu. Fantastic value for money.
Hideaway: The new swimming pool is a nice addition to the complex. The food was indifferent and the choice of TV in the room over hot-water was a mistake. Poor service in the morning and very poor breakfast too.
Horathapola Estate: Fabulous place. The perfect end to our holiday!!.
Qatar Airways: A very smooth and efficient flight with good quality of service and comfortable seating. Doha needs to gets it’s act together on cleanliness (The airport that is!).
---ST – Telford
|
|
June 10, 2008 :
’Gune’’ is an asset to your organization. He made my tour extremely interesting and enjoyable. Felt he was my friend rather than just my driver. He took great care of me, extensive knowledge about Sri Lanka answering every question I had. Great adviser and fun to be with.
Browns Beach: Compared to other accommodation standards this could not compete. But was adequate for one night stay.
Thilanka Resorts & Spa: Very impressive. Friendly staff, good food and lovely pool. ‘Good facial at spa’.
Lavender House: Amazing place. Wish I had more nights here. Everything was exquisite. Lovely staff, wonderful food, stunning rooms and facilities.
Yala Village: Great location. Although didn’t have much time to really appreciate it as I arrived late in the night and left after safari.
The Fortress: Very friendly smiling staff.
Yala Safari: Jeep driver made a huge effort for me to see a leopard which I did. Amazing that he could spot things and the way he did.
---TL – Leicestershire
|
|
June 07, 2008 :
Herman was very reliable and good professional. He is extremely courteous and patient. He has made our stay very pleasant.
Mount Lavinia Hotel: Great place. Wonderful staff.
Vill Uyana: Heavenly!!!
Hunas Falls: However the road to the hotel was in awful condition, definitely worth the view!!.
St. Andrew’s Hotel: Excellent.
Aditya: Our favourite place for relaxation even it was a bit pricy.
Casa Colombo: We felt pampered. The staff accommodated our every need during our stay.
Qatar Airways: Good service, though too long waiting time in Doha. We were upgraded to Business Class in the Doha to Colombo flight.
---JM – New Haven, USA
|
|
May 04, 2008 :
Nicola recommended a good itinerary for our interest and limited time in Sri Lanka. Our driver Wijekoon took good care of us and security.
---NA – Edinburgh
|
|
April 17, 2008 :
Sunil was a very good driver. We were very satisfied with him and will like to use him again if we visit Sri Lanka.
---BN – Norway
|
|
April 06, 2008 :
Senarath is a courteous and safe driver and an expert in bird watching as a bird watching guide. He showed us many birds we would not have seen and identified on our own. He took us walking early in the morning and evenings to give the best possible chance of seeing as many birds as possible. The efforts he made were beyond our expectations and we would highly recommend him to other travellers interested in bird watching.
---RD – Australia
|
|
April 06, 2008 :
The whole holiday we organized from booking to end has been very stress-free and everyone involved has gone out of their way to make sure it was what we wanted. Our driver Wijekoon (Wije) even suggested an amendment to our itinerary as he thought we were missing out not going to Kandy – And he was right ! The amendment executed flawlessly and efficiently. He was an outstanding driver and I can’t imagine you could get a better. He was very well informed, organized, punctual, courteous, flexible and above all friendly and safe. Every thing has exceeded our expectations and has made this ‘’A Honeymoon to Remember’’.
Heritance Kandalama: A stunning hotel. I have never stayed in anywhere like this. The service, food, Room and wildlife around the hotel all made our stay at the hotel unique and unforgettable.
Earls’ Regency: Nice hotel. Very pleasant stay with nice touches.
Tea Factory: Good room and unique hotel. A few things didn’t work in the room, but they were fixed on request. My only comment is the rooms are quite noisy but the view makes up or anything.
Yala Village: A very unusual and friendly place to stay. Excellently placed for the amazing safaris at the Yala National Park.
Cinnamon Grand: A good Colombo based hotel. Very pleasant.
---AW – Manchester
|
|
April 04, 2008 :
We had an absolutely fabulous holiday in Sri Lanka, Kosala! Thank you for all your help in organising it, and your patience with our endless questions, and changes to the itinerary. We are so pleased we made the trip despite our worries about security. We felt completely safe when we were there. Herman was a very professional and careful driver and guide. All the places we stayed at were memorable in different ways and we have some very special memories of all the lovely people we met.
We shall definitely recommend Red Dot to our friends, and hope to use your services again when we return to Sri Lanka in the not too distant future!
---KM – Oxfordshire
|
|
April 01, 2008 :
’Sunil’’ is an amazing person who acted as a family member and guided us for the entire tour. ‘I want him next time too’.
---KS – Mumbai, India
|
|
March 31, 2008 :
Ananda made our holiday in many ways. His courtesy, good humour and wide knowledge impressed highly. Enjoyed everything we did and appreciated Ananda’s flexibility. He will remain a part of our honeymoon memories.
The Beach: Lovely start for the honeymoon. Beautiful design. Attentive service.
Vill Uyana: Absolutely wonderful. Welcome cake was a lovely touch showing that they understood it was our honeymoon. Friendly, courteous service. Amazing food. Our favourite place.
Kandy House: Disappointing – low point of the holiday. Promised a super deluxe room – a gallery suite, which we did not get and given a dark room with no bathtub, separated from the main house. Food was poor.
Tea Trails (Summerville): Wonderful!!. Most peaceful part of the holiday. The service was second to none, attentive but discreet. Food was phenomenal and plentiful. Stunning location. Loved it.
Amanwella: Stunning location again. A little too luxurious for our taste, but dearly a sumptuous beach resort.
Park Street: Stylish.. Lovely pool.
---GD – Cambridgeshire
|
|
March 23, 2008 :
[Nicola] Thank you for organising everything. I would like to say that Sunil did a wonderful job. He is a tremendous driver and very knowledgeable about Sri Lanka. I know few other people who are heading to Sri Lanka later in the year and have advised them to contact you and request for "Sunil".
---AC – Australia
|
|
March 22, 2008 :
Just a short note to say thanks for everything that you [Charlie] and Red Dot tours did to make our stay in Sri Lanka the best two weeks of my life. Everything went like clockwork; your staffs do you proud. Our guys on the bus were tireless, courteous and always smiling. Nissanka was fabulous, making the longer journeys go quickly with his repartee. His advice was excellent and his organization was very efficient. We were very sad to hear that his mother was taken into hospital and we wish him all the best. He was a great credit to your organization. Upali likewise was excellent, taking a touring side over from the man with whom we had already bonded must have been hard. Nissanka is a hard act to follow. He did it well and was quickly at ease with all the tour. His organization and delivery were again faultless.
---Cokenach Cricket Tour
|
|
March 22, 2008 :
We would like to comment Mr. Sathyaseelan (Seelan) as possibly the best tourist guide in Sri Lanka. We were touring for two weeks and thanks to Seelan we had an unforgettable experience. We are surprised and impressed with his vast knowledge in different fields such as history, ecotourism, flora and fauna. Every day was not only a new experience as a tourist but also a complete learning journey through time and places. He consistently goes above and beyond his job description. Thanks to Seelan, we will definitely come back to Sri Lanka and recommend it as a top tourist destination for our family and friends
---NH – Surrey
|
|
March 22, 2008 :
Ayanthi was incredibly helpful from first enquiry through to booking confirmation. Tour and all the activities and excursions were made interesting and informative by ‘’Jayasooriya’s’’ infinite knowledge and enthusiasm.
Blue Oceanic: Didn’t like the bath room. It was dark; shower was poor, looked dirty.
Kandalama: Lovely hotel. Service was over bearing with waiters fussing at table all through meal times.
Dunuvila Cottage: We really enjoyed our stay. But had a fairly uncomfortable night sleep. Bed was very small; there were insects all inside the bed. It was very hot with no fan or no way to circulate the air.
Kandy House: I would like to mention how fantastic the service was at the hotel. The staff did not interfere at all. They did not seem like they were waiting for a tip every time they did something [E.g.: bags arrived in the room before we did. Beds were turned down while we were out of the room. All these made our stay so much more pleasant.
Aditya: Wonderful place for end of holiday. Fantastic room. We really needed it after a nightmare transfer from Sinharaja (7hours). Service not so discreet as at Kandy House or Rainforest Edge.
Dutch House: Owners were very welcoming. Went out their way to ensure we enjoyed our stay. Providing extras such as afternoon tea and cakes, gifts when we left, use of their personal internet facility. We tried to swim in the pool, but it was really cold. ‘’Rodney and Eric said they plan to get a heat pump installed this summer’’.
Rainforest Edge: Room were perhaps better than described. Like Kandy House the staffs were discreet, yet attentive. Gorgeous pool!!.
Elephant Orphanage: Seems like carers were more interested in making money from tourists than looking after elephants. Elephants looked sad.
Minneriya Safari: Thoroughly enjoyed. Guide + driver + vehicle were excellent.
Wasgamuwa Safari: Saw lots of elephants. Jeep guide spoke little English and vehicle was uncomfortable.
Udawalawe Safari: Guide, driver and vehicle was much better. It rained for most of the safaris.
Sinharaja Rainforest: Excellent guide. Saw lot of interesting wild life.
Sigiriya Rock Fortress: Great views.
Polonnaruwa : Good to visit the museum first.
Udawattekele: Not much to see.
Ella: walked up to waterfall. Was hard work but rewarding.
Tea Plantation: Brief tour. All necessary information given about tea making process.
Temple of The Tooth: we felt out of place being the only tourists in the way of genuine Buddhist.
---BG – Derbyshire
|
|
March 21, 2008 :
We are really grateful for your input in to this holiday. The recommendations you gave were all good really good. Herman was fantastic , we felt in very safe hands throughout.
Galapita: Delicious food, but not enough variety. We arrived after dark and no was there who spoke English to welcome us. Luckily we had Herman to interpret. Apart from one guy, no body helped us to carry our suitcases to the house which we felt very log.
Leopard Safaris: Excellent recommendation. Nothing too much trouble.
---CB – London
|
|
March 19, 2008 :
Senarath is an excellent ambassador for his beautiful country. Always courteous, discreet and helpful. He has helped to make my stay a wonderful experience
---PR – Belgium
|
|
March 16, 2008 :
Ayanthi handled all very efficiently and in a very pleasant manner. Erwin was delight to be with, helpful, courteous and very flexible. He became our friend and we will miss him greatly. We will carry fond memories of our time spend with him.
---JL – Australia
|
|
March 15, 2008 :
Red Dot has been superb throughout – from booking process to end of the trip. We very highly recommend the company. ‘Wije’ is a first class driver and guide. Couldn’t be faulted on anything. He as reliable, knowledgeable, helpful and friendly. He helped us to understand the culture and went out of his way to ensure that we had a superb holiday.
The Beach: We had a problem in our room (Infestation of ants). This was dealt with efficiently and quickly.
Heritance Kandalama: Piped music was killing and annoying. It spoiled the atmosphere. Apart from the music, a fantastic hotel. One of our favourites.
Helga’s Folly: Utterly unique experience. Wouldn’t have missed it. However, wonderful public areas are let down by the bed room accommodation. Bed room was rather small and inadequate (Eg: very low water pressure, showering difficult, water never more than warm at best). All hotel public areas were fascinating and Helga was charming. All staff were excellent and helpful.
Tea Factory: Interesting experience. Very good walks in the tea plantations. "Shame, hotel didn’t have a pool".
Yala Village: This was simple, functional accommodation and was presently satisfactory for the purpose.
Aditya: We really loved the hotel. Every thing about it was perfect. The rooms had to be seen to be believed. Absolutely fantastic. Wouldn’t have missed this hotel for anything. Thank you so much for recommending it.
---CM – Nottingham
|
|
March 13, 2008 :
Our introduction to the cultures of beautiful Sri Lanka was made more interesting and rewarding by our driver ‘’Punchi’’. We would recommend Punchi as a best driver and guide and will be requesting him on our next trip to Sri Lanka. He is an ambassador for Sri Lanka. ‘Thank you Punchi for the great service and experiences’.
Heritance Kandalama: Fantastic birdlife. Loved the bats too.
Kandy House: Fabulous residence & beautiful pool.
Tea Trails (Castlereagh): Food and service exquisite. Scenery is stunning. Wonderful bird spotting too.
--JC – Essex
|
|
March 08, 2008 :
A really beautiful, very friendly island. When meeting a wild elephant or two on a small road, make sure your guide is ‘’Seelan’’. Seelan is an excellent host (A very lovely man, wonderful host, excellent guide). He has gone out of his way to make our holiday and it has been perfect. Nothing has been too much trouble for him. He has vast knowledge and great passion for his country and fantastic ambassador for his lovely island. Ayanthi worked very hard to find us the right holiday. Her working knowledge, patience and care is highly appreciated.
Ice Bear: Very individual and quaint. Well worth a visit.
Grand Ella: The views were incredible. Every member of staff was so helpful and very friendly.
Palm Paradise: Beautiful surroundings. Excellent food. Good staff.
---CM - Devon
|
|
March 07, 2008 :
Although everything was very satisfactory, I would have appreciated a few more details on room quality. But these are minor details in what was a very well organised trip. Very pleased with Samantha. Polite, knowledgeable and accommodative. Well worth retaining him as regular Red Dot tour driver/guide.
Kandalama: Second visit, so knew what to except. Disappointed that despite paying extra for luxury room. View of lake was minimal. Definitely recommend early morning lake safari for 2 hours trip that was idyllic.
Galle Face: Fortunate enough to be upgraded to a large balcony room with Jacuzzis. Unfortunately one Jacuzzi didn’t work but room was still pretty impressive. Afternoon tea is must as it is very good value for money and colonial atmosphere.
Heritance Ahungalle: Lovely location on beach but hassle factor is too high. Unable to reach waves without being accosted, even at 8am. Food was disappointing but Saturday evening BBQ was very good of a much higher standard.
--- JM – Gloucestershire
|
|
March 04, 2008 :
Highly impressed with Ayanthi and her efficiency and willingness to help. "Number of companies didn’t even bother to call me back, But Red Dot took my request seriously and proposed a trip that met all my requirements". E-mail process worked perfectly. I also appreciate the excellent driving by Boniface.
Horathapola Estate: A wonderful start to my trip. Wonderful hospitality, delicious food and a beautiful and tranquil setting. Recommend it as a perfect retreat for 2-3days to start/end a trip. Only wish I had more nights booked. The perfect introduction to Sri Lanka!!. A very helpful and attentive owner – which was appreciated.
Ulpotha: Amazing place, run by incredible people. A stunning setting. The best food I had in my entire trip. Two weeks there and I felt totally rejuvenated by the yoga, ayurveda, food, water, lake and general vibe. Can’t say enough good things about the place and will recommend it to all my stressed out friends – even those who have never done yoga. A very special place!!.
Thilanka Dambulla: An ok place to sleep – but not that impressed. Staffs were very helpful. Very noisy (Even though I was the only guest). Construction work around the pool and paddy fields wasn’t a relaxing setting. The rooms smelt very strongly of mouth balls. Didn’t enjoy the time here.
Kandy House: Lovely place. Gorgeous room. Enjoyed my stay. Had a problem with a leaking toilet, but staff fixed it. Otherwise an enjoyable stay although would have preferred if they told me that Yoga would cost me Rs. 3000 before adding it to my bill and suspect I was charged for drinks which didn’t have. No real complaints though.
The Lavender House: Fabulous place!! Lovely room. Helpful staff. Swimming pool in a stunning setting. Very quiet – the best sleep I had in the entire trip. Felt a little bit uncomfortable as the only guest though.. Thoroughly recommend. Taking their ‘labradds’ or an early morning walk through the tea plantations was brilliant and a memorable part of my trip.
Rainforest Edge: Coming from Ulpotha, I really disliked this place – think goodness I was there only for 01 night. Very fake. Mosquitoes in the room and no mosquito nets – very unhappy about it!!. Couldn’t open door to get air in – as concerned about the mosquitoes. Netting behind the room makes it seem very enclosed. I prefer my eco lodge not to hear the sound of traffic and motorbikes going past. Can’t recommend this place unless you like the ‘flintstones’. A bit tacky sally.
Aditya: Stunning.. Gorgeous!!. A fantastic room (Indra). So pleased to stay here. Staffs were wonderful and not overly attentive like it happened to be at some of the other places I stayed. Felt a bit unsafe on the beach on my own – but pool was lovely – so didn’t mind too much. Food was a bit pricy – but only by Sri Lankan standards. Would definitely consider returning here and will recommend it to my friends.
Sri Lankan Airlines: Very impressed. I’d travel with them over British Airways any day.. Polite, courteous and efficient staff. "Overall had a wonderful stay in Sri Lanka." Red Dot put together a package that perfectly met my requirements. The service I have encountered has been fantastic. Tourists sites have been empty (much better for photos) and I know that only by visiting as a tourists can support the country. At no time I felt unsafe. I firmly believe there is a great risk of terrorism in London than in Sri Lanka. Such a pity the Sri Lanka Tourist Board cannot get this message across. But good news for the tourists who do make it here.
---DJ – Bucks
|
|
March 03, 2008 :
Ayanthi was very good at suggesting places we hadn’t thought of. Sunil was a wonderful, a lovely courteous man. He respected our privacy where appropriate. He passed on his knowledge of all about Sri Lanka. It was a joy to travel with him.
Villa Thalangama: Location makes the property. The lake was wonderful as was the pool. It was the ideal first sop.
Ellerton: Nice relaxing place. Again nice pool.
Dutch House: Rodney and Eric were just wonderful and made our stay an absolute pleasure. Nothing was too much trouble for them or their staff.
