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.

Beautiful hotel with direct Beach access. The staff is very kind and attending! Our kids loved the infinity pool with ocean view and pool bar. Try the Egg Hoppers on the lunch menu, they are excellent!! And be sure to walk to the rock pool on the beach, really amazing

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.

Well this small hotel has a lot of magic to enjoy. We are one of the very many 'returners' to this warm and friendly hotel. The staff are a real delight and really go the extra mile to make sure all works well with your stay, as does the owner Nick who is ever present - and he enjoys a good chat whilst hosting the very 'house party' feel. The rooms are deliciously spacious all with nice views over the lake. Each room is nicely equipped with comfortable beds, good linen, a TV, little fridge with a few goodies to welcome you and wonderful bathrooms. Early morning tea can be ordered to deliver to your room. There are a mix of guests - with all ages loving this place. I think there is restriction on young children under 12. It is a place to come and chill and truly relax, perhaps have a stroll on the beach, sit and watch the birds and occasional monkey, mongoose or lizard, but especially I adore the pool which is about 24 metres long and a place where people chill and relax. The breakfasts are superb and there are lots of good snacks that can be ordered throughout the day and then a wonderful evening in the dining room is not to be missed. The food is interesting and the team work hard to develop new dishes - but there are many great favourites as far as I am concerned. The bar is a great place to meet before supper to meet other guests and have a good chat. If you don't want to be sociable it is easy to relax too. There is a simple but good Spa and there are nice walks around the local area.

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 .

We arrived to a torrential downpour and despite mixed weather during our brief two day stay, my wife and I had a terrific time at this colourful and luxurious hotel. Our huge open plan room (12) overlooking the large lagoon, was beautifully appointed with a very comfy bed, inside/outside bathroom and polished cement ‘titanium’ flooring with ‘Happy Anniversary’ thoughtfully spelt out in tiny flowers on the floor. Our first evening at dinner was a rather raucous affair as it was a fellow guest’s 60th birthday, complete with a lively performance from the house pianist and an impressive display of beautiful and dramatic Sri Lankan folk dancing topped off by fireworks. Our meal the next evening was also lovely and the restaurant decorated our table with flowers, candles and a beautifully stitched, ‘ Happy Anniversary’ silk banner. It was very touching indeed. Nick, the very kind and interesting English owner, quietly floats around in the background meticulously ensuring that everything is just so. The hotel - with its funky, minimalist architecture, vibrant artwork and exceptional infinity pool - is very much his baby and he has a wonderful Sri Lankan team to pamper each and every guest. The kitchen is a delight and the wine list thoughtfully selected and reasonably priced. The cocktails in the attractive, poolside bar are superb. My wife deemed her Watermelon Martini the best she’s ever had and trust me, she’s had a few! Finally, many thanks to the hardworking team, in no particular order; Sheehan, Ruwan, Aruna, Swee anee (excellent massage therapist), Maru and Madu. We very much hope to return one fine day and stay a little longer. 🙏🏼