Review Sheraton Kosgoda Turtle Beach Resort

Paul‘s 175th Hotel Review for the

Sheraton Kosgoda Turtle Beach Resort

General Impressions:

For the property:

For the staff:

Details:

Duration of stay: 6 nights / vacation

Check-in / Check-out:

Check-in Process:

Check-out Process:

Concierge Service:

Staff @ Front Desk:

Bonvoy recognition:

At Check-in:

In General:

Posting of points & nights:

Room / Bathroom:

Bed, quality of sleep:

Bathroom, Shower:

Room Atmosphere:

WiFi / Internet:

Housekeeping general:

Cleanliness:

Food & Beverage:

S Kitchen (Lunch/Dinner) :

Quality of Food:

Atmosphere:

Staff:

S Kitchen (Breakfast) :

Quality of Food:

Atmosphere:

Staff:

SHO Lounge / Bar:

Drinks & Snacks: N/A did not try

Atmosphere:

Staff:

Olive Pool Bar (during day):

Drinks & Snacks:

Atmosphere:

Staff:

Olive Restaurant (evening):

Drinks & Snacks:

Atmosphere:

Staff:

Blu3 Rooftop Bar & Lounge:

N/A, closed

Sheraton Club Lounge:

As it is a resort, no club lounge available.

Paul‘s Mix:

Pool:

Spa:

Hotel Location:

Mojito Rating

:

General Customer Care:

Staff attitude, interaction and responsiveness:

Social media interaction:

—-

= bad, a lot of work needs to be done

=not good, you will be busy with corrections

= good & normal, nothing special

= high level, but the icing on the cake is missing

= topnotch, leave me here!

= Half a Point/sheep

= extra award for outstanding services

—-

After leaving the Weligama Beach Marriott Resort and Spa because of its disastrous customer service, we had to make a quick decision on where to go.

As we wanted to stay at a beach property, we decided to head to the Sheraton Kosgoda Turtle Beach Resort: A Tropical Escape by the Sea.

Located along the tranquil southern coastline of Sri Lanka, the Sheraton Kosgoda Turtle Beach Resort is an idyllic destination that offers both luxury and natural beauty. Nestled by the Indian Ocean, the resort is set on the golden sands of Kosgoda Beach, famous for its turtle hatchery where endangered sea turtles come to nest. Visitors staying at this serene resort can experience the perfect blend of relaxation and adventure, all while being surrounded by the lush greenery and peaceful ambiance of this tropical paradise.

What’s Around

Just a few minutes away from the resort is the Kosgoda Turtle Hatchery, where you can learn about the conservation efforts for sea turtles and even release hatchlings into the ocean. Beyond that, you’ll find the charming town of Bentota, known for its wide sandy beaches and water sports activities, just a 20-minute drive from the resort. The historic city of Galle, with its UNESCO-listed Dutch Fort, is also nearby, offering a perfect day trip for history lovers. For nature enthusiasts, the Madu River is a must-visit spot for boat safaris, where you can navigate through lush mangroves and spot wildlife.

How to Get There

Reaching the Sheraton Kosgoda Turtle Beach Resort is convenient whether you're arriving from Sri Lanka’s capital, Colombo, or the Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB). The resort is approximately a 2-hour drive along the scenic Southern Expressway, providing breathtaking views of the coast along the way. Alternatively, guests can opt for a scenic train ride to Bentota or a private transfer arranged by the resort for a more personalized experience.

About the Property

The Sheraton Kosgoda Turtle Beach Resort offers a total of 172 rooms and suites, each designed for comfort. Some have a beautiful ocean view, while others have a garden view.

Spanning across five floors, the resort provides guests with modern amenities, beachfront access, and a tranquil setting perfect for relaxation. With spacious accommodations and the known Sheraton design, the resort ensures a memorable and serene escape along Sri Lanka’s southern coast.

The hotel only opened in 2020 and so it should actually be quite new. However, I was totally shocked when I learned that the hotel is only 4 years old, as it looks completely dated, more like a property around 15 years old.

Also, the design, furniture, decoration, and especially the dark wood used everywhere make it look dated. It has absolutely nothing in common with the modern Sheraton look which currently exists or is implemented in new properties.