---IW – Kent
|
|
February 17, 2008 :
Herman was very professional at all times and good company with excellent local knowledge. We will definitely visit Sri Lanka and encourage others to visit your beautiful country and see what Sri Lanka has to offer.
---BL – Suffolk
|
|
February 16, 2008 :
We have only dealt with Ayanthi and we wish to say how professional and courteous she has been. We have nothing but praise for Jayasooriya. He is an intelligent person with vast amount of local knowledge. He has made us feel comfortable and safe the whole tour. He is an excellent driver
---TC- Leics
|
|
February 15, 2008 :
’Samantha’’ was an excellent driver who contributed enormously to the enjoyment of our holiday. He was always very reliable, helpful and flexible who was willing to make the extra effort. The whole family appreciated his efforts and we would definitely request his services again on a future visit to Sri Lanka. Apart from it we had a very good flight both ways by Sri Lankan airlines
---JE – Dorset
|
|
February 13, 2008 :
Seelan is an excellent guide. Very flexible and willing to accommodate our wishes. A very pleasant and courteous man. We could not have wished for a better guide
--CC – Leicester
|
|
February 02, 2008 :
Charlie provided excellent information about Sri Lanka and helped us to structure a first class holiday. He provided unusual hotels that are not in the guidebooks. Sena was punctual and drove extremely well and we always felt safe, which is a feat on Sri Lankan roads. He has a terrific knowledge about birds, plants, trees and etc. Overall Sena is a kind and a helpful guide. He is always cheerful and we are very pleased to have him.
The Beach: Room was not comfortable and bathroom was dark. Black coral food was excellent. Staffs were very attentive.
Vill Uyana: Location stunning, Delicious food & superb staff!!. We were in a Marsh room with pool which was excellent.
Tea Trails (Tientsin Bungalow): Not much to fault in this magical setting. A chance to live the colonial life. We went walking in the hills with experience guides, had and excellent massage and ate truly good food. We strongly recommend Red Dot to promote this bungalow strongly.
---JL – London
|
|
January 29, 2008 :
Dirk was quick and reassures us on our questions. Ananda was a great help and a brilliant tour guide and took us to see the real Sri Lanka that few others have seen. He was always available and went out of his way to research new routes in his time and we felt very privileged to have had him as our driver. We would also advice anyone booking Red Dot in the future to request his services.
Blue Oceanic: One night sop over from the airport which fulfilled its purpose after a 12 hour flight.
Tea Trails (Tientsin Bungalow): This surpassed everything we had before. It may have been heightened by the fact we were the only couple in the residence. It was a wonderful experience.
Centuria: But located in more of a rural environment difficult to judge. But overall we were more than satisfied.
Taprobane: Ten steps from the room ‘’we are in the ocean’’. Although pretty Spartan it is clean and comfortable. Staff do everything they can to help and is a great location for a final chill out as a pert of our holiday.
---CS – Wiltshire
|
|
January 03, 2008 :
Thank you [to Suren] for his great help in organising my recent trip to Sri Lanka. A very pleasant time was had by me and my wife. A pity the cricket in Galle was spoiled by rain. However I don't hold you reponsible for that. I would also like for you to pass on my congratulations to Nissanka Perera whose informative comments throughout the trip were most enjoyable
--- AA - Coventry
|
|
January 02, 2008 :
Just a quick note to say thank you very much for the lovely holiday I have just had in Sri Lanka. Everything was very well organized and the hotels were very good. All Red Dot Staff were very courteous and helpful, particularly Nissanka who was a most charming host for our first week in Colombo. The only downside to the holiday was England’s poor performances in the cricket.
--- KA - West Midlands
|
|
December 31, 2007 :
I've been back home a week now and wanted to let you know that I had a superb time in Sri Lanka. All the hotels were excellent and I had an excellent week on the road with Punchi: we packed in so much. [Suren] did an excellent job with the advance planning and advice and his colleagues did a great job keeping me informed about pick-ups etc while I was there. I will make a point of recommending Red Dot to friends interested in touring Sri Lanka and look forward to returning one day myself
--- KM - London
|
|
December 30, 2007 :
Thank-you for your excellent organisation. Kaushini arranged all this at very late notice and in most cases managed to get my first choice of hotels. Hasantha was an excellent driver and guide. He knew instinctively when we wanted to talk and when we just wanterd to drink in the scenery. Photo stops were pointed out to us as well as local wildlife. His driving is brilliant – I swear he has radar in his head.
Eden Resort and Spa: Excellent value for money. 5-star? Probably not by European standards - but then they don't charge European prices. The Tea Factory. Loved this hotel. We had a room with two windows and the view was stupendous - tea bushes as far as the eye could see. We ate inthe railway carriage - quite expensive for what we had and not the best quality meat but we were whistled aboard by an extremely conscientious waiter and his obvious delight in his job more than made up for it. Chaaya Citadel: Wonderful location overlooking the river with jungle on both sides. An ornithologists dream. Fine dining was OK but oh, the service everywhere in this hotel is a mess. And playing a Jim Reeves Christmas CD continuously for 48 hours was somewhat irritating.
--- LP – Bahrain
|
|
December 30, 2007 :
Can I just pass on my immense gratitude to [Suren and Red Dot] for organising a fantastic holiday to Kerala for us this month. We had only four days there but we saw so much. Our driver was fantastic and the accommodation was excellent. I have recommended your company to many of my friends and acquaintances and will certainly be using you again.
--- FP - Doha
|
|
December 18, 2007 :
I got back from my trip to Sri Lanka at the weekend (shame I didn't see England win any of the cricket) and I have to say that I was delighted by all the service provided by all of the Red Dot team. The compant should be proud of everyone. The drivers were all very skilled, especially in negotiating the very steep roads up to Randholee Hotel in Kandy and the guides were very helpful. Maxie met us at the airport and gave us enough information without lecturing us after a long flight; Nissanka Perera was full of wonderful stories and educating talks and Bandula and Wikum were also very helpful, particularly in suggesting places for me to buy my wife's Christmas present. The Randholee, whilst probably a little further out of town than I would have chosen, was well run, very well fitted out and had great staff.
--- AR - Sussex
|
|
December 10, 2007 :
I would just like to thank Red Dot for making our trip to Sri Lanka such a pleasurable experience. Your company has organised our transport requirements and hotel arrangements to a very high standard and we would not hesitate in recommending your services to others. In particular, you representative Nissanka Perera has been thoroughly professional throughout the tour, showing a wealth of understanding of both our needs and your beautiful country, and always delivered with charm and a warm smile.
--- PV – London
|
|
December 09, 2007 :
Ulpotha: We knew about it already but it exceeded expectations. A totally amazing experience.
Horothopola: Highly recommended, wonderful food.
Manor House: Under current management this placve should not be on Red Dot’s list. The building is OK but the location is depressing and the service hopeless, redeemed only by its friendliness.
Kandy House: This hotel is great in so many ways. Its failure to achieve top marks is due only to the noise which [due to bare floorboards] travels easily from room to room.
--- RA - Berks
|
|
December 08, 2007 :
I found the whole booking process painless. Sunil [our driver] made life easy for us and was always prepared to accommodate our requirements. He was very knowledgeable on his country's history and culture and a delight to be with.
The Fortress: Probably the best hotel we have ever stayed in throughout the world. We intend to visit it again next year.
Manor House, Kandy: A little more expenditure to upgrade bedrooms and showers and and this hotel could be a gem.
--- CF - Carlisle
|
|
December 02, 2007 :
Siddhapela Health Resort: Was very disappointed in Red Dot recommending this place. As soon as we looked around the resort and room we checked back out. Badly run down and the barbed wire fence made it look like a prison camp. For US$400 -- what a joke. [The Red Dot sales consultant] was friendly and helpful but it was obvious on the trip that she had never visited any of the hotels she was recommending.*
Villa Rosa: Didn't eat any food. Reeked of mould! Should have stayed at Kandy House.
SriLankan Airlines: Possibly the worst airline we have ever flown with. The food, service and concern for passengers was terrible.
*This is factually incorrect. Red Dot arranges regular accommodation trips for all its sales consultants. Also the client specifically requested Siddhapela after carrying out independent research on other websites
--- JS - London
|
|
November 25, 2007 :
River House: Absolutely perfect.
Vil Uyana: Beautiful room and location, but they promised the earth in terms of service and delivered very little. Non-existent butler service, room service was unbelievably bad. We understand the good work they are doing in training local `unskilled’ people but the ratio of trained professionals was not good enough for the kind of hotel they claim to be
--- RS – Lancs
|
|
November 13, 2007 :
Ice Bear: An ideal stopover when first arriving in Sri Lanka. A very relaxed atmosphere and the fresh seafood served for dinner is value for money. We also particularly enjoyed the breakfasts.
Sharon Inn: The food and cleanliness was very good.
Grand Ella Motel: The rooms were lcean, the service friendly and attentive and the views were fantastic. However, the rooms would benefit from having plug-in mosquito repellants and mosquito nets rather than smoke-burning coils. This was a cat-friendly hotel with a few well-behaved cats and a dog.
Tissa Rest House: Despite the name `Rest House’ we did not get much sleep as there were drums playing past midnight. The lobby was dim. The room was a very poor quality and had not been aired, for example the shower curtain was mouldy, the floor mate dirty. This hotel is in need of renovation and is more akin to a backpacker hotel than I would expect on a tailored tour.
Pastissade: This guesthouse is the ideal chillout spot. This is definitely a place to relax in a hammock and read a novel. The curry and sea fgood we ate at Pastissade was the best we have ever tasted. We definitely recommend this place.
---LA - Leeds
|
|
October 16, 2007 :
We were recommended to Red Dot by a friend and it proved to be an excellent recommendation. Ayanthi couldn;t have been more efficient and adaptable to our needs. Her recommendations were spot on. We have been very lucky to have spent time with Gune [driver]. Clearly an elder statesman of Red Dot Tours and Sri Lanka. His knowledge, enthusiasm, advice, guidance and recommendations have been hugely appreciated and have enriched our first experience of Sri lanka. Not only was Gune very professional but he knew when to give us space but at the same time encouraged us to see what Sri Lanka had to offer.
Kandy House: What a unique experience. Beautiful boutique hotel and the level of service was first class. We didn't imagine it could get much better than that... until we got to Tea Trails.
--- KS - London
|
|
October 05, 2007 :
Chandra [our driver] made our holiday very special. His knowledge of history, religion, culture and nature was so interesting. |It was very relaxing to travel with him. He was kind enough to invite us to eat with his family which was really nice. He valued our health, safety and comfort always. Thank-you for a lovely holiday.
--- JG - Lincs
|
|
September 29, 2007 :
Could not fault the service. Only a suggestion, that a confirmation email could be sent a couple of weeks prior to departure saying that all is OK, especially as no hotel vouchers are required. Wijekoon [driver] was not only a driver but an excellent guide as well. His knowledge of the history, wildlife and the customs helped make a perfect holiday.
Horothopala: The friendly owner taking us on a bike ride to show us round the plantation made for a good start to the holiday.
Kandy House: [Top marks] It would have been nice to have a door on the toilet. Modern design brings a wholew new meaning to togetherness!
Tea Trails: Could not have asked for anything better. Only glad they did not do elevenses as well!
Boulder Gardens: Bade entrance road. We like walking but not to the hotel. Part of the entrance was ankle-deep in water and very slippery. The rest of the hotel is run down and does not resemble its publicity. We would not recommend it.
Aditya: An excellent hotel, well worth the cost.
--- BV - Kent
|
|
September 29, 2007 :
We stumbled upon the Red Dot site by accident. Everything ran very smoothly. Excellent website with plenty of information. We would highly recommend the company.Chandra was a most courteous and helpful guide/driver. Nothing was too much trouble and he communicated his good knowledge of the island very well. The car was not the most comfortable from a back-seat passenger's point of view.
The Beach: was an excellent location from the airport. If you like your hotel smart and modern this would be perfect for you. Very high standards on our arrival. Rushed evening meal with average service on our return.
Tree of Life: Hotel lacked atmosphere. Very few staying out of season. Mozzies in great abundance here. We felt the rooms needed ravamping. Gardens excellent.
Taru Villas: A little paradise. Would thoroughly recommend. The only negative is that there was no tea/coffee-making facility in room and no lunch menu.
Sigiriya Rock: was excellent I will never forget the train journey through the tea plantations from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya. Should have brought warmer clothing for the hill country.
--- JD - Somerset
|
|
September 25, 2007 :
Red Dot organised the best holiday of my life. I cannot speak highly enough. Boniface [driver] was brilliant throughout our stay. Helpful, punctual, a pleasure to be around, made us totally at ease and improved our stay.
Fortress: Fantastic hotel with superb staff.
Lavender House: Beautiful, tranquil. Treated like royalty by politer and efficient staff.
--- AB - London
|
|
September 22, 2007 :
Suren was excellent in putting together the itinerary and very quick to respond to any queries. I wouldn't fail to recommend Suren or Red Dot Tours to anyone. We have so many positive things to say about how wonderful Roy [driver] has been for the past two weeks. He was not just a driver but a highly-skilled tour guide. His driving skills were great. He had a friendly an unobtrusive manner and was profesional throughout.
Soneva Gili, Maldives: The most amazing hotel we have ever stayed in. The villas are huge with all the luxuries and comforts you could need.
Heritence Kandalama: The pillows are really lumpy. Kandy House: Room was beautiful, as was the food, setting and service. Wish we had stayed more than one night.
Norwood (Tea Trails): Outstanding. The service we received was the best we have ever experienced. It really felt like our home and we totally relaxed. Food wonderful. Small touches made our stay so memorable -- hot water bottles at bedtime, `bed tea' in the morning.
Kalu's Hideaway: Served its purpose. A great place for a basic stay close to Uda Walawe national park but you couldn;t stay more than one night there. And they don't serve beer.
Galle Fort Hotel: The room was beautiful and the service and food was lovely. Fortress: The hotel was very modern and high tech. Rooms really spacious and beds were huge and very comfy. Lacks the charm that, say, Galle Fort and Kandy House have.
--- NH - Twickenham
|
|
September 20, 2007 :
As this was our first trip to Sri Lanka we were basically relying on Red Dot. Possibly one or two more more questions about our interests - eg wildlife, culture -- may have influenced our choice of hotels. We could not have had a better or more well-informed driver than George [driver]. He made our tour a truly memorable event.
Villa Talangama: An idyllic and tranquil place to unwind and be pampered after a long flight.
Tea Trails: Having arrived feeling unwell, the staff could not do enough to help us feel relaxed, recover and rest. Impeccable service, gorgeous location by the lake and magnificent scenery. Would have liked to have stayed longer to experience more of the unique appeal of the hill country.
Uda Walawe Camping: Whilst the tent and the `facilities' were slightly more basic than we had imagined, we still had a wonderful night camping under the stars in the park.
Aditya: The hotel was very modern in feel and the staff too attentive at times. As the weather wasn't good there was little else to do.
Taru Villas: Excellent, especially when compared to Aditya. Fewer, but discreet, staff. Good beach if required. Although smaller room than Aditya, the hotel had an atmosphere and overall feel which suited us perfectly.
--- KS - Hants
|
|
September 18, 2007 :
Your recommendation of the Elephant Reach was wonderful. For the six of us (two adults, four kids) they gave us two inter-connecting chalets which was ideal. The pool was lovely, and the staff were exceptional. Three nights there with all our meals (including packed breakfasts on two mornings) came to £370 – not cheap but it was an outstanding place and we reckoned it was worth every penny. The only snag we had was that, like most Sri Lankan hotels, dinner wasn’t served until 7.30, which is very late when you have a five-year old who was up at dawn to go on a game drive. But then, she was by a large margin the youngest child in the place, and she was alright. I would recommend anyone else travelling to Yala to stay there: comfy beds, hot showers, and lovely people.
--- BK - Essex
|
|
September 14, 2007 :
Ayanthi responded very quickly to all our questions. Top marks! Ananda, our driver, was superb. He added greatly to the enjoyment of our holiday and his knowledge made our trips more interesting. His English was very good and he listened to what we wanted. He was punctual, courteous and cared about our safety. That was never more evident than when he spent one hour trying to contact us during a tsunami warning.
Hideaway: Was a good start to our honeymoon. We were made to feel very special. In hindsifght, the food was expensive and it would have been better had the charges been up front.
Vil Uyana: Was fantastic. The villa was superb. Even though I had a fall here and damaged my leg, the way it was dealt with did not diminish our stay here.
Beach Hut: Fell below our expectations. Proximity to the road made it difficult to sleep at night and the staff were poor. We were not greeted on arrival by the manager -- he weas one-and-a-half hours late for his appointment the newxt day -- and the staff spoke very poor English. The concept of paying up front for food was a scam. We did not enjoy our stay here as we felt we could not relax properly.
--- DF - Northants
|
|
August 29, 2007 :
Ervin [driver] really went out of his way to understand the family needs. We would like to commend him for his courtesy, knowledge and attention to detail.
The Beach: was our introduction to Sri Lanka as we recovered from jet lag - a fantastic hotel. The
Mudhouse: Kumar and the team were very attentive and adapted ther food to suit our family but the area lacks activities for teenagers.
Vil Uyana: Brilliant in all respects. Laundry charges ridiculously high.
Norwood: Extraordinary. Laundy done for free. Exquisite food. Fantastic service. Beware leeches -- wear socks when playing croquet!
Galapita: We were greeted with apathy. Indifferent hosts. No privacy. Left in disgust.
