Buckingham Place

This was my favorite hotel in Sri lanka. The rooms are enormous as is the breakfast. Food is great. However, what makes Nicks place is the fact that it is more like a refined beach club than a hotel. There were many returning guests and even a couple who had specifically travelled to Sri lanka to stay here. The beach is lovely and empty - the only downside is that you cannot swim due to the currents, although there is a rock pool swimming areaa.

If you are looking for a hotel where you feel that you ‘fit in', where you are instantly made to feel 'at home' and where your every need can be catered for...look no further than Buckingham Place. It sounds like a bit of a cliché, but this place really is a home from home. The rooms are spacious, the beds large and comfortable, air conditioning excellent (and quiet), the gardens are quite extensive, well maintained and home to various interesting birds and animals all of whom seem to quire enjoy being photographed. The pool is also well maintained, the surrounding area is a wonderful place gather and make new friends. There is a swim-up bar in the shallows, and they are always happy to make cocktails to your specification as required. The breakfast, lunch and evening meal menus offer a wide variety of cuisine styles, and, in the unlikely event, you don't see something you fancy, the chefs will happily cater for your needs. The hotel is located within the Rekawa village, and if you take a late afternoon walk (when the day is a little cooler) you will be able to observe village life where people are often happy to chat and to direct you to points of interest. The hotel provides bicycles (free), so you can venture further afield if you wish. As a base for excursions, Marissa for whale watching is close by, as is the local turtle watch, Yala safari park is also easy to get to and Galle is great for sightseeing and shopping. The hotel manager, Kalpa, and his team will be happy to advise you and arrange for transport. The evenings are always fun at BP, the restaurant transforms, it has an enticing, sophisticated atmosphere where you can dress up or down, enjoy a quiet table for two or, as quite often happens, join with other guests to celebrate a birthday or anniversary. Nick Buckingham (the owner) is always around to ensure that any celebration becomes an ‘occasion’ whether you are a first-time guest or a ‘returner’ like us. Finally, a word about the staff, the service at this hotel is first class, every single member of the team at BP work hard to ensure guests have everything they need, and they always do so with the warmest smiles. And, if any maintenance issues do arise Chamadu and his housekeeping team work quietly and efficiently to address them. By the way, there are also a couple of canine members of the team (Bella & Gracie), both are very used to meeting new people and will let you pat them - when they feel like it! We have, of course, booked for next year.

We stayed at Buckingham Place for 4 x nights and we absolutely loved it. The reception area and spacious dining room are warmly decorated in welcoming blues greens and yellows There are plenty of sun-beds beside the huge pool with stunning views of the sea beyond. .The hotel is run by very friendly and attentive Nick who goes out of his way to make sure you are well looked after by himself and his fantastic team of staff. Our good sized room was perfect with a very comfortable bed, bathroom with both and shower plus a balcony where we enjoyed looking at the lagoon. The food was totally delicious with a great breakfast choice and a different dinner menu each night during our 4 x nights stay. I particularly enjoyed the seared tuna and green curry. With a fantastic relaxed atmosphere, extreme comfort, mouth watering food and exquisite staff we definitely hope to return .