- Sri Lanka Holidays
- Ahungalla
- Hotel Riu Sri Lanka
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Hotel Riu Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, Indian Ocean
Ahungalla
Hotel Riu Sri Lanka is located right on the shore of Ahungalla beach in south-west Sri Lanka. It is an ideal option for an exotic vacation where you can enjoy the incredible beaches of the Indian Ocean and visit the wonders of this unique country while taking advantage of all of the hotel's amenities and services.
Enjoy an exceptional stay together with your significant other, family or friends. You can relax at the hotel's spa & wellness center, thanks to the beauty treatments and massages (paid) available or at any of the hotel's three fresh water pools, the children's pool, the terrace-solarium or at the gym. If you prefer activity over rest, take advantage of our great adult entertaining program and RiuLand for kids, both includes various sports and other leisure plans, as well as Riu-Art activities.
Facilities
- Beach volleyball
- Fitness
- Aqua fit
- Spa centre*
- Beauty salon*
- Spa treatments*
- Massage*
- Entertainment programme for children
- Entertainment programme for adults
- Kids’ club
- Please note some facilities may incur an additional fee
The Local Area
Tripadvisor Reviews
4.5 Excellent4,172 reviews
Excellent
72%
Very Good
18%
Average
5%
Poor
2%
Terrible
3%
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Value
Most wonderful stay and exceptional staff
An Amazing Stay Made Special by an Exceptional Team
We had a wonderful stay at Hotel Riu Sri Lanka, and what made our experience truly unforgettable was the exceptional staff.
From the moment we arrived, we were welcomed with genuine smiles, kindness and outstanding hospitality. The service throughout our stay was fantastic, and so many members of the team went above and beyond to make us feel welcome.
A very special thank you to Didula, Diluksha, Bawantha, Kavinda, Nalin, Gehan, Shaveena, Kavya, Uresha, Piyumi, Malika, Nesta, Roshan (Chef), and Mhindu. Every one of you contributed to making our holiday so enjoyable.
The staff were friendly, attentive and always happy to help. Their warmth and professionalism really stood out, and they made us feel more like friends than guests.
A special mention to Chef Roshan for the fantastic food and for the care and passion that went into the meals. We also really appreciated the excellent service from the restaurant and bar teams throughout our stay.
It is clear that the staff are the heart of this resort. Their smiles, positive attitude and genuine care are what make Hotel Riu Sri Lanka such a special place.
We have made some wonderful memories here and will definitely be recommending this resort to family and friends.
Thank you to the entire Riu Sri Lanka team for making our stay so memorable. We look forward to coming back! ❤️🇱🇰
5 stars all the way! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Great Amenities Undone by Poor Food and Inconsistent Service
Riu Sri Lanka offers a visually appealing beachfront resort experience with a range of amenities, but it falls short in a few key areas—especially food quality and service consistency. The property itself is well-maintained and equipped with multiple amenities that make it attractive for families and leisure travelers. With three swimming pools, a dedicated kids’ pool, outdoor activities, direct beach access, and rooms offering great views, the resort delivers on infrastructure. The presence of a disco and availability of late-night food options ensures guests are well catered to throughout the day. The complimentary airport transfer was punctual and hassle-free, which added a positive start to the stay. Reception staff were decent, though not particularly warm or exceptional. However, the biggest drawback is the food. While the buffet spread is extensive, the overall taste and quality are disappointing. There were noticeable concerns around oil reuse in fried items, and menu repetition between meals reduced variety. The specialty restaurants—La Forchetta and Kaori—require reservations but do not offer any meaningful differentiation, as they largely serve the same dishes as the buffet and lack live cooking counters, which is typically expected in such setups. Service in the restaurant was another weak point. Despite being provided with a baby food coupon at check-in for a 9-month-old, the restaurant staff refused to accommodate the request without prior notice and handled the situation rudely. This level of inflexibility and lack of empathy is not expected from a resort of this category and stands out negatively compared to similar experiences elsewhere. Entertainment options were underwhelming, with live performances failing to engage. Additionally, weekends tend to get extremely crowded with local guests, significantly impacting the overall experience—especially in shared spaces like the pool, which becomes overly congested. There are also a few policies and environmental factors that may catch guests off guard. Towel usage is managed through a coupon system, with penalties for loss. Rooms can feel damp if the balcony is left open, which is understandable given the coastal climate. Another unusual restriction is that drinks, including wine, cannot be taken outside restaurant areas—something that is uncommon in most all-inclusive resorts. Overall, while the resort scores well on infrastructure and basic amenities, the inconsistent service, subpar food quality, and overcrowding issues bring down the experience. Hospitality, in particular, feels uneven across departments.