Rockside Cabanas: These cabanas do not work in heavy rain. The interiors of the cabanas were damp and the roaring of the ocean was not gentle. The venue would be great for couples but not families.
Thambapanni Retreat: Unawatuna is a much better family location. Good eating places and proximity to Galle. Good accommodation, lovely location, friendly staff.
--- VK - Coventry
|
|
August 28, 2007 :
Suren was very responsive and sensitive to our requests Mr Cyril [driver] was very welcoming and talkative. Told us stories the whole journey 6/6. Sena [driver] was great at spotting weildlife and patient when we got up late.
Eden Hotel: Had a lovely atmosphere in the evening. The silent check-in was unnerving.
Chaaya Village: Lovely setting. Loved [the lake] at sunset.
St Andrew's Hotel: Loved the feel of the hotel and the original dining room and billards room but the bathroom needs updating.
Rainforest Edge: Fantastic experience. Needs improvements to access road.
--- CR - Cambridge
|
|
August 26, 2007 :
There was a mix-up with producing the schedule and pricing thre holiday which may not have been entirely [the consultant's] fault.
Kandy House: Disappointed compared to information provided. Room was dark with no a/c.
Tea Factory: The road to the Tea Factory was much better than I had been led to believe. Room was cold.
Yala game park: Evening drives are better for birds
--- CH - Surrey
|
|
August 24, 2007 :
We cannot speak too highly of Chandra [our driver and guide], who answered all our questions with courtesy and detail. We were able to set the pace for our holiday and at no time did Chandra ever try to push us in the direction of "retail outlets." Kandalama: Fabulous location, impeccable service, breathtaking pool with monkeys and bats as a bonus.
Kandy House: The Kandy House is beautiful, so restful and comfortable with beautiful gardens and a pool. The only drawback was the lack of a/c in the room. The food was fantastic and Ashleigh was a wonderful hostess.
Castlereagh: Four meals a day in unashamed luxury, with beautifully-landscaped gardens, a superb vista, attentive staff and wonderful food – who could ask for more?
Kulu Safaris: Eating lunch, sitting in the middle of a river, watching hornbills and kingfishers flying overhead and small fish nibbling our toes will remain in our memories for a long time.
Yala Village: More a 3-star hotel, than 4 or 5, but the leopards were 5-star!
Galle Fort Hotel: Sitting on the verandah with a house cocktail watching the world go by is the stuff of memories. Karl and Chris are impeccable hosts who have created a friendly, relaxing haven of peace. The food is just fantastic. One of the highlights of our stay.
Taru Villas: For tranquil luxury this place cannot be beaten.
Park Street Hotel: An oasis of peace amidst the hustle and bustle of Colombo. Thank-you for suggesting it.
--- JE – Bishop Auckland
|
|
August 21, 2007 :
Ayanthi was extremely efficient and helpful. Her responses to our queries were swift and she ensured that any changes to our itinerary were made without any problem. We were most impressed with evbery aspect of our booking. Everything worked like clockwork. We would recommend Red Dot to anyone. Dushan [driver] was delightful - knowledgeable, polite, funny and extremely helpful. He went out of his way in Nuwara Eliya to find the school that my siblings had attended in the 1950s. Nothing was too much trouble for him.
--- IC - Cheshire
|
|
August 20, 2007 :
Very pleased with the efficiency since I managed to arrange this 4-5 weeks prior to departure. We would highly recommend Red Dot and our driver, Dilan.
--- JT - Bournemouth
|
|
August 19, 2007 :
Ayanthi was very courteous, informative and helpful. Great personal touch. Fantastic flexibility in constructing itineraries. Bubsy Dirkez [driver] was excellent on nature and great with the children. He is a safe driver and a great ambassador for Sri Lanka. I think he gets it right -- not seeking to rip-off tourists but genuinely encouraging us to support local people who depend on tourism.
Cinnamon Lodge: Brilliant food, rooms, service, pools, location. I cannot fault this fantastic accommodation.
Tea Factory: 5-star service, location and food. 2-star rooms. Desperately need a makeover.
Eva Lanka: Felt like Marie Celeste. It was empty apart from a few German Ayurvedics but it was delightful for us. The beach is not great for swimming but the local seashell tout took us to a nearby beach which was excellent.
Yala Village: The evening game drive was spoiled by the number of jeeps. The early morning one (we opted for an extra one) was great. Can I suggest that you publish estimated driving times in your itineraries. We would have been less ambitious in our itineraries with children.
Red Dot Note: Please see http://reddottours.com/InternalTransport/DrivingTimes.php
--- DJ - Devon
|
|
August 16, 2007 :
Ice Bear: A charming, relaxing, slightly potty place, perfect to start or end a trip. Staff friendly, relaxing. They will provide a very good packed breakfast if you leave early.
Palm Garden Village: Beautifully landscaped, great pool. Staff very attentive, rooms spacious.
Sharon Inn: Good location, really helpful hosts. Clean. Good value.
Glendower: Dark! Stuck in some imaginary colonial past. The packed breakfast was a joke – a couple of sandwiches and a banana.
Ambiente: Couldn’t ask for a better location, overlooking Ella Gap. At night the sky was a revelation. Rooms have a great view but not luxurious.
Yala Village: The road to Yala Village is a nightmare of pot holes but the place itself is excellent. The wildlife is all around. A great place to stay.
Thambapanni: Probably one of the better places in Unawatuna. On oases of peace away from the beach. The higher rooms are brighter.
--- HF - Leicester
|
|
August 14, 2007 :
A great holiday, many thanks.Ayanthi was helpful and very patient. It was great communicating by email and she did all she could to accommodate my numerous requests. Initially I was apprehensive about having a driver but Roy made our holiday. We really enjoyed his company and at times did much laughing. We cannot find any fault with his service. Because of Roy we will come back to Sri Lanka and Red Dot.
Cinnamon Lodge: Lovely place -- rooms and attention to detail was great -- but food was buffet style and same for lunch as dinner.
Kandy House: An oasis; unforgettable experience. Will definitely return. Mixed views on food.
Hill Club: An indescribable experience -- back 50 years! Excellent value for money and impeccable service. The golf course was a treat -- profesional coaching for less than GBP£5.
--- DW - Worcester
|
|
August 10, 2007 :
I was very happy with Red Dot from Day 1 with very knowledgeable agents in Colombo and speedy responses. However, closer to departure, just one phone call to confirm everything was OK would have been [welcome], especially as I received no invoice for the balance payment. A readily contactable agent in the UK should be a Red Dot priority. Red Dot should really value Gune [driver] as an employer/consultant who really gives your company the high reputation it has. Have learned so much about rhe culture, history, socio-economic structure, food and drink and religions. Gune is kind, friendly, honest, smiley, funny and has very good interpersonal skills, knowing when we needed time alone and never in `our space.’ This is important, especially for honeymooners. We would not have had the same rewarding experience without him.
Aditya: Fantastic hotel, service and food excellent. A great place to relax.
Yala Village: Shower was cold at 7.30am.
Castlereagh: The bungalow and staff were amazing. Every need taken care off and we wish we could have stayed longer. The best hotel we have ever stayed in.
Kandalama: Wonderful setting, great pool and food for a buffet-style was very good. The only large hotel we stayed in and better than expected.
--- JP – London
|
|
July 29, 2007 :
I have been delighted using RDT when planning the tour. Rapid email communication made it easy. I felt a concern from the consultants [Christina and then Dirk] who were eager to help. However I felt the standard of hotels was more varying than I had expected. Hasantha [driver] has added great value to the tour. He has been friendly and helpful, has great knowledge and a great network. That he has an eye for the comical was a bonus.
Ice Bear: A funky and nice place. Ok for preparing for the tour, but I doubt if people would want to stay here for more than a few days.
Palm Garden: A wonderful and well-kept garden but a few km from Anaradhapura.
Royal Lotus: Could become a 5-star with a little brish-up.
Hotel Suisse: For the family to stay in an environment of the times of yesterday was an exciting experience.
Glendower: It seems that maintanence is not known in this place. It was also unexpected that everything in the dining room was served from the Chinese kitchen.
Yala Village Hotel: This place is something very special. The location in the jungle has given the family wonderful experiences.
Eva Lanka: Wonderful gardens and tastefully-designed common rooms. Rooms are simple and beds awfully hard.
Garden Beach Hotel: Wonderfully located, most pleasant and restful, quite opposite to Hikkaduwa. Nice restaurant and garden and friendly, helpful service. Helping to release the baby turtles at night was a fantastic experience. A standard and a servicxe according to my wishes.
--- JK - Denmark
|
|
July 19, 2007 :
I was very happy with the levels of service Red Dot provided. When we did have a problem with our hotel – at Bentota Beach – it was sorted out very quickly.
Bentota Beach Hotel: I was very disappointed and only stayed one night as a result. Accommodation was very dated and restaurant was like a school canteen with food to match. We found the staff quite rude, unlike everywhere else where people couldn’t do enough for us.
Eden Hotel: Very impressed with all aspects of the hotel.
--- JB – Kent
|
|
July 11, 2007 :
Thank-you for our best-ever holiday – our high points were the country and its diversity, the people who were so friendly and welcoming, the wildlife and Ervin, who was not only an interesting, good-humoured driver and guide, but who became a friend. The Red Dot experience was supurb from beginning to end. We will certainly be telling others and hope to come again.
Club Bentota: The room was cold and damp and had a smell of stale tobacco due to faulty a/c which was reported but no action was taken. On our arrival the receptionist was surly and hostile and when we complained dismissive.
--- JF - Middlesbrough
|
|
July 09, 2007 :
Thank-you to Suren for helping to create a fantastic honeymoon for us. Some advice about how much to tip the airport porters would have been useful, not easy when the airport ATM dispenses 1,000Rs notes.
Aditya: Amazing, but wasn’t fully expecting the long transfer after the flight. The roads came as a surprise. Excellent hotel, staff and service.
Norwood Tea Trails: Wow! What an amazing place to stay. Exceeded expectations. Tea Trails walks were a great way to burn off all the great food.
Villa Rosa: Great views, food Ok but let down by absence of a menu which did not allow a great deal of choice.
--- GS - Swindon
|
|
June 25, 2007 :
Dirk’s handling of the booking was excellent and both drivers were friendly and informative
--- PJ- Surrey
|
|
May 24, 2007 :
Ceylon Tea Trails: We found the activities [arranged by Tea Trails] a little overpriced. We ended up paying Rs9,000 for one hour of whitewater rafting when Wije [our driver] could have taken us somewhere for much less.
Aditya: They think that their food is a lot better than it really is but apart from that we had a lovely stay.
The Beach: Fine for one night before flying home, but not for longer. Package holiday hell! Sorry!
--- JB - London
|
|
May 01, 2007 :
We are normally independent travellers so having a driver / guide is a new experience for us. Mr Irwin immediately put us at ease with his professionalism, attention to safety, wealth of knowledge and famous Sri Lankan hospitality
--- LL – Canada
|
|
April 25, 2007 :
Dulshan [our driver] has been a terrific help throughout our stay. I will recommend Red Dot because of him!
The Beach, Negombo: Enjoyed our stay. Girls in the kids’ club were particularly helpful.
Mahaweli Reach: Generator noise woke us up. Complained and they sent a guy to fix the a.c, waking us up half an hour later. They have got to sort their electrics out.
--- AK – London
|
|
April 21, 2007 :
Excellent booking support and scenarios but [the difference between adjoining and interconnecting hotels should be clearer for families with children] Mr Suranath was an excellent driver and guide. His knowledge of Sri Lanka customs, religions, culture, flora and fauna gave us a very rewarding visit.
Cinnamom Lodge: Fantastic hotel. The pictures on the website do it no justice. The setting and grounds are pretty unique.
Hunas Falls: Again, what a setting! The hotel is a bit tired but the staff cover it up with first-class service. Ambiente: We treated it as a stopover hotel. Would not recommend for more than one night for families but what a view!
Elephant Reach: A new hotel where the team are still getting into the swing of things but whatever was wrong was fixed promptly and with a smile.
Wunderbar: Mixed bag. Excellent set-menu dinner. Room and balcony nice – but no Tv, minibar or safe. A very good beach bar restaurant with rooms.
Ceylon Continental: Lovely pool area and staff.
--- LU - Doha
|
|
April 21, 2007 :
We had a great holiday and we were delighted with all the arrangements. Chrisantha, our driver, went out of his way to be helpful. he was happy to answer all opur questions, but he also understood when we wanteds to be quiet. Our children felt car sick several times because of the winding roads and he made every effort to drive smoothly. He was also extremely tolerant when one of them was sick in the car. All the hotels tried hard to make food for the children and made us all feel welcome. Horothopola was a delightful place. A ride on a bullock cart was unexpected and much enjoyed. The Sri Lanka curry dinner was the best meal of the holiday and there were lots of other good ones.
Mahaweli Reach: When we arrived we were shown to rooms that smelt so bad they made you choke. They were extremely musty and obviousaly had not been opened for weeks. Everything had the feel of mass catering.
Tea Trails: Brilliant in every way.
-Booking Info ATOL Bonding
|
|
April 20, 2007 :
Ayanthi responded quickly to emails and provided a personal service. The air taxi from Galle was a great experience. Ananda was a informative and excellent driver, knowledgeable about wildlife. Park Street had excellent service and was very comfortable. Definitely recommended.
Castlereagh (Tea Trails): Superb service and wonderfully relaxing, although the guided walk was a disappointment as the guide was obviously in a hurry and didn;t want to walk slowly. definitely highly recommended.
Thambapanni: I was disappointed, although the concept should work. I would only recommend the top Tower Suite -- we eventually paid for an upgrade to test it and it had superb views. The ayurvedic massage centre was very primitive.
Apa Villas: Excellent food and service and beautiful position. Perfect for relaxing.
--- MP - Surrey
|
|
April 20, 2007 :
Herman [driver] was very punctual with good suggestions for day trips and great knowledge of Sri Lankan birds.
Lighthouse: Lovely food and great beach location.
Heritance: Beautiful setting and room. Lovely food. Wine menu needs more detail.
Mount Lavinia Hotel: Proximity to the train line is a drawback, otherwise lovely positioning and colonial charm.
--- VH - Middlesex
|
|
April 16, 2007 :
Erwin was very helpful and polite. Driving in Sri Lanka is something else and should only be attempted by the natives.
Club Villa: After 29 years of marraige, this was like a second honeymoon. Wonderful laid-back atmosphere yet attention to small details and comfort - superb. Towels could be updated but that's only a small quibble The elephant safari was disappointing -- hardly through the jungle, but along a main road and a painfully slow half-mile through a swamp and back.
--- TC - Oxfordshire
|
|
April 11, 2007 :
A fantastic experience. Thank-you to Red Dot for putting this tour together at such short notice. I would highly recommend Red Dot Tours. Ayanthi was fantastic at putting the tour package together at such short notice. Sunil [driver] was extremely professional. He was very polite and helpful and I always had trust in him.
Ice Bear: A pleasant, relaxing stay. A homely atmosphere, I loved the attention to detail and the personal effects in the room. Brilliant location. I would recommend this -- it has a charm of its own. Thank-you.
Chaaya Village: On my last night the staff came and decorated my bed with petals and a 'good luck' message which was a great gesture. Overall, a really wonderful stay, but personally it was too big a hotel for me.
Sharon Inn: Very homely and personal -- I would recommend it. Ambiente: Location fantastic, but I felt the room was a little basic.
Tabrobane: Disappointed. They kindly let me move into Thambapanni, a sister hotel, up the road.
Thambapanni: Peaceful, relaxing, service excellent, and worth paying the extra. The room had a balcony that I could sit out on and a hammock. Real character.
--- LM - Wirral
|
|
April 11, 2007 :
Dirk was especially quick to respond. Outstanding efficiency. It was possible to give Gune [driver] 7 out of 6, I would give it. He is a credit to your company.
Glendower: This hotel does the best Chinese food we have ever tasted
--- GR – Saudi Arabia
|
|
April 10, 2007 :
Nalin [driver] is an asset to your company. Always willing to advise us. He has gone over and beyond the call of duty.
Amaya Hills: Nice rooms, new and clean, with fantastic food. Very upset with the waiter’s behaviour but the manager did sort her out.
Taj Exotica: Disappointed with the Taj. Were expecting 5* service and got 4* service. The suite rooms were dated, damp and smelly. The manager agreed the rooms needed updating. Fantastic service from the restaurant manager.
Lighthouse: What an amazing hotel. One of the best I have stayed in. The service was as good as the Ritz Carlton.
Privilege: Very disappointed. The facilities were very poor. The beach is dirty. Nothing to do at the hotel. Not worth the money they charged.
Cinnamon Grand: Top-class hotels. Nice rooms. Quality service.
--- NA - Leeds
|
|
April 10, 2007 :
Wijay [our driver] was a true gentleman, very knowledgeable, friendly and totally honest, courteous and professional. He was a star.
Kandalama: Paradise. What more can we say?
Eden: Friendly staff, good location, great pool, very clean 4*.
--- NW - Leeds
|
|
April 07, 2007 :
The driver is the human face of the company and Gunawardana was excellent, courteous and informative. A major asset to the company. Look after him!
Elephant Hotel: The hotel desperately needs an experienced chef and a better menu. Fantastic hotel - all 5-star, including the dining room, but the food was the worst of the trip.
Kandy House: Location should be highlighted: a long way to the centre of Kandy.
Norwood (Tea Trails): Outstanding in every way. An absolute delight. Such a contrast in catering to Elephant Corridor.
