Taj Samudra, Colombo — Hotel in Colombo

We have made two reservations that are ongoing as I write this review, 16th March to 18th March. Both reservations with breakfast & lunch package inclusive. Both are senior citizens travelling on a holiday to your esteemed property (which sadly in reality seems to be a far cry from the usual standards Taj has set up for themselves world over in all honesty). Now for all the problems that we faced and are facing...

First Complaint

We reached the hotel around 4pm (the usual checkin time being 2pm), our rooms were not ready, which we waited for but after having waited until 6pm (2 hours), we got one room only instead of 2 rooms. Around 6:30 to 7 pm, got the 2nd room.

There was no apology or no compensation for giving a room so late. This lack of empathy in the service and hospitality industry alongwith the fact that Taj Samudra being an iconic property was only appalling to us given that we are talking of two senior citizens travelling to your property for a holiday.

On a sideline, we have travelled extensively and stayed at innumerable Taj properties in the past, this happened me once with me personally in Taj London, they apologized immediately and gave me suite upgrade with free meal. I don't ask for compensation but atleast an apology for the absolutely messed up welcome at reception would have made my stay atleast start on a somewhat decent note.

To add to our woes, we had booked one Luxury room with city view and one with Luxury Ocean view, I was charged for exactly what I had booked but I was allocated both rooms with city view only after having waited for 2 hours plus.

Second Complaint

We went for dinner which was included in our check in package. We were told food will be served to us only in international restaurant, with only buffet option available, that was acceptable to us. But our only options were 2 or 3 items as we only consume vegetarian food, rest all items were non veg friendly, we requested restaurant manager for more options for vegetarian food, our request was denied, instead we were clearly told to pay extra and over our package for more options for vegetarian food. This was a final blow to our first day in your very hospitable country and property. Such service and such answers are simply unacceptable if you carry the name of such a high ranking and sadly in the hospitality industry, this seems to be quite a question mark if we would even want to continue with such a property ever again. Our loyalties haven't been valued and have left us with such a sour taste.

Such a low standard of service from Taj is not expected. Taj is famous for its food, hospitality and services world over, sadly Taj Samudra Colombo failed in all these aspects for us.

-Third Complaint

To add to our misery and woes, today that is 17th March, I lodged an official written email complaint and also called Taj global reservation team, lodged in my verbal complaints since my stay has already started and I am now held up having paid in full for a stay of such low standards, they assured me our room shall be updated and changed according to my payments made and they did change one of the rooms to ocean view but it's such a run down room, the age of the furniture and room is visibly poorly maintained to say the least. Not to forget that though I was out exploring Colombo, on my return at 3 pm to be told again that the room wasn't ready so kindly wait and was only sent an updated room with ocean view at 4.30 pm! This is the state of affairs in this esteemed property that I am forced to cancel my stay further and never wish to return.

I request you please solve our problems with Taj Samudra Colombo immediately. This in no way promotes tourism in a country and brand of hotels - both known for its hospitality and warmth. Seems like it's the coldest day with no empathy for senior citizens on a holiday, sadly from the so called esteemed heritage chain of...

Taj Sumutra Hotel, Colombo: A Mixed Experience

The Taj Sumutra in Colombo, a hotel known for its luxury reputation, unfortunately fell short of expectations during my recent stay. While the overall experience was adequate, several significant shortcomings made it clear that the property needs improvement to align with the high standards it aims to represent.

Outdated Rooms and Hallways

The rooms were one of the most disappointing aspects of the stay. The decor and furnishings appeared dated, with worn carpets, scuffed walls, and dim lighting detracting from any sense of luxury. Modern amenities, which are now standard in comparable hotels, were noticeably absent, leaving the room feeling uninspired and in need of a comprehensive update.

The hallways leading to the rooms were no better. Dull and aged, these areas failed to create a welcoming atmosphere. For a hotel that prides itself on being a premium destination, the lack of investment in refurbishing these spaces is a glaring oversight.

Disorganized Service Staff

Another area where the hotel struggled was its service. Despite having a visibly large team of staff, the overall efficiency and coordination were lacking. This was most apparent when ordering coffee, which inexplicably took over 30 minutes to arrive. Such delays for simple requests are unacceptable in any setting, let alone a luxury hotel.

While the staff were polite and eager to assist, their efforts were undermined by a lack of organization. Multiple staff members often overlapped in their tasks, leading to confusion and inefficiencies. It was clear that better training and management practices are needed to streamline operations and deliver the level of service guests expect.

