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SETTING: Royal Oceanic is set around 3 inter
connecting pools. Walk past the reception and you look down onto an
unusual attractive semi covered shallow pool with islands in the middle that runs
down the length of the main block. Plants on the square islands impart
further character to the pool. This adjoins the second pool outside the
garden rooms. The main long but narrow pool is further down and closer
to the beach. It has been landscaped with terraced steps from the edge leading
into the middle.
ACCOMMODATION
SUITES: The 3 Suites, all located, on the top 4th floor with the best
sea views, offer lap of luxury accommodation. They create a stunning
first impression on entry. The suites are much larger than the deluxe
rooms; the open air bathroom itself is nearly the size of the deluxe
room. The suites include a bed area, lounge, study and open air bathroom
as well as a terrace with magnificent Indian Ocean views all in one open
area plan. The large open air bathroom area consists of large bathtub on a
wooden deck, twin basin wash deck, shielded toilet area and open air
shower with a bench. It gives the immediate impression of lap of luxury which
could only be enhanced by a small private plunge pool.
DELUXE STANDARD ROOMS: In contrast the deluxe
rooms like Room 308 in which we stayed offer minimal furnishings and
glazed cement flooring which actually enhances their character. The
rooms, though standard, are spacious. On entry the open bathroom with windows looking into
the room, impart a first impression of restrained luxury. One can, of
course, lower blinds for privacy to hide the bathroom area with large
bathtub, and single basin deck, rain shower etc from the rest of the
room. The glazed cement floors are effective in imparting class to the
rooms. Here again, the terraces of the deluxe standard rooms on the 2nd
and 3rd floors look out into the magnificent stretch of golden sandy
beach. Deluxe rooms on the ground floor have the advantage that one can
step from one’s room into one of the smaller pool areas or reach the
beach in a few strides.
The wooden doors of the deluxe Room 308 both those
leading to the balcony as well as to the bathroom had warped and thus
emit an annoying rasping scraping noise whenever opened or closed.
The sound is loud enough to awaken not only one's partner in the room
but even the guests next door.
As this happens often, with similar sounds coming from other rooms on
the floor, we have to conclude that this warping afflicts rooms generally.
Ironically, maintenance parties are at work all the time,
which is a plus point, as it is neither easy nor cheap to keep such a
large hotel exposed to the salt air spick and span all the time, but
they do need to attend to the noise factor and close the doors more quietly. The hotel maintains a sailing boat outside the hotel
as it imparts character.
DINING Sands is the general coffee shop of
Jetwings Beach. It is embodies a semi covered area with ceiling fans and
an open area under the stars. This is convenient when barbeques and
grills are held close to the beach. The pleasant aspect of being on the
beach disappears if it rains. Though there are ceiling fans, there is the added nuisance of mosquitoes. In our opinion a 5
star beach hotel should also offer the choice of an air conditioned
dining area. The a la carte restaurant one level higher is fully air conditioned
but results in additional cost being incurred for full board and half
board guests, although a nominal 25% discount is offered. The General
Manager; Hyacinth Gunawardena pays a courtesy visit to all diners in the
evening or at breakfast; a pleasant and personal touch found at five
star Sri Lanka hotels. At dinner, I was asked no less than three times
whether I wanted wine with our dinner; a not too subtle form of gentle
sales pressure. I was charged for coffee which should have been
included with dinner.
Private beach dining with a table in a netted tent by
the waters and flame lighting is available and is taken up mainly by
wedding couples. In fact, for wedding couples whose special day is to be
graced by the presence of friends and family, The Beach so close to the
international airport is an ideal location. So too is the Beach’s siting
on the magnificent Negombo beach, one of the widest beaches in Asia. The
beach is superior to some of the less up market hotels also sharing the same
stretch of beach (On one side Blue Oceanic, a 3 star also owned by Jetwing Hotels and by the 2 star budget Goldisands) and whose loud disco
music on Saturday nights somewhat spoils the upmarket ambience of The
Beach. Hotels in Negombo are also within easy reach of Kandy,
the hill capital in the island interior. See our sister site
www.srilankaweddings.co.uk
CHECKOUT which is the last impression a guest has of
the hotel is as important as Check In and the Welcome Drink: We were booked in half board by Jetwing
Hotels central reservations. On check out I was
surprised to see that my basis was shown on the bill as Bed & Breakfast
only so that I had been charged not only for the dinner that was to have been
included but for coffee as well. My
check out was delayed by upwards of 20 minutes whilst these errors were
corrected.
In
summary, a reincarnated luxury hotel of great character on an attractive
Negombo beach front with minor deficiencies that can for
the most part easily be corrected. Our thanks to Imran Naufal; the
Resident Manager for providing frequent access to the suites for our
photography and setting up the beach dining option. |
