We stayed at the Kani Lanka for 2 weeks with friends and family.We were there to get married what a mistake! We imagined a beautifull beach wedding and a relaxing care free holiday not what we received.
Firstly they tried to put us with 2 children in a normal small room when we had paid for a tripple room, we had to argue to get the room we paid for not a good start! Then we were given half dead flowers, a bottle of wine and no cork screw and no fruit basket (bear in mind u pay for this in your wedding package!). Prior to this my husbands phone was pinched on the short walk between the coach and the lobby on arrival.
The staff are very rude i was insulted by a member of bar staff he basically called me fat (actually i aint really that big a 14), they tried to charge us for things in the mini bar we hadn't even had in it let alone consumed and forged my signature for them! They even tried charging for 2 extra people who didn't exist for our wedding night meal. They constantly pester u for tips and beggers stand on the beach round a white rope only a couple of meters from the pool and sun loungers begging all day!
The rooms do smell especially 449 (our room) it smelled of raw sewerage! You have to pay for ice cream for the kids and we were all inclusive!! There is very little entertainment at night and i agree with previous reviews you are treated second class to sri lankans they get priority over u! When they visit the food is better, the entertainment and they are allowed to wear t shirts in the pool we are not! As a result the kids got sun stroke despite sun cream!!
The important part- do not get married at the kani lanka, it is poorly organised my dad didn't give me away because of them! We had a mouthfull of wedding cake which we never saw again they charge for things u have already paid for and treat u like dirt. We had half dead flowers and not a clue what was going on at the ceremony. The photographs are poor!! And we had to pay £20 per head extra for everyone to eat with us on the night and was shoved in a pitch black corner no music like previous weddings no fairy lights like previous and freezing cold food and poor service!! STAY WELL AWAY!! There was 17 of us all together what a disapointment and it ruined my big day!!

Having read practically every review before leaving on our Honeymoon to the Kani Lanka I felt prepared for a relaxing tropical hideaway. 'Relaxing' is not the word I would use. We were pestered by Room Boys, Waiters, Mosquito Room Sprayers, Porters (at the Airport), Restaraunt Staff, Chefs, Beach Boys, Tuk Tuk Drivers, Old men with no teeth in Kalutara, 24 HOURS A DAY!!!! The hotel may be in a remote location, but it is filled with people wanting tips and to take you on trips. It seemed to us that the 'beach boys' were anything BUT genuine. Making up stories that we found to be untrue just so you would give them additional money. Supposed Tsunami victims with Rolex watches and round figures and wadges of cash in their wallets.

If you do decide to go on a trip or even just down the road to see another beach, be prepared to be taken to every Gem Store along the way, where you will be forced in and shown their entire collection of jewellery. Admittedly they are reasonably priced and look well made, plus they will make up anything you can imagine to fit. If like us you refuse to be pulled in and made to feel guilty, beware of the secret 'Textiles Room' where you are next taken to by a guard and told you need to buy suits for the Gents and perhaps a Sari to wear round Tesco when you get home for the Ladies. A firm 'no thank you' and a turn on your heel to find the nearest exit is all it takes. Don't get swept into any conversation or they will have your inside leg measurement and postcode within the blink of an eye!!! However nice these people seemed to be we felt there was always an ulterior motive, mainly to relieve you of your hard earned cash.

The waiters were our main problem. If they weren't trying to sell you a so called 'special offer' Sri Lankan wine that was still £15 a bottle, they were trying to make you spend an extra £20 on a Seafood Buffet!! We were asked 6 times over two meals. Unbelievable!!The minute you've finished you food there's a waiter to take your plate away,fill your glass or just generally talk to you to tell you he's got two days off and finishes soon with a look to say 'give me money'. Personally, I just wanted to scream and say 'Leave us alone!! We just want to eat in peace!!!'

On previous reviews people have said how clammy and smelly the rooms are. Couldn't agree more. We moved rooms once,as the shower drain flooded the room. Sea view is much the best view to have.

Junior Suites are ten times better and don't have the lingering stench. They are like mini apartments. No 450 is the best room in the hotel!! Two balconies, Champagne glasses, should you decide to splash out. Bath and a shower in a room that's the size of a Superior Room!!