Fortress: A fantastic hotel. Check-in was a bit haphazard and it took 12 hours to sort out all the bits but the place made up for it.
--- KR - Sheffield
|
|
April 07, 2007 :
We were very happy with Delan [driver] and couldn't have askeds for anyone better.
Horothopola: A great hotel, of all the boutique hotels they had the best food, the only problem being its location at the end of a loing, poorly made road.
Kandy House: A truly beautiful place. They made us a home away from home.
Taru Villas: Its location across the Indian Ocean was unsurapassed
--- BH - Leeds
|
|
April 07, 2007 :
Mr Silva [driver] is a great ambassador for your country and company. A charming gentleman
--- AJ - Dubai
|
|
April 02, 2007 :
The booking procedures and communications with Red Dot were excellent. Our driver Roy was fantastic, a fount of knowledge, expert driver and good fun to be with. Deer Park Hotel was top class, attentive and friendly staff, superb accommodation and facilities and good food. Villa Rosa was idyllic in every way, the accommodation, situation, staff and food absolutely perfect.. Kelburne Mountain View was a totally different experience. Our own house boy. Vijay was fantastic, a fellow cricket fan, and the views from the terrace were out of this world. Stanley, the cook, was on his own but looked after us well and the surrounding area was fascinating. Claughton House: Had an unbelievable situation and was a wonderful spot to chill out for a few days. There was a slight communication problem with some staff regarding meals but otherwise it was brilliant. Taru Villas: Attentive staff and great accommodation but rather expensive. Galle Face: A blast from the past with good food and helpful staff.
--- DM - Cheshire
|
|
April 01, 2007 :
Cyril [our driver] was outstanding, with useful local contacts. He suggested some sensible amendments to our itinerary which made better use of the time available. He was also punctual and immaculately turned out.
Cinnamon Lodge: Fantastic - lovely room, lovely food and excellent personal service. A great choice for our honeymoon.
Mahaweli Reach: The room was very shabby with broken lights, nowhere near the standard expected of a 5-star hotel. There were mosquitos everywhere and only ten sunbeds for the entire hotel.
The Tea Factory: A lovely hotel in a beautiful location. The rooms are a little basic and tired but overall this did nothing to detract from our very enjoyable stay.
Mirihi, Maldives: Outstanding: the perfect way to finish our honeymoon, every bit a 5-star resort.
--- CG - Harpenden
|
|
March 31, 2007 :
Ayanthi was courteous, efficient and a joy to deal with. Ananda was a wonderful driver and ambassador for Sri Lanka and your company. His knowledge of wildlife was exemplary. Other Uk travellers were keen to use Red Dot in future, based on our experience.
Martin's Lodge: Basic but a wonderful experience. Martin was knowledgeable and made us feel part of the family. The rainforest guide was good, although he did try to avoid the second (booked) walking tour!
Centauria Hotel: The management were more interested in selling us alcohol than giving us service. Single glasses of wine were discouraged as "only Australian." We know Australian wine - this was not! It was undrinkable and smelt off. The manager told us he had warned us not to drink it. The wine waiter told us that he had informed the manager it was undrinkable before serving it but he had been tolds to give it to us. No alternative or refund offered.
Yala Village: Wonderful place to stay.
--- PW - Sussex
|
|
March 31, 2007 :
Seelan [driver] is a wealth of information and has a passion for Sri lanka which made our trip so much more enjoyable and taught us a lot about Sri Lanka culture and heritage. He is a fantastic ambassador. Don't let him go!
--- MD - Middlesex
|
|
March 30, 2007 :
Roy [driver} was a major factor in making our holiday so memorable. He provided valuable information and was always cheerful and thoughtful.
Claughton House: Amazing location, but language difficulties with some staff which mader ordering food impossible if they were on duty.
--- DM - Stockport
|
|
March 29, 2007 :
Dickwella Beach Resort: Nice enough resort, although we were the youngest people there by 25 years.
--- MD - London
|
|
March 28, 2007 :
A pleasure to have personal contact in these days of automated responses. Ervin drove impeccably. A good driver/guide doubles the amount you get out of a holiday. The 4x4 was a good investment in the hill country.
Villa Rosa: The cooking lesson by the chef, Nuwanchan, is well worth while if you seriously want to attack Sri Lankan curries.
Ravana Heights: Excellent Thai food cooked by owner's wife. Owner is very bright, but talkative and not 100 per cent tuned into the hotel industry. Basically a Thai food restaurant with three rooms. Set-up potentially very good. The day trip to Lipton's Seat on a cloudless day was outstanding, as was lunch at the peerless location of Kelbourne Cottages.
Club Villa: Excellent all-round.
--- RL - Oxfordshire
|
|
March 25, 2007 :
Boniface was a very professional driver. We consider ourselves very lucky to have him.
Kandalama: The staff were the friendliest I have ever met in a hotel. Genuinely interested and proud of their hotel.
--- LB - Kingston
|
|
March 25, 2007 :
The efficient, easy-to-use website was one of the first reasons to go with Red Dot, as well as the fact that you covered all aspects of a holiday. We have never had a more pleasant and helpful driver than Sunil. His driving was excellent and his local knowledge added greatly to the enjoyment of our trip. There were many lovely birds and butterflies in Sinharajah and a leopard and fantastic birds in Yala.
Martins Lodge: Delivered on all fronts. Only downside was very bumpy access road. I was impressed that Red Dot's local knowledge provided jeep transport for a track we thought was driveable by car.
Ice Bear: Wonderful room, full of character, but mosquitoes were very abundant.
Garden Beach: A lovely hotel with turtle laying in the evening.
--- GH - Cradley
|
|
March 24, 2007 :
Ajantha [our driver] was charming and helpful and did everything he could to ensure we enjoyed our holiday as much as possible. he was knowledgeable and full of interesting suggestions of things to see and do.
--- AW - Surrey
|
|
March 24, 2007 :
We were very impressed and we will be recommending Red Dot to others. Herman [our driver] really did go out of his way to introduce us to many new experiences whilst always checking we were happy with arrangements. One particular example was when herman saw to it that my birthday celebrations at Pasitissade included a BBQ on the beach, bonfite, table set for two, champagne, birtthday cake and everything that had considered necessary for the occasion. Truly memorable!
Ice Bear: Great food and ambience.
Galapita: Thank-you for the upgrade to the individual "house." This really was out of this world and we felt extremely relaxed.
Colombo House: Room not properly cleaned, smelled of damp and lacked waste bin and curtains. That said both ceiling fan and a/c worked well. Fabulous building, ripe for renovation.
Sigiriya: Unbelievable.
Polonnuruwa: Lovely tro cycle around the ruins, such a surprisingly large site.
--- AJ - London
|
|
March 19, 2007 :
Ayanthi was very helpful and flexible and was happy for us to book as much or as little as we wanted with no pressure. Also no pressure to book more expensive hotels, willing to offer cheaper alternatives. Chandra was an excellent driver. He was always on time and we always felt safe. He was a real gentleman and very discreet. His knowledge of the local areas was excellent.
Villa Rosa: Room was expensive for what it was. Clearly we were paying for the view and ther fact there are only six rooms, both of which are delightful features.
Norwood (Tea Trails): Absolutely superb and we had the bungalow to ourselves.
Palm Paradise Cabanas: Great location. Food was much better than expected.
--- SS - London
|
|
March 18, 2007 :
We did not know anything about Horton Plains and thought on the itinerary it referred to something in Kerala.
Suisse Hotel: This hotel should have everything going for it -- it potentially has a superb ambience due to its heritage -- but the only aspect that was fine as far as we were concerned was the bar and a friendly and attentive barman. the food was not good quality and I sent my dinner starter back due to an insect crawling out of it - no-one saw fit to apologise. Thew room was comfortable but the absence of side lights made it difficult on read at night. We did not get the wake-up call we had ordered. We would not return to Hotel Suisse other than to have a drink in the bar.
Hill Club: Service was excellent: old-fashioned attention that you don;t often get these days.
Mount Lavinia Hotel: Restaurant service not good - had to wait forever for drinks.
Edessay East End Hotel, Mannar: reminded us of a seedy American hotel. We didn't use the shower in our room -- it was filthy. Mannar itself has nothing going for it -- it is the drive from Cochin that is a great experience.
Cardamon County, Thekaddy: We ate a la carte for dinner on two nightsd but they refused to offset any of the costs against the included buffet dinner - their argument was that the buffet was the set dinner. Two problems: firstly, we weren;lt told and, secondly, The buffet was entirely curries and there is a limit to the number of curries that the average British stomach can take!
Coco Bay Resort, Kumarakun: Great location, good accommodation and some good food. But two problems: half the items on the menu were not available and we were overcharged on our bill. They gave in eventually.
Brunton Boatyard: Everything a good hotel should be.
--- KC - London
|
|
March 10, 2007 :
The website is fantastic -- very informative. All employees we spoke to were also extremely helpful. Ananda [driver] has been one of the highlights of our trip -- so helpful, considerate, kind and generous.
Galapita: We had a difficult first few hours at Galapita. Our room was very basic,. not what we had imagined. But we were moved to the villa which was fantastic.
Castlereagh (Tea Trails): Absolutely loved every single minute. The only difficulty was when one of the butlers was aggressive to Ananda and would not let him in.
Galle Face Regency: Fine, but very slow service in their fine-ding restaurant which is also overpriced.
--- ET - London
|
|
March 08, 2007 :
Christina was exceptionally helpful in arranging a holiday at short notice. We cannot speak too highly of Sunil [our driver] who ensured that we had a marvellous time. During the first week, when I was on my own, he found all sorts of interesting things to do.
Kandy House: What a pity a beautiful old house has had a brutaliost concrete style imposed upon i -- in particular the slippery bathroom floor with very uncomfortable concrete bath and the bare concrete staircases with no handrail.
Park Street: A great place to spend our last night. Designed to the highest international standards with a huge bedroom and attentive staff.
--- SP - Stoke
|
|
March 07, 2007 :
Sunil was very efficient, friendly and an excellent driver. He was always concerend for our welfare.
--- WC - Northants
|
|
March 06, 2007 :
What a fantastic holiday my parents and I had travelling around Sri Lanka with our driver, Alan. The whole trip was brilliantly organised, worked like clockwork, the hotels were wonderful and Alan was a fantastic driver. Very polite, kind, helpful, informative - he really did everything he could to make our trip comfortable, safe and interesting
--- LF - Galle
|
|
March 04, 2007 :
Roy [our driver] has been unfailingly helpful and made our holiday go smoothly. His commentary during some quite lengthy journeys has been interesting and informative.
Chaaya Village: Caters more for groups than individuals. No meal choices, only buffets.
Sharon Inn: Great one-night stopover.
Tientsen (Tea Trails): Amazing. Blissful indulgence and should be a must for everyone.
Galapita: Complete contrast to Tea Trails but equally amazing. This eco lodge offered a glimpse of the simple life.
--- SM - Westbury
|
|
March 02, 2007 :
I wrote a speculative email and got a useful response from Suren. thereafter he was always, providing answers to the most obvious questions as well as the more important concerns. Boniface [driver] was a happy, smiling chap, always keen to point out interesting flora and fauna which helped break up the long drives. His driving has been extremely good -- and clearly compares well with other drivers mentioned by visitors that we have met on our journey!
Ice Bear: As described in the brochure: somewhat unique. The most welcoming and helpful of all the guesthouses visited. However, we had not been allocated the villa we expected and this took the gloss of our experience.
Sharon Inn: More of a glorified youth hostel in atmosphere than a guesthouse. Not great, but clkean, comfortable and functional.
Ambiente: What a fantastic view -- a nice change after the hustle and bustle of Kandy. The staff were great, the room was nice and the view from the balcony was worth the journey alone.
Galapita: An exquisite location for relaxation. Good fun swimming in the river. Food and drink pricing is a complete mystery and as many meals are shared communication as to meal timings could be better.
--- TW - Uxbridge
|
|
February 26, 2007 :
Garden Beach: Manager and staff extremely friendly. Lovely garden but limited activities. Perfectly located for the Kosgoda turtle hatchery. Well worth a stop here.
Apa Villas: Loved it. Beautifuil setting. Enjoyed a mountain bike ride arranged by hotel.
Galapita: Would have liked to have been told about available activities on arrival, but otherwise very relaxing stay and would recommend it. Fabulous massage.
Helga's Folly: A truly unique hotel, very good food and excellent service. The only downside is that the place is looking a little tired in places.
--- LB - Guiseley
|
|
February 25, 2007 :
Chandra, our driver, is highly recommended. He was very knowledgeable, courteous and helpful, always on time and flexible. We would recommend that all cars have water on pick-up. Just what you need after a long flight.
Sharon Inn: Basic, but just what we needed -- family service and environment.
Tea Factory: Nice location and building. Food was average and overpriced. Good walks.
Galapita: Amazing - loved it. Better than expected, food was good too.
Taru Villas: Lovely little place. Service can be a little in your face at times.
Ceylon Continental: Does the job if you don't mind 70s-style decor.
--- MM - Hong Kong
|
|
February 25, 2007 :
Red Dot had a great selection [of accommodation]. I enjoyed the freedom to choose exactlyu where I wanted to stay and visit. Samantha [driver] was an excellent guide - very friendly, patient and informative. We feel very sad to leave him.
Ice Bear: Full ofr character, beautiful location and great atmosphere. Pity about the noisy party on the beach on our last night.
Sharon Inn: We arrived after a really busy and exciting day and were roundly told off for being late.
Hill Club: A step back in time -- great atmosphere. Tea Factory: Beautiful views but it was up a terrible road, full of potholes.
Yala Village: Brilliant place, we loved it.
--- HT - Cambridge
|
|
February 25, 2007 :
Dulshan was an excellent driver and extremely helpful and knowledgeable.
Amaya Lake: Beautiful setting, excellent service. Buffet at dinner and breakfast - we prefer to be served at the table but it is a minor quibble.
--- AJ - Hampshire
|
|
February 24, 2007 :
The time difference between UK and Sri lanka makes correspondence awkward. Otherwise great. Sunil, our driver, showed us some great places not on the itinerary. He has played a big part in making our stay truly amazing.
Chayya Village: Idyllic setting, beautiful pool, very nice room. Very friendly and helpful staff. Good choice of food. However, after twice finding a live caterpillar in the salad, we were told ``Yes, they live there.'' As everything else was perfect, we found this very funny.
The Beach: We are so glad Christina recommended this hotel. The room was huge and the pool and restaurant superb. Sigiriya is unmissable -- the holiday highlight. It must rank as one of my finest experiences on a holiday.
--- SG - London
|
|
February 24, 2007 :
Charlie and David were very helpful. All very efficient. Would recommend to friends.
Kandalama: An excellent hotel in all respects.
Villa Rosa: The beds had plastic undersheets which made then hot. My wife had multiple bites.
Norwood (Tea Trails): This was a paradise. Wish we had stayed longer. My wife had a back problem and the staff were quick to arrange therapy.
Taru Villas: Good friendly service, good food, beautiful ambience.
--- JPW - Rutland
|
|
February 23, 2007 :
Havelock Bungalow: Room was not up to standard of boutique hotel. for international travellers seeking 5-star treatment.
Victoria Chalets: Perfect golf vacation.
Tallala Retreat: Website descriubes a dream not yet a reality. Needs more work but very beautiuful location and lots of possibility.
--- CS - London
|
|
February 23, 2007 :
Ananda, our driver, helped to make our holiday all we had hoped for. Always cheerful and helpful with suggestions.
Galle Face: The only hotel not to give us a warm welcome. Staff not very friendly and very inefficient.
Shopping at Odels and Barefoot in Colombo was very good as was the shop at Kandalama.
We will certainly recommend your office to friends.
--- AW - London
|
|
February 16, 2007 :
The whole booking process, speed of response, flexibility, give and take, and information provided was quite exceptional. It was a pleasure dealing with Charlie (and with David on admin) and I'm not an easy man to please! Ervin was a great driver/guide. He exceeded expecations even though he came with a good recommendation. Ervin is a delightful guy, with immaculate English and pretty knowledgeable, even compared to dedicated guides we have had elsewhere. We never felt pressured to visit anywhere -- especially shops. The 4WD was a delight. The trip would not have been as enjoyable in a regular car.
--- HB - Singapore
|
|
February 16, 2007 :
Punchi was an excellent driver -- safe, courteous and informative.
--- UA - Brighton
|
|
February 15, 2007 :
When on holiday it is people that really make the difference between a good or great time. Boniface [driver] did to make sure we had a great holiday. We did. Well done Boniface!
Mount Lavinia Hotel: Very nice location, staff pleasant, plumbing (toilets) needs attention.Java Moon: A very different experience, run by a charming couple.
Castlereagh and Norwood (both Tea Trails): Amazing, relaxed environment. Delightful people. Excellent concept.
--- SD - Surrey
|
|
February 14, 2007 :
Our thanks to the Red Dot team for their enthusiasm. We had a fantastic holiday. Ayanthi was very helpful and the tour was arranged quickly even though we booked -- and changed some items -- a few days before leaving. We found Rayen, our driver, to be punctual, courteous and concerned for our welfare. He gave good advice when asked and never recommended shops and restaurants without being asked.
Ranweli Eco Lodge: A good location for a restful first night. We would have liked to have had an evening or morning bird tour.
Cinnamon Lodge: Wondereful to be surrounded by wildlife, yet so close to cultural triangle attractions. Our room and the grounds were immaculate.
Hunas Falls Hotel: Although the hotel needs a little care and attention, this was outweighed by the fantastic location. We couldn't want a better place for spotting birds and butterflies. The naturalist here is excellent.