Beautiful Property But Crowded at Peak Times
The atmosphere was very calm and relaxed
Animation team RIU Sri Lanka
Very Nice and a very Nice animation team, especcially Gehan with his face painting 🎨 he is very Nice with the kids also!
Amazing
Amazing! No other words to describe this hotel. I have just returned from a 2 week holiday and we stayed at the RIU in Ahungalla for 14 nights. We arrived at the hotel at 8am in the morning after a long flight from London. It is a roughly 2 hour drive from Colombo airport to the hotel - so be prepared for this. Mostly highway apart from the last 25 mins or so which are more local roads. As we were so early, we were not expecting our rooms to be available. We checked in - very fast and efficient and were told to leave our luggage. We were given our wristbands and told we could go for some breakfast - much needed after such a long journey! We had a lovely breakfast and then got our swimming gear from our bags and headed straight to the pools for the morning. As it is not peak season, plenty of sunbeds available throughout our stay and never once did we need to get up early to reserve one. The pools are beautiful, all well maintained and kept clean with staff up early every day cleaning the water and areas around them.
We then got our rooms around 11am. We had booked 2 rooms and had requested a room with a view, next to each other in a quiet part of the hotel. We were given two lovely rooms next to each other with a view facing the sea - what a great room. Very spacious, very clean and it had everything you needed. A huge bathroom, air con, plenty of storage space, a mini bar with soft drinks and plenty of towels. The rooms were cleaned every day to a brilliant standard. A nice balcony to sit on and watch the sea when you need to as well.
The staff at this hotel are brilliant - so polite and friendly and will do anything for you. This was all staff, the bar, the buffet restaurant, the animation team, reception team - all so nice and friendly and are brilliant at their jobs.
The drinks in the bar were good - had plenty of choice, local Lion beer on draught and many cocktails to choose from. The food was the highlight of the hotel. This must be the only all inclusive I have stayed in where we actually looked forward to eating - and in the buffet!! We did try the Italian restaurant once and it was fine, but I have got to say that the buffet at this RIU was exceptional. If anyone stays here and complains about the food, I would love to visit your house to see what you eat - I guarantee it will not be anywhere near the standard and quality of food you will have in the buffet here.
Even fussy eaters cannot be fussy here - they will find something they like. Really good food - breakfast, lunch and dinner had so much choice and everything was clearly labelled and in different sections so you know what you are getting. The Indian selection was spicy - better than any Indian restaurant can make - and very tasty. I would return to this hotel just for the food!! All my family enjoyed it. You cannot fault it unless you really are such a miserable person with no taste.
The entertainment in the evening was good - we saw the Abba show, fusion show and bollywood night! All good with high quality performances from the team.
The hotel was exceptionally clean everywhere and staff kept it that way.
I cannot understand how anyone can give this hotel anything less than 5 stars. If you are reading this, you will either have been to this hotel or are planning it or have booked it already. Ignore any negative reviews - they will be from people who have no class or culture.
You cannot fault any aspect of this hotel. They have thought of everything for people who stay here. It was their 10 Year Anniversary coming up on 5th August and they put on some wonderful celebrations towards the end of our stay. Amazing again!!
The hotel at the end of July/August is not busy and we never had to wait for a table, never a line to get a drink etc which was great.
Yes - the weekends are busier as the hotel offers special rates to the locals and they come and stay from Friday afternoon to Sunday or Monday. But they were fine. A real mix of people stayed here and that was nice to see.
As I said, I can't fault this hotel - one of the best I have stayed in with exceptional facilities and exceptional service. Anyone who thinks otherwise should just stay at home!!
Review by Amit A London, United Kingdom
