C1 Colombo Fort — Hotel in Colombo

ANTS IN ROOMS AND THE RUDEST STAFF IN ALL OF SRI LANKA!

My wife and I have been in Sri Lanka for one month and have stayed in 15 different places while we were here.

There have sometimes been issues in other places we have stayed, but this hotel was the only one where the staff were rude, actually argued with us, and did not apologise or try to resolve the problem in a mutually respectful way.

To start with, we were asked to pay for the room upfront without seeing it. This is the only time we have been asked to do this while staying in the country; normally, payment is taken on check-out.

Naturally, having encountered problems with rooms in other stays, I wanted to see the room first before paying. The initial inspection of the room was okay.

When paying for the room in cash, we were given a bad exchange rate, again the first time in the country where we didn't pay the exchange rate seen online.

On the morning of check-out, we found ants everywhere: on the table in our room, on the walls, behind pictures.

We stayed on the second floor with no open windows, so these ants were already in the hotel and the room, probably living in the cracks in the walls.

When I brought this to the attention of the man at the desk, his immediate reaction was to argue with me.

He claimed that I had inspected the room and it was fine and that it was my fault, as bringing a small packet of dates into the room had attracted the ants. This packet was half-eaten and the size of a pack of cigarettes at most.

I tried to explain my dissatisfaction and that these ants didn't come from the outside, and every time I tried to speak, I was cut off mid-sentence.

Eventually, I had to interrupt myself and ask the man to stop so I could finish my sentences to get my point across.

During this, he increasingly raised his voice at me and smirked while talking to me, becoming more and more rude.

I then requested a partial refund for what had happened, both in the room and for the way I was treated. I was only asking for a small refund of $10-$5.

He then apparently spoke on WhatsApp to his manager, and I was told that at 10 am he would be there to talk to me. I went back to the desk at 10:10 am and was informed by the same man that his manager was on vacation (convenient that this information had only just become known) and that the next person to talk to would be in at 11 am.

At 11 am, both my wife and I were ready to check out and went to the desk, with the same man telling us that the manager was now coming at 12. We both felt lied to and that there was never going to be anyone coming, and we were wasting our time.

We had another discussion where I once again tried to express my frustrations about the stay with the man. In front of my wife, he once again kept interrupting me constantly, was rude, and kept smirking as if he was enjoying himself.

I left the hotel in disgust, knowing I would get nowhere.

This is without question both the worst stay in Sri Lanka and one of the worst stays we have ever had due to the experience with this one member of staff.

Problems happen in life, that is how it is but it was specifically how this situation was addressed that caused such...

I recently had the opportunity to enjoy a staycation at C1 Colombo Fort and it was a truly exceptional experience. This hotel is perfect for anyone looking to explore Colombo while enjoying a luxurious and comfortable stay.

Upon arrival, I was warmly welcomed by the staff who were helpful and friendly throughout my stay. They went above and beyond to ensure that I had a wonderful experience. The room was spacious, clean and elegantly decorated. It had all the modern amenities I needed for a comfortable stay, including a flat-screen TV, tea/coffee maker, and a minibar. The bed was incredibly comfortable, ensuring that I had a good night's sleep every night.

One of the highlights of my stay at C1 was the food. The hotel's restaurant served a range of delicious dishes, including traditional Sri Lankan cuisine, which was mouthwatering. The restaurant staff were attentive and professional, which added to my dining experience.

The hotel's rooftop infinity pool was the perfect place to relax and cool off from the Colombo heat. The pool area has a stunning view of the city skyline, which is perfect for watching the sunset. The gym and spa facilities were also impressive and well-maintained, which allowed me to maintain my fitness routine during my stay.

C1's location is also a major advantage, being centrally located in Colombo Fort, with easy access to historical landmarks, like Galle Face Green, the Port City, and Independence Square. Shopping and dining options are also within walking distance.

Overall, I would highly recommend C1 Colombo Fort for anyone looking for a luxurious, comfortable staycation in Colombo. The hotel's location, food, and service are exceptional and made my stay...

Stay- end of September 2025 The staff is very nice and helpful (the person on night duty was really sweet - Prashantha, so were the day time staff, but the accomodation sucks). TLDR: There were bed bugs and the room was hot.

We booked a family room. The room seemed fine we got there though it did look a bit tired and the AC was barely functional. If that's the case, there should at least be a fan in the room. It was just a one-night stay and it was already late so we weren't too worried until we saw two bed bugs on one of the beds.

We asked if there were any options to stay elsewhere but were told the hotel was full. And cue the bites etc. Three adults had to share one bed to avoid the one where we first saw two bed bugs. Following that, we killed about ten as they crawled out and bit us through the night. Obviously no one slept well.

Would not recommend staying here as the staff seemed very confused by the concept of bed bugs and couldn't offer any solution at all other than giving us a new pillow instead of the one we first saw the bed bugs emerge from. But no surprise, the bed bugs have definitely been there for a while - see the photo of them between the gap in the headboard.

It was also incredibly noisy in the room thanks to construction outside and activities on the floor above and around us.

They don't have food/breakfast sold on the property either but lots of options close by. And their card machine wasn't working, which was kind of the cherry on top of a...