Kelbourne Cottages: Although the rooms are not hotel standard, the fact we had a whole cottage to stay in made that insignificant. Tranquil, relaxing and a treat to stay there. The room boy service was second to none. Best cup of tea in Sri Lanka. We recommend the trip from Kelbourne Cottages to Addisham Monastery
--- PS - Nottingham
|
|
February 14, 2007 :
Red Dot is the best tour operator we have ever used. Roy, our driver, was a very courteous and helpful man and knows Sri Lanka like the back of his hand.
Kandalama: A beautiful, enchanting environment.
Norwood: It could warrant a two-week stay there alone. But the excursion to Horton plains from Norwood is ill-advised.
RainForest Edge: The pool area could do with some sun beds as all that exist at the moment are fold-away camping chairs.
--- OB - London
|
|
February 12, 2007 :
This honeymoon trip has been even greater than we imagined. Ayanthi did an excellent job, understanding where we wanted. Friendly and didn't "try to sell." Sunil was the best driver we could think of, and a very knowledgeable guide as well who told us as much as we wanted. We felt very safe with him.
Kandy House: A lovely hotel, right in the jungle.
Norwood (Tea Trails) Wow! A 360 degree view, on a plateau, overlooking mountains and the tea estates. Honeymoon dinner. The butler was excellent - friendly, sensitive and informative. Lovely, long pool and beautiful gardens.
Uda Walawe Camping Safari: To come so close to wild elephants, buffalo, monkeys and birds was amazing. The campsite was excellent and the guide, Jahavene, was knowledgeable, humorous and accommodating.
Kahinda Kanda: Exciting local and contemporary architecture. So beautiful, on an elevated hill. Wonderful pool.
Galle Fort Hotel: A remarkable restoration, great design and atmosphere. Karl, the owner, was very humorous and helpful. Service was a bit slow.
The climb up Adam's Peak was very strenuous and descent even more difficult.
--- MT - Woking
|
|
February 10, 2007 :
Mount Lavinia House: Convenient for my business in Colombo, but the trains come close enough to the house to feel the vibrations. Max the Rottweiler is very friendly, but non- dog lovers should be aware that he has free run of the house.
Tea Trails (Castlereagh): Heavenly.
--- JA - Gloucs
|
|
February 09, 2007 :
I have never enjoyed booking a holiday so much. Charlie's patience and advice was endless. SriLankan business class had wonderful service and food. Muthu gave us a great adventure. He gave us a good insight into the country.
Horothopola: Above expectation. It was a superb suggestion by Charlie to have the first two nights here. The bullock-cart ride was particularly memorable.
Kandy House: Again, above expectation. A wonderful retreat from the hustle and bustle of Kandy.
Kelbourne Cottages: Any minor criticism, such as the access road only being suitable for 4x4s, were easily outweighed by the location and ambience of the place. Our houseboy, Ravi, was outstanding.
Yala Village: The only hotel we have stayed at in the world where ther minibar was locked the night before out departure -- ridiculous! Otherwise, great location and food experience.
Talalla Retreat: So laid back, and we felt like one of the family by the time we had left.
--- PS - Northants
|
|
February 05, 2007 :
We have just returned from a three-week tour with Red Dot to Sri Lanka and the Maldives. The organisation and attention to detail has been excellent and our guide Ervin was again first class, taking us to all the special places on and off the tourist route. We were also very privileged to be invited to a family meal with Ervin. The diversity of the island is beyond belief from elephants, turtles , tea plantations, jungle, fishing it goes on and on. An absolute must is the Turtle Protection Project in Bentota. Take a tour and see the turtles and then come back at sunset and release the baby hatched turtles back into the ocean, a very special experience. The Red Dot team must be complimented on providing such knowledgeable guides and being able to provide the tour bespoke to the individuals' requirements. Final relaxation in the Maldives can only be described as the added bonus, clear sky, unbroken sunshine, clear water, need I say more. Thanks again for a wonderful experience we will be back next year.
--- CB - Southampton
|
|
January 31, 2007 :
Really appreciated flexibility to mix-and-match between Red Dot bookings and our own independent bookings, and excursions to our project sites.
Dickwella Resort: Stunning location, but just something missing – a lack of attention to detail.
--- RK - Colombo
|
|
January 29, 2007 :
All accommodation was accurately described. I have no complaints
--- PC – London
|
|
January 26, 2007 :
Thank you so much for the lovely presents. They will be a wonderful reminder of a wonderful holiday. We loved Sri Lanka and all the people we met, and were very well looked after by Mr. Cyril. I don't know when, but we would love to return. Thank you for arranging such an enjoyable holiday
-Thank you so much for the lovely presents. They wi
|
|
January 25, 2007 :
A big thank-you to everyone at Red Dot for helping to make our wedding in Sri Lanka and honeymoon in Kerala a truly fantastic experience. Everything went to plan and we appreciate your assistance and advice. Christina and Dirk were always very quick to respond and helped make the organisation of our trip very easy. Thank you for always replying to my many thousands of emails in a speedy and professional manner. We were very touched to receive the gifts upon our arrival in Colombo on Christmas day. This was a very thoughtful gesture and we were very grateful. Also, many thanks for the beautiful flowers that you sent us on our wedding day at Ranweli. This was a wonderful touch and we were, again, very grateful. A very big thank-you to Ervin, our fantastic driver, who is a real asset to Red Dot. We found Ervin to be the perfect driver and guide who completely respected our requirements and was always ready to assist us in any way.
--- KG - Southsea
|
|
January 24, 2007 :
SriLankan Airlines was very comfortable with courteous staff. Cyril, our driver, was very professional and informative but in no way pushy. He never once tried to take us to any commercial outlets for his own benefit.
Ceylon Continental: Typical concrete block chain hotel, convenient for first and last night of the tour.
Castle Hill Guest House: A beautiful bungalow with a stunning view and friendly staff.
The Hill Club: So glad we stayed here. It took me back 40 years when we started our married life in Fiji. There were nice touches like hot water bottles in the beds. We felt cherished!
Ambiente: Outstanding position and very friendly service. The sheets in the bed did not reach to the end of the mattress.
Talalla Retreat: The bay and Tallala Retreat itself were both stunning, although the place [primarily aims for] ayurvedic and yoga clients. We mark Tallala down due to extremely poor management. When we pointed out that we were on half-board, the ``manager’’ said that he would not be there at 8am as he was going surfing and his junior staff would sort it. Unlike all the other places we just did not feel welcome.
--- EM – Milton Keynes
|
|
January 19, 2007 :
Despite needing to rearrange our accommodation halfway through the holiday, red Dot were attentive to our needs and made every effort to accommodate us. We were very grateful for this.
--- AS - London
|
|
January 05, 2007 :
It would be helpful to have more candid information on accommodation, maybe including customer comments and ratings. During process of designing itinerary, it would be useful for more verbal interaction. We didn’t realise until we checked in that the flight wasn’t direct. It was a pleasure having Samantha as our driver for two weeks. He often did more than was necessary and we really feel we got a sense of real life in Sri Lanka from him. At our request he taught us some very basic Singhala. Despite the fact that he was being paid to drive and guide us, we really felt that he wanted us to have a good time. We will miss Samatha, his great driving, our laughs and discussions about our two different worlds and would highly recommend him. The
Hideaway: Friendly staff, nothing too much trouble, but too many hidden costs – a surprise when you get the bill.
Yala Village: We hated our stay here. It felt like a prison and we would not come back. Most guests are out on early-morning safaris and get back at 10am, but you have to be out of the restaurant by 10.30 which doesn’t give enough time.
Eva Lanka: Tried hard but never quite seemed to reach an acceptable standard. Lovely, friendly staff, but poor command of English. Really disappointed that nothing was arranged for New Year’s Eve.
Tea Trails: Our favourite stay – not surprisingly as everything had been thought of that we could wish for. Amazing location, food and staff.
Aditya: Not very welcoming and friendly atmosphere at first, although staff did warm to us. Food was delicious, although service could be slow. Amazing and comprehensive menus. Lovely place to chill out at the end of a busy few weeks.
Mount Lavinia House: Our bill was unreasonable and unfair. Manager not prepared to alter. Limited staff presence and if you need someone it could involve a search. We came here for a quiet last night but we were kept awake by trains and left covered in mosquito bites. It is unfair to ask us to complete the feedback form while we are still in Sri Lanka
--- PH – Cambridge
|
|
January 04, 2007 :
We have just returned from an unforgettable holiday walking from Negombo to the Kandalama Hotel. I would like to say a personal thank you for all that you have done in arranging this for us. The holiday could not have been better and was in fact more than a holiday - it was an experience! We were provided with an amazing camp site with wonderful service and food. It was perfect. [The only criticism was] the Kandyan Reach Hotel in Kurunegala. Although the staff were friendly and helpful they appeared not to know their jobs and the result was chaotic. Absolutely every interaction between ourselves and a member of staff resulted in confusion and problems, ie laundry, food, simple questions, room service, directions - everything. However, we consoled ourselves with the fact that we would soon be back in our lovely campsite with Roy the chef! The Kandalama was the reason for us walking 174km in the first place. It is a wonderful hotel and well worth walking all that way to. When we arrived they arranged a welcome party and press conference. This was very unexpected and quite a surreal end to the holiday. All aspects of this hotel are exceptional including the location, service, facilities etc. Our final three days stay there were very comfortable and allowed us time to reflect on a perfect holiday.
--- LL - Tunbridge Wells
|
|
December 31, 2006 :
Herman, our driver, had an exceptional way of managing the tour, using awareness and diplomatic skills to facilitate a smooth-running journey, satisfying everyone's needs. he acted with calm expertise at times of crisis!
Chayya Village: Good location for access to other places in cultural triangle. Really nice to have tea and coffe in room and access to movies when it's raining.
Kelbourne Cottages: A real surprise. Definitely tops.
--- FN - Exeter
|
|
December 23, 2006 :
Charlie was wonderful … very helpful and patient! We had a good idea of what we wanted to see and he worked round that with some very good suggestions. We had a marvelous time in Sri Lanka and both agreed it was one of our best ever holidays! Fabulous country, charming people, delicious food and we loved all the wonderful hotels that we stayed in. Plan A had been to visit Kerala next year, but we’re wondering whether to return to SL instead! It was such a shame to see the hotels so empty though. Everyone said that it is because we were visiting in the low season but when you are staying in a small boutique hotel, it is fun to have other people around in the evening. Fingers crossed that things will pick up soon.
The Kandy House was our absolute favourite hotel. We just loved it and would definitely want to go back. Tea Trails: We weren’t that keen on Norwood – not the location, which was lovely, but the style of décor didn’t really appeal. Loved Castlereagh though – our room was super. We were extremely well-looked after – and well fed! – in both.Our room at Taru Villas was the best of our whole trip and it is a lovely place to stay. The only downside was that we were the only people staying there.We decided to switch to The Beach, in Negombo, instead of spending our last night in Colombo – partly because our flight home was at 8.30 am and we didn’t fancy such an early start! Really glad that we changed though – The Beach was great and a perfect place to end the holiday …. And only 15 mins from the airport too which was a real bonus. Having spent a lot of time on our own, it was good to be in a more buzzy atmosphere and we really enjoyed our brief stay. Would definitely go back again.
--- CO - Edinburgh
|
|
December 22, 2006 :
Dilan helped to make our holiday hassle-free. He was always very polite, punctual, courteous and professional.
Thilanka: Nice pool and interesting art exhibition.
Tea Factory: Amazing place. Most enterprising. Gourmet food. We had their "kitchen experience" dinner on the second night and thoroughly enjoyed it. The approach road needs repairing.
Ambiente: The bedroom had dirty walls but the bathroom was clean with good facilities anf there was a fantastic outlook frpom room and verandah.
Ice Bear: A delightful haven from the busy streets.
--- DW - Devon
|
|
December 15, 2006 :
The Beach Hotel was excellent and use of the child care associated with the Mark Warner watersports centre next door was great. Our little boy loved his holiday as did my wife and I who could relax and enjoy the lovely weather while he was playing in the crèche. We will definitely be coming back to Sri Lanka in the future but for longer than a week next time.
--- NW - Surrey
|
|
December 04, 2006 :
We are back from our third trip to Sri Lanka. As on previous occasions Charlie Austin was incredibly helpful. He seems to have the knack of assessing the traveller and knowing what their needs are. All his suggestions suited us admirably. Any questions were answered quickly by phone or text. A great service by Charlie. A great company to deal with and the best website by a travel company I have ever seen. Next year? Probably!
--- JR - Somerset
|
|
December 03, 2006 :
There cannot be much that Senerath does not know about the birds, wildlife and culture of Sri Lanka. We requested a guide with an interest in birds. We were nott o know that Red Dot would send one of the top bird guides in Sri Lanka to show us all over the most wonderful bird habitats. If Sena cannot find a bird, the birds come to find him, attracted by his remarkable recordings of bird calls.
--- TH - Kent
|
|
December 02, 2006 :
Dirk, our consultant, was very patient with my continual changes and questions, quick to respoond and kind-natured. The website was easy to navigate and a great source of information. Erwin, our driver, was excellent throughout the trip. He was very friendly, very helpful, always on time and happy to accommodate our requests (eg last-minute detours).
Ice Bear: Very cosy set-up and great breakfast. Wouldn't sunbathe outside here, on beach, because of local fishermen activity.
Royal Lotus: Best-ever breakfast! Perhaps too far from Sigiriya.
Kelbourne Cottages: Stunning views. Great place to stay.
Galapita: A lovely set-up. Food was great and there was lots of it. Very unique and worthwhile, even though 1.5 hrs drive to Yala game park.
Rockside Cabanas: We stayed three nights but the room was not serviced. The train trip from Kandy to Ella was very scenic and insightful.
--- MG - Australia
|
|
December 01, 2006 :
Dirk, our sales consultant, was very helpful and efficient and very patient with my constant questions and changes. He was quick to respond and kind-natured. Ervin, our driver, was excellent throughout the whole trip, always on time, happy to accommodate our requests and a great source of local knowledge. He is very professional and very personable. I always felt like we were in safe hands which is important given some of the crazy drivers in Sri Lanka. Ice Bear has a very cosy set-up and great breakfast. Royal Lotus was our best-ever breakfast! A great location for Polonnuruwa but a bit for from Sigiriya. We would have preferred two different locations. Sharon Inn was a nice place with lovely views. Kelbourne Cottages was a great place to stay: excellent service, fabulous food and the views were stunning. Ella Adventure House: This is due to heavy rainfall, but sheets felt a bit damp. We stayed in tree house which was very funky. Sri Lankan food was good, `Western food' not too good, too salty. Galapita was a lovely set up - unique and worthwhile. Rockside Cabanas: We stayed three nights but the room was not serviced at all. Some stray dogs on beach.
--- MG - Australia
|
|
November 18, 2006 :
A big thank you for your help in organising a great family holiday. The service advice and back-up you provide was first class and was a real help in making the holiday go as smoothly as it did. The accommodation was excellent in every way. It was a real experience to remember, not least to get some idea of the damaged caused by the tsunami of 2004. I hope the Tigers do not put people off as the country needs to rebuild, which is happening, but needs to continue. We were especially glad not to be put off visiting Galle one day. Fantastic! My daughter found 2 lovely hotels hidden away in the old town. Very impressive.
--- PD - Solihull
|
|
November 09, 2006 :
Apa Villas: perfect in every way. Galle Fort: now my favourite hotel and food in the world. Kandy House: wonderful place - with best pool ever. Deer Park: bit disappointing - not clean. We have so enjoyed this holiday. We were lucky enough to land Ervin for the whole trip. We couldn’t believe our luck -- what a star! I travel in India a lot and thought I had a good driver but Ervin really made the whole thing for us. Hang on to him tightly!
---OT - Cornwall
|
|
November 06, 2006 :
Ice Bear in Negombo was a charming place, room comfortable and excellent location. Suda Araliya -- rather characterless and anonymous. Castle Hill, Kandy - great location , huge bedroom, owner very helpful. Glendower, Nuwara Eliya - cosy place, very helpful staff, cold weather. Centauria, Uda Walawe -- much smarter than we expected, lovely location. Martin's Lodge, Sinharajah -- family atmosphere, room very basic and clients should be warned about terrible journey to get there. Sun N Sea -- probably the best place in Unawatuna, charming and helpful owner. Wijekoon was an oustanding driver/guide. The quality of excursions/sightseeing was excellent - thanks to our driver.
---JB - Southampton
|
|
November 06, 2006 :
A very big thank you to Red Dot Tours for our wonderful trip throughout Sri Lanka. Despite the trouble that occurred whilst we were there, we enjoyed beautiful Sri Lanka and it's people immensely. I cannot speak highly enough of our driver Wilfred who was fantastic - always courteous, helpful and informative and a delight to travel with. Prior to our trip, my communication with Christina was always answered very promptly and effectively and the actual tour went like clockwork. When the unfortunate events occurred in Galle, we were contacted and offered alternative accommodation (which we decided not to take) and my conversations with Hiran were also very helpful and informative. Overall, myself and my family extend a huge thank you to Red Dot Tours and we will be recommending you to anyone we know travelling to Sri Lanka and look forward to speaking with you when we return, hopefully in 2007.