Don't go Half Board like we did as the drinks and food are a rip off to buy separately. You can go All Inclusive whenever you want for £20 each a day. Then you can have as many 'paint stripper' tasting cocktails as you want!. Whilst you go through the cocktail list and work out which is better, an 'Arrack' Cocktail or maybe a 'Brandy Daisy' both as toxic as eachother, you can enjoy the 'wrist slitting' entertainment. Very dull. Even the entertainers look suicidal.On a Wednesday night the Sri Lankan dancing is worth a look and the 'Bob Marley' of Sri Lanka is a light relief.

I could go on about the filthy, petroleum smelling life jackets they have when you go in the poo-smelling lagoon via their Water Sports Centre OR the fact that another holiday maker found a wriggling maggot in her food OR the hospital trip I made to get a blocked ear sorted out - More money for a girl to look in my ear with a dirty torch and more to go into the Operating Theatre with my shoes off!

But everyone's experience is different. I would like to give a shout out to Silva the water volleyball,cricket, football etc guy who is full of spirit and most importantly not after you money!!.

The best people in the whole hotel that made our stay manageable are Nick and Lins, who without them we wouldn't have been able to laugh through the disappointing experience. Life long friends!! You guys are the best!!.

My wife & I stayed at the Kani Lanka in the middle of august 08.To explain the hotel it is easier to breakdown in sections

The flights we booked our holiday for 12 nights thru Cosmos and they used Sri Lankian Airlines to get there. Be warned it is an 11 hour flight. Fortunatly the flight out was only 3/4 full on the way back it was full. The flights themselves were good as they could be but i must admit the food was above average. Why do I always get stuck behind the plonkers who recline there sits all the way back.

The Sri Lankan roads It is an 2 1/2 hour journey to the hotel from the airport and the drivers make itailians look tame.

The hotel itself is great with good staff who bend over backwards to help with a smile on their face. It is also very clean.

The room is large clean with the bed made every day and someone comes every night to spray mosquito killer. We had a sea view and it looked like a postcard picture.

The food is of a good quality for all inclusive and fairly varied. We also paid aa little extra one night for a seafood buffet and it is well worth it. All you can eat linquistines, lobster tails and tuna steaks. They also do nice burger & chips at lunchtimes

The drinks are okay and do the job but you have to pay extra for wine, a little pricy but is a good quality

The setting is at the tip of land between the sea and a river again picture postcard

Excursions we only went on one and that was to the elephant orphanage. Just do it, it is memorable

The pool is quite large and clean and if you tip the attendants at the start of your holiday they will reserve your favorite sunbeds for your holiday. Every day there is water areobics and water volleyball

The evening enterainment ranged from one night they had hired a new singer with dreadlocks who was very good down to the it is so bad it was funny.

The sea is to rough when we went there to swim far in, but you could walk in up to your chest and wave jump but be careful.

Wedding parties use the hotel alot and is worth it as it is a good setting and can hire an elephant as an added extra

The plugs and currency is the same as the uk so you don't need adapters

We spent nearly all our holiday by the pool and it was relaxing.
If you want a holiday to chill relax and do nothing but read & sunbathe this is the place for you. I read four books!!
It is not ideal for kids/teenagers as there is nothing for them to do apart from one pool and a snooker table/dartss board and ping pong table

Would I go back definatly yes but not for a couple of years other places to go.

If have any old mobile phones with a camera and charger take them with you and give to a waiter called regi and tip the staff as a little as a £1 is a lot for them.

We have just stayed overnight in this 4 star rated Hotel. My husband is Sri lankan and we visit the island every year. We have stayed in a number of hotels in a variety of places over the last twenty years. Sri lanka is a beautiful, tropical but very poor island something you need to remember if you are planning on going here. The hotel was very good and we had very few complaints. Our rooms were clean, furnished to a good standard with very efficient air conditioning (something you do need to keep on as the atmosphere outside is incredibly humid which can result in a feeling of dampness- all part of being in Sri Lanka.) The food was excellent offering a very good selection of Sri lankan dishes. The service was friendly and polite and as always helpful. The hotel is busy with local sri lankans at the weekends particularly during school holidays but all of the hotels are not just the Kanilanka. We found that non-local tourists are treated very well often at the expense of the local tourists, contrary to what is said in one of the other reviews. All rooms have either sea or lagoon views but some are better than others something to think about if you are to be charged a supplement. Our only criticism is the beach by the hotel, it is dirty and not a particularly nice place to walk. The beach further down the coast at Bentota is much better.