A Chaotic Morning Buffet

The morning buffet was arguably the most frustrating part of the stay. Overcrowded and poorly organized, it was far from the relaxing experience one hopes for in a luxury hotel. Guests were left navigating chaotic lines and scrambling for food in an atmosphere that felt more like a rushed cafeteria than a five-star dining experience.

The layout of the buffet area only exacerbated the problem, creating bottlenecks and confusion as guests moved between stations. Staff struggled to keep dishes replenished, further adding to the sense of disarray. While the behavior of some guests was less than courteous, the hotel's lack of crowd management contributed significantly to the unpleasant atmosphere.

Some Redeeming Qualities

Despite its flaws, the hotel did have a few positives. Its location is excellent, offering easy access to many of Colombo’s key attractions. The lobby and common areas were well-maintained, giving an initial impression of sophistication. Additionally, the housekeeping staff ensured the rooms were clean, even if the decor was outdated.

The staff’s friendly demeanor was another bright spot, as they clearly aimed to provide a good experience, despite the systemic inefficiencies that hindered their efforts.

Conclusion: In Need of Revitalization

In its current state, the Taj Sumutra struggles to live up to its brand’s reputation for luxury and excellence. The outdated facilities, disorganized service, and chaotic buffet experience overshadowed the few positive aspects of my stay. Without significant updates to its infrastructure and better management practices, it risks falling behind its competitors in Colombo’s hospitality scene.

While I appreciate the effort of the staff, these issues made my stay less enjoyable than anticipated. Unfortunately, I cannot recommend the Taj Sumutra to others and do not plan to return. For a property with such potential, it’s disappointing to see it fall short of delivering a truly...

It was our first stay in this hotel. From the very first step you will feel warmly welcomed, starting from the security check point to the room service. Despite being new to their loyalty club, we've been upgraded to the higher club room with sea view.

ROOMS: Rooms are so comfortable, clean, well arranged. Only comment: the tea/coffee facilities could be improved. Other than that no comments.

STAFF: Here I will mention reception/greeting and cleaning staff. I would score them as one of the highest value of the hotel. Always smiling, happy, warmly greeting. If choose this hotel next time, it will be first because of the ground staff. They did very smooth check in upon arrival, provided with full support, as we arrived Colombo from Kandy with poor health condition due to food poisoning. The receptionist (sorry, forgot the name, but he is from Kandy) was really very helpful and cooperative. Thanks hotel for such responsible staff.

FOOD: Well, we had our breakfast in Lobby restaurant. The choice of food is more Indian, considering the hotel chain. Good choice of bread, very little choice of cold cut and cheeses. Choice of omelets, hoppers (very recommended original Sri Lankan crispy crepe). But, honestly, food looked very good, unfortunately due to food poisoning on previous day outside Colombo, we couldn't enjoy the breakfast in full. But I believe it is worth good score. What I didn't like is that they were more of restaurant staff wearing tuxedo and walking around making me feel l am at companies CEO meeting. I personally do not feel comfortable when there are many businessman-like staff around my table looking at me eating my food. Other restaurant staff wearing uniform were very quick to take care of the hot drinks, offering dish and arranging the tables. Still I don't understand what all those tuxedo wearing CEO-like looking staff were roaming around for.

TIPS: Here is why the hotel looses one score. When we went out of the hotel walking towards the mall, a nice looking man approached us introducing himself as a hotel chef and giving us "friendly" advice on where to buy original and cheap gemstones. He even "helped" us with tuktuk that cost almost nothing, and that took us to "official, government linked" gemstone store. Well, I already had a budget and preplanned buying sapphire jewelry during my trip in Sri Lanka, so convincing me to go to that "official" shop wasn't that difficult. At the end, it turned out that we came to ordinary gemstone shop, that is selling the stones and jewelry to tourists at much higher price. And if you know nothing about stone, you may fall a trap this scheme. Well, I purchased some jewelry, but I bargained hard to get it at 45-50% of the offered price. Later I double checked and found the gems I bought were original and worth the price. So if you buy, make sure to pay not more than 50% of the offered price. I may consider myself lucky not to be scammed. But other hotel guests may fall a trap of the “hotel’s chef friendly advise” and end up loosing money. I am sure the same price and quality gem I could buy in any other shop in Sri Lanka and they don't need to pretend to be "government linked". So, what I didn't like is when I informed the Hotel Duty Manager about the guy introducing himself as a hotel chef and trying to scam hotel guests, it turned out that the hotel management is well aware about it and do nothing to warn their guests. As they say, they can't inform each and every guest. Right, but at least they can hand over a memo, or at least hang the memo in the lifts to warn guests. Knowing there is scamming cases, the hotel management didn't take any action, it sounds...