--- VW - Australia
|
|
November 06, 2006 :
The holiday at Garden Beach in Kosgoda was wonderful. The staff at the hotel were waiting for our very early arrival, what a lovely surprise to have a flower garland put around our neck at 5.30am. The suite at the hotel was perfect with nicely appointed rooms with 4-poster bed and a superb bathroom, plus that view out to sea off the balcony. The suite was kept spotlessly clean, and worth a mention was the lovely gesture of decorating the bed with flowers every day. The standard of catering was very high probably the highest that we have experienced in a hotel. The staff at the hotel without exception were polite, friendly, and would do anything for us. On our 40th Wedding Anniversary day, the evening dinner was special with us eating out under the stars on the lawn. The hotel provided an anniversary cake and the staff came to the table and sang to us. Wonderful. We then all danced on the lawn
--- RD - Halesowen
|
|
November 01, 2006 :
Red Dot arranged for us to go to The Beach one night earlier than anticipated and asked if we needed a driver sorting out. More importantly they said they would ring back within 10 minutes and did just that. the service we received was excellent -- unfortunately service like that is not standard from all operators.
--- HG - Lancashire
|
|
November 01, 2006 :
River House was absolutely superb – staff can not do enough for you – feels more like a private house than a hotel, fantastic location and accommodation – one of the best places we’ve stayed.
--- HG - Lancashire
|
|
October 25, 2006 :
Everything ran like clockwork and we were highly satisfied with all aspects of Red Dot Tours and would recommend them to friends in the future
--- TS - Lincolnshire
|
|
October 13, 2006 :
The Heritence is an excellent Sri Lankan hotel which I will be visiting again on my next trip. Taj Exotica is a tourist hotel that could have been anywhere in Asia or even in the Caribbean as it had no real flavour of Sri Lanka or Sri Lankan hospitality. A good tourist hotel but not in the same league as the Heritance.
--- BB - Glasgow
|
|
October 10, 2006 :
We were very impressed that during our stay in Sri Lanka we were not only informed of a bombin Colombo but were also offered the flexibility of changing our plans two days before we were due to arrive. This was very reassuring given that we only booked accommodation and not a tour through Red Tot Tours.
--- SJ - Herts
|
|
October 10, 2006 :
What can I say about Garden Beach Hotel! The staff were excellent and gave us every opportunity to experience what Kosgoda and the surrounding area had to offer i.e turtles, river cruise etc. The rooms were clean, light and comfortable and the food of generally good standard. We were sad to leave this hotel and would recommend to anybody for a short stay visit (3-4 days). The care to detail here by the staff was what made the hotel.
--- SJ - Herts
|
|
October 01, 2006 :
Brunton Boatyard was an excellent hotel, the staff were very friendly and the rooms were lovely – comfortable and spotless.The setting of Tall Trees (Munnar) is beautiful, but the rooms were not particularly clean and the bathroom wasn’t great. Good evening buffet.Spice Trees was another lovely hotel, with fantastic cottages, good service and an excellent evening buffet. And lots of activities provided by the hotel for free (such as sari demonstration, cooking demonstration). Coconut Lagoon is a beautiful hotel and our heritage mansion was perfect. The standard of the houseboat was lower than we expected. The outside area of the boat was OK but the bedroom was very cramped and the bathroom wasn’t very clean. The food was excellent though. Mr Thomas was the perfect driver – he was very professional at all times, and helpful and informative. He played a big part in making our holiday so enjoyable
--- MR - London
|
|
October 01, 2006 :
Kelbourne Cottages had an amazing location, with gorgeous views from the hill country down to the plains. The cottage was similar to an English cottage in the lake district. Carnan, the room boy, was wonderful, really helpful, friendly and attentive. Rain Forest Edge was a eautiful new hotel in an amazing setting, although took an eternity to get there! The Beach Hut was an amazing property, very well located. Absolutely gorgeous inside, completely outstripped our expectations.
--- CC - London
|
|
October 01, 2006 :
I ‘bumped into’ Red Dot when organizing my Honeymoon in Sri-Lanka. I thought Red Dot were brilliant. Christina was really helpful and answered all my questions in full. No complaints whatsoever. But we had a load of grief from Europcar. I planned on hiring a car and paid in advance. Instead of having a kiosk at the airport they’d disappeared without trace. It took two days to sort-out. But driving in Sri-Lanka is a right laugh – I’m not sure why people say don’t do it. It’s no worse than most countries and the roads are a lot better.
--- AW - Herts
|
|
September 28, 2006 :
My wife and I recently booked and went on our Honeymoon tour with your company. We enjoyed all the hotels and beaches that we stayed at during our tour and transport provided was very good. Also the historic sites were amazing and we thoroughly enjoyed those. Our allocated driver, Mr Chandra, was the best guide we've ever come across. He made us feel welcome everywhere we went and was beyond helpful. We would not have had such a good time if it was not for Mr.Chandra who made our holiday so special. Such a good character and honest person is not so easy to come by nowadays and would be grateful if you could pass on our gratitude to him.
--- KR - Surrey
|
|
September 16, 2006 :
Further to our Sri Lanka comment from 27/7/05, we have come back as we intended and it proved just as good as last year! Kerala was fantastic and you have lived up to your usual high standards: everything was impeccably organised and Terry, our driver, was excellent. The CGH hotels were of a uniformly high and friendly standard and we really can’t fault anything: it’s hard to single out individual highlights but the houseboat and the Keralan cuisine will stick in our minds. We continue to highly recommend you and wonder where we should go next: do you have any plans for Tamil Nadu?
--- JdeC - Gloucestershire
|
|
September 01, 2006 :
We had a fantastic holiday. It goes down in our family as a really special holiday. Thank you for organizing it. Would have liked to have done the sea plane and land on Victoria Lake – perhaps next time. I cannot emphasize how much we enjoyed having Hasantha as our driver/guide. He is very good. Having a driver that you get on with and enjoy spending time with is a huge element of the holiday. He was informative and accepting of our little ways. As he is quite intuitive, he works out the kind of things you like to do quite quickly, a big benefit.The staff at Red Dot, when we had a problem or wanted to change something, were very helpful.
--- BQ - London
|
|
September 01, 2006 :
Tamarind Lodge, Victoria golf club had a lovely room in a stunning location. We found Kandy very busy and were very happy to stay at the golf club out of Kandy. As the children say, when we come back in 2008 they want to spend more time at the golf club, playing tennis and having massages. St Andrews, in Nuwara Eliya, was ok. I loved having hot water bottles and it reminded me of my childhood in the hill stations in Malayasia. The high tea was disgusting. Galapita was magic with very good food. We enjoyed staying at the eco lodge. I think that the villa is the best accommodation there. The gentleman running it was very nice but, for us, too talkative and keen to sell us jewellery. We had our best breakfast there. Loved the headlight reading lamps and the silence. Yala Village had good cabanas. The children enjoyed the a/c and the tv. I thought that the concept of having people drive you to the restaurant a bit bizarre until I saw the boars wandering near our room. Swimming in the pool after dark is fun. Sanda Kirana was lovely. Food: excellent; room: romantic, location: dramatic. I understand the comments in the book that said there was nowhere outside to sit comfortably, but we spent a lot of time in the sunlungers/hammocks. I loved the villa as it was built to maximize the breeze and there was no air-conditioning. The pool was great to swim in. I was pleased that it wasn’t right by the beach like other villas as there was more privacy. Given that we barely moved from the villa, having a great library was fantastic resource. The dog was mad in a good way. The staff were good and the cook fantastic. Odel shopping centre in Colombo was great for buying branded goods cheaper. L bought Miss Sixty jeans for £15. Then went to House of Fashion where we spent many a happy hours finding bargains. Would have liked to have had more time in The Studio next to the Gallery Café.
--- BQ - London
|
|
August 31, 2006 :
We had a fantastic holiday in Sri Lanka! The fact that the holiday went so smoothly was largely due to our driver, Dulshan, who looked after us so very well. He was kind and thoughtful, always punctual and was always able to find the right tour guide for us. He also recommended some excellent lunchtime restaurants. We all loved the elephant ride at Habarana – a real highlight. The train ride from Gampola to Haputale was a great way to see the highlands and a real experience In addition to the hotel accommodation, we loved Kelbourne Cottages. The location is absolutely idyllic – we felt like we were on top of the world. We were brilliantly looked after, the staff were all marvellous – we wanted to bring Vijay home with us! We were absolutely delighted with the Sun’n Sea guesthouse in Unawatuna. The renovated rooms are of a very high standard and the food was absolutely fantastic. There is no liquor license at the moment but they are very happy to refridgerate anything bought from the shop over the road.! We were so pleased that Mrs Perera’s son and daughter were there while we were staying. It was lovely to meet them and they were so welcoming and friendly. Wherever we went in Sri Lanka we came across delightful, warm and genuine people. The countryside is absolutely stunning and so very varied. We had a very memorable two weeks and the children had a great time as well. We are recommending it to all our family and friends.
--- SW - Surrey
|
|
August 22, 2006 :
Our honeymoon in Sri Lanka was excellent, from our arrival to departure we were taken care of all the time. Nalin was great and we were so glad to have such a nice friendly driver to break us in to Sri Lankan culture gently, nothing was too much of a problem. Villa Rosa was amazing, each night the chef came to our room and asked us what we would like for dinner, superb and the massages were fantastic. Kabalana was also really great, the staff were friendly and helpful although I did lose my key on the first day and the owner charged 4000slr still I guess it was my own fault for going surfing with the key in my pocket! DOH! The bungalow was beautiful and romantic...well done.Whilst at Ahangama I visited Oystein at Easybeach and he took us out to Dickwella for the day which was great, a really nice guy and he was the perfect host and friend. Lazy days on the beach, good food and kindness, what more could anyone ask for. What a beautiful country, I shall not forget the scenery and kindness of everyone we met. As a first time visitor to the country it took me a while to grasp the cultural differences from religion to shopping and just meeting people. It was confusing at first but I soon relaxed as I adjusted to the new culture. This has all been possible because of Christina. She was patient and kind and always understanding. Thanks from the bottom of our hearts.
--- DC - Devon
|
|
August 15, 2006 :
Have just returned from the fantastic holiday in Sri Lanka that you organised for us. Our driver (Erwin) was great and a mine of information, well able to help us "pace" ourselves! Highlights were many, but included the Perehara in Kandy, the train journey to Ella, and the rain forest. Also, the friendliness of the people. We were upgraded to the Thambapanni in Unawatana as there was a mini-Perehara there for 4 days. In the Royal Beach (which we absolutely loved - and got on very well with Mohammad) we were (sadly for him) the only people staying except four honeymoon couples who stayed in their rooms for 2 day. All in all, a really varied and interesting holiday, so thanks for helping us to plan it so well, so that we could see so much. We hope that tourists are not put off in the present circumstances from visiting this lovely island, and I'll certainly recommend you to anyone who is thinking of going to Sri Lanka
--- JF - North Humberside
|
|
August 15, 2006 :
We were really looking forward to spending our time in Kandy at the Castle Hill as it sounded lovely on the web site. However we were very disappointed!!! When we arrived the lady in charge was very rude to our driver and guide. When we were shown to our rooms we were shocked to see how dirty the rooms were. The bathroom was crawling with ants and our friends saw a mouse in their bathroom .The rooms were to accommodate 4 and 6 but there were not enough mosquito nets to fit all the beds and there were mosquitoes everywhere . We ended up putting all 4 of us in two beds and having the mosquito net over all of us. The rooms were not attended to at all during our stay and we had to make up the beds and clean up ourselves . On our last morning our friend Mo went to speak to the lady about some washing and as she opened the door to the kitchen area her 2 dogs ran out barking and bit Mo on her leg leaving a very nasty bruise but luckily not breaking the skin. We were all very glad to leave Castle Hill and would definely not recommend it.
--- IC - Nottingham
|
|
August 01, 2006 :
Our wonderful holiday over, it is time to thank everyone involved for an unforgettable experience. First of all, a million thanks to you people at Red Dot: The highest efficiency level with the wasrmest, friendliest touch. We will recommend you to all and sundry! And let's not forget the Responsible Travel website for their great, indispensable work, and for getting us in touch with you. Then, our amazing driver Jayawardena: Always there and ready to go beyond the call of duty when we needed him; and always sensitive to our need for space. Being long-standing independent travellers, we were a bit wary about this new experience; but we were delighted to get the very best of both worlds. Three cheers for Jaya, and let's put him up for a raise! Accomodation was uniformely comfortable, very personalized and full of charm, just the way we like it; with a honorific mention for the astounding Kelburne Cottages at Haputale and its adorable staff. And finally, here's our deepest wonder and admiration at an amazingly beautiful country and its irresistible people. We will never forget these two weeks, filled with magical moments, too many to mention. We can still feel the awe at sitting at the shore of Welliara Lake late in the evening - no jeep, just the two of us and our guides from Tree Tops Jungle Lodge -, watching a whole herd of elephants (with a tusker) drinking and playing for a whole hour.
--- IV - Barcelona
|
|
July 26, 2006 :
Sunil Guyes, our driver, was extremely knowledgeable and friendly with a bizarre taste in country music that made the very long journeys pass quickly and pleasantly. Was happy to answer all our questions about the country’s education system, wildlife, religion, politics and culture. Castle Hill, Kandy had a bizarre 1930s ghostly feel like being in a Stephen King inspired film. The bathroom was dirty and had empty bottles left from the last guests. The sink leaked so the floor was dangerously wet. The security was non-existent as room keys were just hung on the wall and anyone could walk in. It smelt of dogs and the breakfast was bland and uninspired. The only good point was the view of the lake and the garden. Disappointing. St Andrew's, Nuwara Eliya had a strange English atmosphere, which was fun. We loved Yala Village for its eco-friendly beautiful rooms and the observation deck. The pool and the food were great too. It was good fun to be surrounded by the wildlife. Overall, a beautiful and fascinating country with welcoming people and a very interesting history.
--- SG - Bucks
|
|
July 26, 2006 :
Herman was with me until I got to Colombo, and is excellent. When he realized I had no fixed agenda, we ended up taking little detours that he thought I might find interesting - cliff carvings on the way to Ella, a lagoon trip at Galle, the off-license for arrack, fresh avocado juice at a road stall, land monitor feeding at some country bridge, general wildlife spotting, always tracking down newsagents and bookstores (I do a lot of reading on holidays) and he knew an absolutely stunning country hotel for lunch in my first few days - I had 12 main course dishes for somewhere around 500R - how come he got 14? I hadn't realized how much Herman had protected me from touts and shysters until I got to Colombo. I only got suckered in Colombo when left to my own devices!
--- MF - Western Australia
|
|
July 06, 2006 :
We were very impressed by planning and organisation of the whole holiday which is due to Red Dot and our driver, Roy. Roy's excellent service and knowledge was a key factor in making our honeymoon so special. All hotels apart from Taj and Cinnamon Grand made us feel special about being on honeymoon. After outstanding 5* service at The Beach and Kandalama, the Taj Exotica was disappointing. All planned excursions were interesting and worthwhile, but we were conned out of £33 in a spice garden and suggest Red Dot blacklist this spice garden. (* note: We made full enquiries and advised drivers accordingly).
--- MD - Harrow
|
|
July 05, 2006 :
We had a fabulous time in Sri Lanka and we would definitely recommend Red Dot tours. As a matter of fact we already have -- when talking about the wonderful holiday we had and the great care that was taken by yourself and your organisation in organising our travel plans. I cannot express how grateful we both were in having a stress free time. Any enquiries were answered promptly and graciously and nothing seemed too much trouble even when our queries were fairly trivial. I would especially like to commend the driver that we had whilst in Sri Lanka, Jana. He is a very interesting and friendly person who took care of us and took the trouble to make sure we were comfortable and happy
--- NW - Melbourne, Australia
|
|
June 29, 2006 :
We loved Auraliya - the service was graceful and efficient, the food was excellent and the location on the beach right. The Hideaway is also lovely though they need to install mosquito nets on all the windows and especially in the pool pavillion if it is going to be used for dining. Yala Village was nice - the only reason we would not rate it as highly as the above is that little things irritated. But as they are structural in nature (sound proofing etc) there is also probably nothing one can do. The place you must absolutely scratch off is Rosita. Where does one start - furniture that falls apart, the state of the bathrooms, outrageously priced meals (Rs6,000 for Sri Lankan curries - 1 meat dish - for 5 people!!), pricey laundry (23 days - R1,900+) and absolutely nothing to do (no videos, lawn bowls, ping-pong etc.).
-CC - Tasmania
|
|
May 16, 2006 :
Dulshan perovided an excellent service throughout our tour: punctual, polite, informative (when needed), ahppy to be flexible in timings on itinerary. First-class. Especially enjoyed Boulder Gardens, although set menu not ideal for children. Disappointed in Amaya Hills -- too international and impersonal. Perhaps you should point out lack of a swimming pool more clearly at St Andrews. Generally, we thoroughly enjoyed the trip and we very much appreciated the retrieval of my son's bag, left on the minibus in the middle of the night.
--- SN - Altrincham
|
|
May 16, 2006 :
Our booking was handled at the last minute by Suren Ladd, who provided excellent service. Dilan, our driver, was always helpful and cheerful. In particular, he was able to provide accurate and critical advice on what to do and see. He rang ahead to make sure things moved quickly once we arrived at our destination. We highly recommend him as a tour guide.Club Villa was very tranquil and beautifully designed, perfect for recuperation after wedding. Rain Forest edge was the highlight - hard to fault, an excellent choice by Suren. Tea factory was another great hotel, decor disappointing, but may be to others' taste. Kandalama lived up to our high expectations.
--- DI - Glamorgan
|
|
April 30, 2006 :
We cannot speak too highly about Sri Lanka. The people are incredibly friendly and passers-by readily greet you with a smile; the scenery is superb, as is the weather and the food. We saw loads of wildlife, including elephants, sea turtles and a leopard, stunning beaches and Buddhist temples and ruins. Just about all the hotels we stayed in were very good or better and it didn’t cost us a fortune. Red Dot Tours were extremely efficient and very reasonably priced.
We had a chauffeur-driven tour ‘Island Hop’ which is an excellent introduction for anyone on their first visit. Our children left some money and a mobile phone in their room safe at the first hotel (the excellent The Beach in Negombo). We weren’t originally planning to return to Negombo and had booked in to the Ceylon Continental in Colombo for our last night. However, our driver suggested it may be possible to change to a hotel in Negombo so that we could go back to collect the items. Red Dot obliged and even provided half-board accommodation at no extra cost. Our driver, Nalin, was superb throughout the trip and we really regarded him as a friend by the end of the 15 day tour.
Dickwella resort is superbly located on an isthmus which juts out into the sea; the main restaurant is above the point of the isthmus. The Italian owner, Enzo Azzola, takes care to talk to guests personally and all the staff are extremely friendly and helpful, none more so than Ben, the lifeguard and water sport instructor. Whilst the hotel lost most of its diving equipment in the tsunami and is currently re-equipping, it still has surf canoes and body boards which are provided free for guests.
Although tsunami damage is still all too evident in the ruined buildings on the south coast, the people are upbeat, very friendly and anxious for tourists to return. Besides this, they are extremely poor and in desperate need of economic support. Apart from the occasional road checkpoint, there was little sign of the dispute with the LTTE and, in fact, it is hard to credit that the country has so recently experienced a bitter civil war. Since returning, we have been alarmed by the news stories concerning the renewal of violence, which bears no relation to our experience. This is a beautiful country and we will undoubtedly return.
--- NB - Oxfordshire
|
|
April 26, 2006 :
We have just returned from our holiday and wanted to say that we had an absolutely fantastic time. It could not have been better and we fully intend to recommend Red Dot to all our family and friends. The hotels were beautiful, the organisation of the tours was fantastic and our driver in Sri Lanka, Mr Wijemuni, (Vijay) was one of the reasons why our holiday was so fantastic and special. He was friendly, attentive and knowledgeable.
--- RJ - Edinburgh
|
|
April 22, 2006 :
The trip was very good. We loved the people, the food, and the sights sounds and smells of a very 'foreign' destination. We learned much about the Tsunami damage and saw considerable evidence of reconstruction and some yet to be removed, damage to property etc. The travel arrangements worked like clockwork. All connections worked, we were met as we expected to be and the Red Dot staff that met us were helpful ++.
The Hotel in Negombo was a wise suggestion - there is a need to chill after a jet lagged west to east trip and the setting was perfect. Additionally, the staff could not have been more accommodating (we had a very good meal there in the evening). The air taxi was a good idea also. The Beach Hut was anything but a hut! great accomodation, comfortable seating, wonderful garden with view, and a great bedroom. The staff were impressive. Indunil, the house boy was very responsible, orchestrating our local travel arrangements, buying food etc. (he invited us to his home where we were feted by his extended family and had another great meal and enjoyable company).
Pushpa cooked first class food on regular occasions and fussed as only she can. She brought us some Kiri Baht on their festive day (lovely!) and watched us eat it. Sunil the nightwatchman, emotionally overwhelmed on occasion, caused us some amusement. We put his indisposition down to excessive festive celebrations around the New Year. We ate out at the Sun House - very good, the Amangala in Galle where the curry was first class, and at the Galle Face Hotel in Colombo where the upmarket restaurant was poor but the Veranda restaurant was good. We also liked the distressed colonial feel of the Galle Face.
--- KM - Chester
|
|
April 18, 2006 :
I would just like to thank you for the most wonderful holiday. Everything about the holiday was first class - accommodation, food, the places and best of all - the people. The houseboat was the most amazing experience and one that we will never forget! Mr Shamsuddin was an absolute gentleman and a pleasure to meet. All the staff at all the hotels were fantastic and couldn't do enough for you, and always with the most delightful smile.
--- PW - Nottingham
|
|
April 12, 2006 :
We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and all the aspects of the holiday worked well. We particularly liked our stay at the Privilege Hotel which is a beautiful place and where the staff were extremely attentive.
---CH - London
|
|
March 27, 2006 :
Thank-you so much for my best long-haul trip ever. It was sublime. really! Test cricket was amazing! Our seats were wonderful. The hotels were all great. Mount View fine, Gordons House was just me -- chic, modern, arty - it was lovely, although the nightclub and hotel at weekends don't work and some sleep was lost! All the internal trips worked like clockwork. Varca Palms in Goa was truly paradise. How on earth did you pick that one? I met people (not from Red Dot) who had cycled from their place to our beach. They were 25 minutes walk to their beach. The rooms were a delight. I was in heaven. Put me on the list for Sri Lanka
---HS - Gloucestershire
|
|
March 20, 2006 :
We have just returned from the holiday of a lifetime. Thanks for giving us memories for the rest of our lifetime. The Grand was a bit `coach-partyish.' Centauria was not a luxury hotel but the staff excellent. After 30 years of marraige, we made it to Sri Lanka and our dreams were achieved and exceeded.
---MB - Surrey
|
|
March 17, 2006 :
We have had a very special holiday. Climbing Adam's Peak was particularly memorable and we would recommend the experience to others
--- MH - London
|
|
March 17, 2006 :
George, our driver, was fabulous -- he is interesting, informative and and an absolute pleasure to be with. Flower Garden in Unwatana was fantastic. Excellent service, accommodation and environment. The staff were second to none -- warm, friendly and helpful. The food was gorgeous. Thank-you Sassi. Ella Adventure Park was not as expected. The food was appalling. The catering staff were unfriendly. We had to change our tree-house accommodation due to a lack of security. No activities could be organised for us due to incompetence. Overall mark 5/5 (shame about Ella). We had the most incredible time. Sri Lanka is wonderful. However, I do think that Ella Adventure Park should be re-evaluated by Red Dot.
--- DL - Swanage
|
|
March 17, 2006 :
Dilon, our driver, was courteous, flexible, patient, helpful, knowledgeable, punctual, enthusiastic, cheerful, excellent driving skills. His adminstration of our accommodation was efficient and professional and enhanced our Sri Lanka experience
--- RV - London
|
|
March 04, 2006 :
Sugartha, our driver, was always concerned for our welfare, prompt and courteous. At Yala Village, we had a splendid safari, and saw two leopards but also lots of other birds and animals. Had it not been for Amaya Hills, it would have been an easy 6/6. Amaya Hills has a spectacular view but little else. The shower leaked and the air-con did not work and the staff were not responsive to our concerns.
---RJ - Wiltshire
|
|
March 04, 2006 :
The best holiday we have had and exceeded our expectations. We will come again with Red Dot
---NT - Nottingham
|
|
March 01, 2006 :
The only real disappoitnment was that most hotels only served buffet meals. Polonnuruwa was really only for archeological buffs. Pinnawela elephant orphanage was a must. The holiday was very good and fully met our expectaions. Whilsit I am used to travelling in under-developed countries, I had not appreciated some of the travelling times involved.. To go from the airport to Sigiriya -Polonnuruwa so soon after a long and delayed flight was draining
---BH - Cheshire
|
|
February 27, 2006 :
Rathna, our driver, is a gem. He seemed to antcipate our every wish and need. Not only our driver but will remain a close friend. Every hotel exceeded our expectation. A good deal of thought must have gone into selecting them. Having spent 32 years in the luxury end of the catering industry in England, Europe and Egypt, I can only say the whole package was put together by someone with great taste and sensitivity. The only slight netaive would be that kitchen and restaurant staff at Yala would benefit by training from Habarana staff.
---DB - Whitchurch
|
|
February 26, 2006 :
We appreciated that all the hotels were so different, although in retrospect we should have gone to a hotel with a better breach setting than Thambapanni. It was an excellent holiday for us and we were very happy with the programme and pace. Ranjith was a very friendly and caring driver. Ranjith ``knew best'' -- our phrase, not his
---JW - Newcastle
|
|
February 25, 2006 :
Nalin, our driver, has been fantastic. He has really added a lot to our experience of Sri Lanka. Very competent, a great driver and a great source of information. Sigiriya is unmissable. I would not hesitate to recommend Red Dot to anyone thinking of visiting Sri Lanka
---PG - Hampstead
|
|
February 25, 2006 :
Nalin, our driver, has been fantastic. He has really added a lot to our experience of Sri Lanka. Very competent, a great driver and a great source of information. Sigiriya is unmissable. I would not hesitate to recommend Red Dot to anyone thinking of visiting Sri Lanka
---PG - Hampstead
|
|
February 25, 2006 :
Sri Lanka is fantastic... wonderful people and even better surfing! Can highly recommend the Amaya Reef Hotel at Hikkaduwa. Thanks for all your help... hopefully we'll be speaking again.
---TH - Pembrokeshire
|
|
February 23, 2006 :
SriLankan Airlines' food and service was bvetter than most airlines. Roy, our driver, has always been friendly, courteous and helpful. He was always concerned about the wekfare of his ``two lady passengers.'' His plesant m,anner and broad smile made our tour of Sri Lanka delightful. Galle Face's position was even better than expected. It had a 30-square yard room! Villa Rosa was excellent, Kelbourne Cottages delightful. Calughton House was another wonderful interlude. We liked all our hotels apart from Unawatuna Beach Resort. One look and we left - definitely not in the same class.
---JT - West Yorkshire
|
|
February 20, 2006 :
The best holiday we have had and exceeded our expectations. We will come again with Red Dot
---NT - Nottingham
|
|
February 16, 2006 :
We've been back home for what seems like an eternity now, so I am writing to give you some feedback on our experience. WE LOVED IT!! We were completely and utterly blown away by your awesome country. Sri Lanka is one of the most spectacular and beautiful places we have ever been to, and are already longing to return. Firstly, we would like to thank you for all your help, your personal touch was really valued and nothing was too much trouble. Secondly, we would like to pass on our gratitude and thanks to Irvin our wonderful driver. He is one of the most fantastic people we have ever had the pleasure of spending time with - by the end of our holiday we really felt like he had become a friend. Irvin's knowledge of Sri Lanka truly enriched our holiday and we felt safe and comfortable with him from day one. Not to mention that he was also really good fun! Thirdly, our hotels. We were often very pleasantly surprised by what we found, we had chosen quite an eclectic mix so weren't sure how it would pan out, but for the most, we were very pleased. Our favourite place was Helga's Folly in Kandy - wow! That place is truly unique and the staff were excellent.
---CW - Surrey
|
|
February 15, 2006 :
We found Roy, our driver, to be absolutely perfect -- polite, courteous, very knowedgeable, flexible and comforting. This was an excellent holiday which surpassed our expectations. Would definitely use Red Dot again. Your choice of driver was critical to this holiday and Roy was excellent
---MR - Reading
|
|
February 15, 2006 :
Gune, our driver, was a lovely man who could not have done any more to make our stay a wonderful experience.
---SN - Surrey
|
|
February 15, 2006 :
Nalin de Silva was an excellent driver and guide -- very discreet and good English. Knows a lot about the culture, country and nature. He took us to excellent and not expensive restaurants. We strongly recommend him. We love Sri Lanka
---GG - France
|
|
February 15, 2006 :
Anura Perera was superb. We could not have wished for a more knowledgeable, friendly, helpful, caring, concerned, professional and pleasant driver-cum-guide. he really helped bring our excursions to life. A little more care in linking appropriate accommodation to excursions would be welcome. But overall we are very pleased and would recommend Red Dot or use you again. We have only just arrived at Shunyata but iot looks wonderful.
---JE - Powys
|
|
February 15, 2006 :
Castle Hill is grubby and needs modernisation
---CA - Manchester
|
|
February 12, 2006 :
Ice Bear was a beautiful little guest house with incredibly friendly staff who go out of their way to make you feel welcome. Rooms were clean, well furnished and pleasant and the porch area with easy chairs outside the room was the perfect place to rest after a long flight. We also had the three-course evening meal there which was delicious. Negombo itself seemed a bit rundown, but as a first point of call before moving on it was ideal.
---PS - Northampton
|
|
February 12, 2006 :
The Airforce Museum in Ratmalana was one of the highlights of the trip for Ben. There were a large number of security checkpoints to get though before getting to the museum, and we had to surrender our passports and leave our cameras, but the museum was immaculate. We got the impression that this was a popular place for locals but virtually unknown for tourists. Not being an aeroplane buff i can only speak on behalf of Ben who felt this was a great visit
---PS - Northampton
|
|
February 11, 2006 :
We appreciated that all the hotels were so different, although in retrospect we should have gone to a hotel with a better breach setting than Thambapanni. It was an excellent holiday for us and we were very happy with the programme and pace. Ranjith was a very friendly and caring driver. Ranjith ``knew best'' -- our phrase, not his
---JW - Newcastle
|
|
February 11, 2006 :
Nalin, our driver, has been fantastic. He has really added a lot to our experience of Sri Lanka. Very competent, a great driver and a great source of information. Sigiriya is unmissable. I would not hesitate to recommend Red Dot to anyone thinking of visiting Sri Lanka
---PG - Hampstead
|
|
February 05, 2006 :
Blue Water is a great hotel. Would highly recommend it. Good rooms; excellent grounds, with plenty of grassy areas, shaded by the palm trees. Very good swimming pools. Good access to the beach, with effective security staff to keep the hawkers out of the hotel ground. Food very good; service excellent. Minor problem with noise from the trains hooting as they pass close behind the hotel at night.
---T O B - London
|
|
January 29, 2006 :
Fantastic holiday. Much better than I expected. The local people are friendliest in the world. More personal opinions on hotels would be good. Ice Bear had good food but I received a lot of insect bites. Galle Face had a very poor room. I have no idea how it can be a 5-star. It was very hard to know this from the website.
---GH - Glasgow
|
|
January 12, 2006 :
Nalin, our driver was fantastic -- great fun, very informative and helpful, and enthusiastic about birds so birdwatching became an unexpected plus to the holiday. We loved the orphanage elephants, climbing Sigiriya (especially the top), walking from Ella, visit to the tea factory, botanical gardens in Kandy. Mount Lavinia: great hotel, offhand staff; Country Comfort: soulless, bad food; Royal Lotus: fantastic. great food and staff; galle face Hotel: lovely, slow staff though. A great holiday, well organised and up to expectations.
---TG - France
|
|
January 10, 2006 :
The email communication worked well and the personal approach was much appreciated. We will be recommending Red Dot to everyone. Samantha, our driver, was one in a million. Nothing was too much for him. Our boys really liked him. His presence and knowledge made this hotel completely different to any others we've taken. The only slight disappointment was Castle Hill -- the interior was rather too dated for our tastes. The train journey was fantasic. We really appreciated the effort that went into getting us the best seats on a puiblic holiday.
---CP - Powys
|
|
January 09, 2006 :
As far as value for money is concerned, Pastissade was the best accommodation we had - other hotels were more upmarket but the staff there... really made our stay a great experience. This included a trip on the lagoon, pointing out the best place for swimming on the beach, and inviting us to join them for a drink on Christmas day. As long as it is clear that there is no air-con and hot water, or a vast wine list and choice of gourmet menu (although we did eat wonderfully well and beer was available on demand) your future clients should be as pleased and delighted as we were. The fact that it is somewhat isolated was made up for by the fact that most of the time we were the only people on the beach, and it was easy enough to order a tuk tuk to get into Tangalle.
---JT - Netherlands
|
|
January 03, 2006 :
Just to say we had the most fabulous holiday. Thanks for all your recommendations, they were spot on. The Royal Beach was simple, but totally chilled and made for a great start; the Topaz was old fashioned, but charming, and the buffet was actually pretty good; the Royal Lotus had a stunning setting and was really friendly (as they all were) our 2-yr-old was treated like a minor royal; and the Ceylon Continental was great, I've never seen so many staff..... I've been recommending Red Dot to everyone, I think the website is excellent and you were really helpful. PS The Mango Tree was a hit, the Gallery was lovely (but would rather go there minus the kids);
PPS. Thanks to Red Dot for the lovely gifts.
---FM - Qatar
|
|
December 01, 2005 :
Nali was friendly, helpful and informative, a mine of information on the country, and amazing with the children (5 and 3 years). Kitulgala Rest House was filthy and was also full of cockroaches and mosquitos. Our room was reached across grass which had leeches. I recommend you do not use it again. Villa Rosa was good, Claughton House was amazing. Shunyata and The Beach were excellent. A beautiful country with spectacular sights.
---AC and CC - Auckland
|
|
December 01, 2005 :
Red Dot cannot be faulted: efficient, professional and responsive
---JJ - London
|
|
December 01, 2005 :
Ella Adventure Park was a great location, but less eco-tourist village and more a military camp.
---JB - London
|
|
November 23, 2005 :
I have been impressed with Red Dot – friendly service, good prices and you’ve gone the extra miles when needed.
---JW - London
|
|
October 25, 2005 :
I'd really like to thank you sincerely for your service -- your promptness, attention to detail and honesty have just been awesome. If the ground service is even half of what we've experienced pre-trip we'll be three very happy travellers. What a great job you've done in such tight time frames.
---AS - Doha
|
|
October 08, 2005 :
An excellent introduction to Sri Lanka, introduced by your great website. But we'd suggest that Ella to Galle in one day be reviewed as the drive, whilst scenic and weith several stops, took 12 hours! Bandula, the driver, really added to our trip. He was pleasant and courteous at all times, a wealth of information wherever we went and we always felt safe in his presence. Add to this his dry sense of humour and his ability to drive long hours skilfully, and you have the perfect chauffeur / guide / companion.
---AW - New South Wales, Australia
|
|
September 14, 2005 :
Raj Perera was an excellent driver, very helpful and informative. No hesitation in recommending him. Raj should be promoted, an invaluable and experienced guide.
---GC, Somerset
|
|
September 14, 2005 :
Ratna, our driver, was very courteous and knowledgeable. English excellent. Very willing to modify route and sightseeing to meet our requests. Very flexible. Good choice of hotels and itinerary, with beaches relaxing at end of trip. We will recommend your company to family and friends.
---PG, Southampton
|
|
September 14, 2005 :
Janna was extremely informative, good sense of humour, we always felt very safe. Very attentive and courteous. Only disappointment was slightly grubby room at Glencairn Bungalow although this was compensated for by the views and friendly staff. Ancient cities very interesting... Yala memorable for the leopards. White-water rafting excellent. Extremely pleased with the itinerary. Red Dot's great organisation made for a memorable trip
---KH, Sussex
|
|
September 14, 2005 :
Busy programme but well balanced. Fantastic holiday. Have learned a lot and seen many things. VJ always kind, helpful and friendly. Important for a mother and daughter travelling together. We have always felt safe and looked after
-SF, Lancashire
|
|
September 01, 2005 :
We thoroughly enjoyed all the sites, the people (who were all so friendly), the Kandy Perehera, EVERYTHING!! My daughter wants to emigrate.Both drivers (Ananda and Nalin) were very knowledgable and helpful and we can only recommend your company (highly) to anyone we know who is thinking of travelling to Sri Lanka. We are certainly planning on visiting Sri Lanka again (will have to start saving now) and would definitely use Red Dot. Thanks for all of your help with the organising, your suggestions, and especially your patience with our continual changes
---GM, Hampshire
|
|
August 23, 2005 :
We had a wonderful trip with Red Dot tours. The flight with Sri Lankan was superb and despite a 5 hour drive to The Deer Park hotel we arrived in good shape. The hotels were well chosen, the food was especially good and the excursions really interesting. Rathna was such a good person to have on our tour. He is an excellent driver and a good source of knowledge. He has a lot of experience and was able to make worthwhile suggestions at all the locations.I would recommend him to anyone in the future. The best hotel was the Thambapanni in Unawatuna - it is ideally situated and the staff, food and ambience perfect
---PG, Southampton
|
|
July 27, 2005 :
Thank you for a fantastic three weeks' tour in Sri Lanka. I really cannot fault anything: your prompt, efficient and courteous responses to our emails and enquiries were excellent and once we were in Sri Lanka everything continued to be arranged smoothly and well. Maxi, our driver/guide, was wonderful with an exhaustive knowledge of everything and he really went out of his way to give us a superb tour and to look after us - I suspect that all the people we have been enthusiastically recommending you to will be specifically requesting his services! This holiday will be a hard act to follow, but we intend to be back soon, with you, to try!"
---JdeC, Gloucestershire
|
|
July 05, 2005 :
Chandra was an excellent guide. His service was superb, information spot on and a very good driver. He helped make an already great tour into an outstanding one. A great week -- we will certainly come back and will recommend Sri Lanka and Red Dot Tours to all our friends.
--- CC, London
|
|
June 28, 2005 :
Just to say a big thank you to all at Red Dot Tours for making our holiday to Sri Lanka and Filitheyo so special and memorable.
Everything was organised to perfection from the moment we arrived.Please pass on a special thank you to our driver Chandra. His knowledge of the island and the Buddhist religion made the trip truly interesting and educational. We look forward to returning to Sri Lanka in the future and will have no hesitation in either using RDT again or recommending them to others.
--- EM, Norfolk
|
|
April 29, 2005 :
A really excellent holiday where every single arrangement made by Red Dot went like clockwork. It was the best organised trip we have ever been on. If you ever want anyone to give you a ringing endorsement, we'd be happy to take part. Your no-fuss service for the individual traveller was terrific.
--- SL, Brighton
|
|
April 22, 2005 :
The holiday exceeded our expectations. Your website was very accurate and we enjoyed the fact that we were able to pick and chose our destinations, hotels and length of stay. We intend to return with our grown-up family to Sri Lanka with Red Dot as we found it a fascinating place with WARM weather - much appreciated after a British winter and dull spring. In the meantime we are singing the praises of Sri Lanka and your company.
--- RM, Gloucs
|
|
April 18, 2005 :
I don't think this email alone will tell you how truly fabulous and magical our past week in Sri Lanka has been. We had an amazing time from the moment Boniface picked us up from the airport to the time he dropped us off again. Our accommodation was beyond our expectations. We felt like royalty during the whole trip. I even had to reprimand Boniface for continually calling me "Madam" at the start of the week, ha ha. The touring part of the trip went so smoothly. Our pick-ups were punctual, and we were kept informed throughout the (sometimes very long) journeys about where we were going, what we would be seeing and doing, how long it would take to reach places, with enough stops to keep us fed and watered and points of interest pointed out to us along the way. I don't know how we managed to do it but we squeezed in all the things we wanted to do in just a week with a whole load more besides, and still had time to get a tan, and have a few massages too.
--- CT, Herts
|
|
April 08, 2005 :
Amica was very knowledgeable, not only on birdwatching but on many other subjects. He came with sophisticated equipment which enabled us to see the birds in all thie glory.
--- CD, Isle of Wigh
|
|
April 06, 2005 :
Nice touches, with garlands on arrival, and when leaving giving small gifts for the children. The driver was rather discouraging about our choice of Helga's Folly. He had heard it was haunted which concerned the children. But we enjoyed it. The staff were extremely friendly and attentive and the food was excellent. We would definitely recommend it. We won't wait another 20 years to return and we will use Red Dot again.
-- BG, Renfrewshire
|
|
March 04, 2005 :
We just wanted to let you know what a FANTASTIC time we had!We thought Sri lanka was amazing - such a beautiful country with wonderful varied scenery and we were delighted by the wealth of archaeological sites. We really had not been aware of such treasures easily on a par with Egypt, Greece etc. The people too were so gentle and gracious and we were warmly received even in the most casual of contacts.
Everything was brilliantly organised - all went really smoothly down to
the finest detail -- and we really felt that Red Dot were concerned to ensure that we had an enjoyable and comfortable trip, travelling independently and yet with all the professional experience and local knowledge as back-up.
Not least in contributing to the success of the trip was our driver - Boniface Rajaratnam. He was outstanding - caring and thoughtful, enthusiastic in giving us an insight into his country, sensitive and accommodating to our particular interests and always utterly professional. It could prove quite difficult touring in a car at such close quarters for a couple of weeks if the personal chemistry doesn't work! In fact we thoroughly enjoyed meeting him.
--- GC - Dorset
|
|
January 02, 2005 :
Hasantha is the best. Safest, happiest, most helpful, most knowledgeable and friendliest guide you could have. This is the most beautiful place we have ever visited.
--- HR, Nott
|
|
December 31, 2004 :
Throughout this terrible week you and the Red Dot team have been the most caring, professional and ultra efficient group that we have ever come across. I am sure Sri Lanka will recover quickly and get back on the path of becoming one of the main holiday destinations
--- BH, Herts
|
|
November 29, 2004 :
Thank you to Red Dot Tours for your help and assistance in making our holiday absolutely brilliant. The driver, Harrison, was there spot on, despite being 3.30 in the morning. I felt a bit sorry for the guy, because he was fresh as a rose but we were knackered and a bit quiet. On arrival, nice envelope with contact details in Sri Lanka from your colleagues. No problems with the booking, and the people at Paradise Beach were as usual, that is warm and welcoming. I have recommended a few of our friends and colleagues to go to Sri Lanka first, and to get in contact with you guys second. Thank you very much once more.
--- ES & KJ -- London
|
|
November 28, 2004 :
Anil was fantastic, full of so much knowledge and interesting facts. The van was presented lovely and clean each morning. He offered us extra options of things to see and do. All accommodation was as expected -- no surprises. The Sun House was fantastic.
-- SC, Basingstoke
|
|
November 26, 2004 :
I've have the great pleasure of dealing with your employee Christina over the past couple of months. I found her service and helpfulness meet above and beyond my expectations. She has been able to help with my every request with enthusiasm, efficiency and zeal. It is rare to find such fantastic helpful people. If you could pass my gratitude I would greatly appreciate it and I look forward to my holiday in Sri Lanka.
--- LH, Japan
|
|
November 13, 2004 :
Very pleasurable experience. Booking was easy, Christina was excellent in organising and confirming details. Driver was very good. Only drawback was that we had 12 days not 30!
-- RB, Bromley
|
|
October 27, 2004 :
"I am finally getting around to contacting your company to say "thank you" for the wonderful hjoliday we spent in Sri Lanka. We realise how fortunate we were to have Chandra as our guide,driver and friend. We have been singing the praises of Red Dot Tours to our friends so perhaps you will get some more bookings from Northern Ireland in the coming years."
--- RG, Northern Ireland
|
|
October 08, 2004 :
Thank you all for arranging our recent honeymoon in Sri Lanka. We could not have asked for a better stay. The arrangements were first class and completely problem free. We must pass on a special thank you to George, who picked us up from the airport and became our guide for the week. His knowledge of the country and especially the wildlife made the stay fascinating and we feel priviliged to have met him. He went the extra mile to look after us, an excellent ambassador for the country and your company. "
--- P&J D, North Tyneside
|
|
September 25, 2004 :
"Culture Club exceeded our expectations. A very special hotel -- service and food were excellent. Friendly and welcoming atmosphere. Beautiful setting on the Kandalama tank close to the nature and culture of Sri Lanka. We loved the eco-lodge feel."
---SM - London
|
|
September 03, 2004 :
Well sadly back in UK but we had a great time in Sri Lanka. Many thanks for your help with the transfers and booking accommodation. It all went very smoothly. Morris the driver was excellent and really made our trip. He was knowledgeable, efficient, courteous and very good with the children. He made our trip. I would thoroughly recommend him to other parties. Kelbourne Cottages were excellent also. A superb set-up with wonderful staff and excellent food. We much enjoyed the Egg Hoppers for breakfast!!"
---PA, London
|
|
August 21, 2004 :
"Cyril was superb. He was courteous, punctual, friendly and informative. His knowledge of Sri Lanka was a crucial part of our enjoyment of the holiday. Culture Club and Serendib were fantastic. The rooms at Mahaweli are enormous. Yala Lodge has some unique and interesting selling points.... The Grand was the most disappointing as it did not seem to fit in with the standard of service of the other hotels."
--SG, Middlesex
|
|
August 16, 2004 :
"We've had the most wonderful time and thoroughly enjoyed the tailor-made tour around Sri Lanka. We have seen and done so much. Taru Villas was beautiful and the food and drink was as good as any London restaurant. Perfect atmosphere and the service was brilliant. Thanks for recommending Taru.... We have already recommended Red Dot to a number of friends and will continue to do so. Sri Lanka was a wonderful place. Full of colour and life and provided a great destination for our honeymoon.
---DR, Tunbridge Wells
|
|
August 10, 2004 :
"Wonderful. You arranged everything perfectly and we sailed through the two weeks without a hitch. Both of us completely fell in love with Sri Lanka - the land and the people and hope one day we will be able to return. The Perahera was a lifetime experience."
--FL, Abingdon
|
|
August 02, 2004 :
Thank you for helping to ensure that our recent cricket tour was such a success. The standard of the hotels was superb - especially Kandalama and the Lighthouse - and your local agents were extremely professional. Our guide, Ranjith, was a great success - witty, long suffering and extemely capable - we all wanted to bring him home with us to organise
our lives here.The cricket, too, was amazing - of a high standard, fairly played, great grounds."
---DM, Berkshire
|
|
July 21, 2004 :
White water rafting & mountain biking were great fun. Sigiriya Rock was also very impressive."
---DC, Berkshire
|
|
July 02, 2004 :
"Thank-you Red dot Tours for all your work in support of our holiday. All arrangements went without a hitch and we both had an wonderful time. Our driver, Chandra, was particularly helpful and was an invaluable source of local information. We will be sure to recommend your services in connection with this beautiful country."
--- TL, Berkshir
|
|
May 28, 2004 :
We can't believe we saw so much in the few days we were in Sri Lanka - you really do have an amazing country. There is plenty more for us to come back and explore as well!"
--- SJ, Dubai, UAE
|
|
April 23, 2004 :
"It's now been two weeks since we returned from Sri Lanka, and it's taken this long to come back down to earth. What a wonderful island! Thank you so much for all your help in planning a last-minute tour for us. We loved every single minute--elections notwithstanding--and have earmarked places we want to visit next time, and the time after that."
--- SN, Oxford
|
|
April 19, 2004 :
We found Sri Lanka a wonderful country. Your arrangements were excellent. We had an excellent driver-guide called Maxi who could not have been more attentive to our needs. Maxi, from the outset, was a bit dubious that the children could cope with an all-night climb of Adam's Peak. Ewan eventually had to agree and the itinerary was rearranged for us."
--- HH, Edinburgh
|
|
April 13, 2004 :
Our cricket tour exceeded our expectations in almost every respect. We are so glad that we chose Sri Lanka and Red Dot. All 50 who eventually made up the combined party have returned with wonderful memories of a trip of a lifetime. Thank you."
--- RH, Yorkshire
|
|
February 14, 2004 :
We had a superb holiday. The tour guide 'Lucky' was absolutely brilliant, his knowledge of his country and its customs added so much to the holiday. We were lucky enough to see the elusive leopard, if only a fleeting glimpse, and we identified 120 different species of birds. The driver was also excellent, a very safe driver who became very much part of our holiday with his help and interest in us. We cannot compliment everyone concerned enough.''
-- AW, Northampton
|
|
February 10, 2004 :
"We were very impressed with our guide, Lucky, who was very friendly and knowledgeable about the customs and areas of Sri Lanka we visited. He added a great deal to our holiday which has been most memorable. Out thanks to everyone involved in this holiday."
--- RW, London
|
|
February 01, 2004 :
"Sri Lanka is a great country to visit. We found the scenery absolutely stunning and the people wonderfully friendly. We had taken our children to America (Boston, New York, Niagra etc) and they both agreed that Sri Lanka was a better holiday destination -- quite some endorsement from 12 & 14-year-old boys."
--- P&A S, Somerset
|
|
January 15, 2004 :
Sri Lanka was even more beautiful than I remember. The weather's great, the people are mostly fantastic. Some very minor hassle in Galle with souvenir sellers but that was it! The kids loved it, particularly Henry (3 years). Very safe, the locals loved him (sometimes too much), and it was very easy to be out at night with the children. The children preferred lizards and millipedes to elephants (strange!), and the beaches were perfect.''
--- DP, London.
|
|
January 03, 2004 :
"To conclude, I am sorry to say I have two serious complaints. Firstly, that you didn't manage to talk me into staying for the second Test Match at Kandy which I could have done for very few extra rupees and, secondly, that I never received my sartorially and philosophically essential "Feed Your Soul" tee-shirt (medium with black trim, please)! These aside, I am a very satisfied customer and am looking forward to the next Sri Lanka tour – when do I need to start booking?''
--- JJ, Somerset
|
|
January 01, 2004 :
"Thank you for a great holiday - everything went extremely well and hope you will be India for the cricket.''
--- B&J H, Suffolk
|
|
January 01, 2004 :
"Gunni (our driver) was fantastic and made the first week of our holiday truly memorable. The holiday more than lived up to our expectations.
--- TG, Londo
|
|
December 30, 2003 :
"The driver, Shehan, was a bonus as we were expecting just a driver, not a guide. He was an excellent driver, knew his way everywhere, proved excellent company and knew exactly when to appear and disappear and when to talk and when to keep quiet. He was very quickly on our wavelength and very knowledgeable.''
--- JM, Oxfordshire
|
|
December 30, 2003 :
Thank you for arranging our holiday. It was fantastic. You must have given us the best driver on your books too. Raj Perera was a brilliant guide as well as an excellent driver. We enjoyed his company and his knowledge of Sri Lanka was second to none. He was always there for us and nothing was too much trouble.''
-- MP, Lincolnshire.
|
|
December 24, 2003 :
"Sri Lanka is a fantastic place and it proved to be the best holiday of my life. Our tour guide Ananda deserves special praise [he knows everything about everything!, the excursions were great and the cricket was fantastic too - we did manage to win one match at least! It was hot though - we had a drinks break after five overs in the field at the Premadasa!''
--- JH, Cheshire
|
|
December 16, 2003 :
We would like to thank you and all your staff for a really wonderful holiday. Everything was so well organised and terrific value. All your staff in Sri Lanka were very friendly and they made our trip so relaxing and enjoyable."
--- T&B B, Esse
|
|
February 27, 2003 :
Thank you all for the support and help you gave us in Sri Lanka when I broke my ankle at the beginning of February. We got home safely and I am progressing slowly, our hospital here saying that the surgeon in Kandy had done a very good job at plating and screwing my leg. Only another 3 weeks in plaster! We were so impressed by the friendly, cheerful way we were looked after. Will you please pass on our thanks to Sunil who was so attentive and supportive in all he did to help us. Although we did not manage to go to half the places planned, we came home feeling we had had a very good experience in Sri Lanka. Once again – thank you for your help and support – we will certainly recommend Red Dot to anyone who may be planning a trip to Sri Lanka.
---RM - Sessex
|