Check-in

As the Marriott must have informed the Sheraton Kosgoda Turtle Beach that we were coming, the check-in was not at all representative.

When we arrived at the curbside, we were greeted by a bellboy who already knew our name. Here, too, the bags were screened, but everything was explained politely and friendly.

In the lobby, we were then greeted by the Front Office Manager as well as the Guest Relations/Loyalty Manager. We were asked to the SHO Lounge (the lobby bar) for check-in.

Everyone was super friendly, but it had the feel of being artificial and not genuinely meant. I told them that we did not want this special treatment, but they didn’t care.

During check-in, we were offered some welcome drinks, and the poor check-in agent had to run back and forth to proceed with the regular check-in process.

Especially the, for us, artificial friendliness of the Guest Relations/Loyalty Manager was annoying and obtrusive. More on her below in a specific topic.

Check-out

Check-out was very good. The agents interacted with us and asked for feedback about our stay. They asked if everything was okay and talked us through the process.

The GM came to bid farewell as well as other managemt staff. We really loved the interaction we had with them all and the nice talks.

The staff at the front desk was always friendly, and they were helpful where they could be. When we contacted them with a minor technical issue in the room, they immediately took action, and it was repaired within a few hours.

Some were more talkative than others. The front office team also serves as concierges, but they do not really have a clue. We found out most things via Google. The team also tells you that Uber or Pick-me would not be available at the property because of its secluded location, which is not true.

The first day we waited 2 minutes for an Uber to arrive, and the next days it was maybe 5-6 minutes. So, no problem at all.

Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite Recognition

Honestly, the whole recognition was killed by the Guest Relations/Loyalty Manager, the person who actually would be there exactly for that purpose. More on that below.

During check-in, the agent acknowledged our status; we were upgraded to a junior suite, even though there would have been a real suite available as per online inventory. This is not as per T&C's and leaves a bad taste.

Otherwise, all benefits were received at check-in. The property includes breakfast for Titanium Elite Members, which is highly appreciated, so we chose the 1000 points as a welcome gift.

Given that the hotel only had 1.5 hours to prepare for our arrival, the junior suite was nicely prepared.

There was a bowl with fresh fruits and a Sheraton Kosgoda gift box with sweets and cookies. A nice handwritten welcome card from the GM was also in the room.

All in all, a nice recognition from the property.

Guest Relations/Loyalty Manager

As said above, we cannot tell if the Guest Relations Manager really means what she says and does; for us, it was not genuine at all. We don't want to do her an injustice but found her behavior played and artificial.

As a Loyalty Manager, she should know the T&C's but lied straight to our faces about why we did not get the suite.

The junior suite we had was great, and we loved it; it just always leaves a bad taste when you are taken for a fool as a status guest.

Eligible nights and points:

The points, nights as well as the qualified spend was posted to my account 24 hours after my stay. All details posted were correct.

Concierge

The hotel has no real concierge desk. The front office takes over some concierge duties. As said above, unfortunately, the agents we got did not really have a clue about what we asked. They had to get the more senior ones to the front, who were somehow able to answer our questions.

Room/Suite

The Junior Suite we were upgraded to was very beautiful and on the very big side (58 sqm) for a junior suite. We had a fantastic ocean view, and the suite had a massive balcony overlooking the pool.

The colors, furniture, and decoration reflect a beachy vibe. It is held in a wooden, white, and bluish mix. The pictures used behind the bed wall are all from the area, and we recognized our picture when walking on the beach.

However, the dark wood makes it look a little dated, and it does not have the new Sheraton feel. The room looks like a Sheraton from the late 90s.

As said, the junior suite is very big. After the entrance door, on the left, there is the bathroom. In the middle of the room is a couch with a side table, and on the right, there is a desk with a chair, a big sideboard, a huge mirror, the minibar, as well as the wardrobe.

On the left-hand side, in a very big embayment, there is the king-size bed. Thanks to that embayment, the room almost feels like having two separate rooms.

On the right-hand side of the room, there is a massive floor-to-ceiling window with a French balcony, and the window can be opened fully. Next to the bed, there are also floor-to-ceiling balcony doors, which can be opened fully and lead to the very big balcony, which overlooks the pool. On the balcony, there are two lounge chairs as well as a table.

The suite has a very nice and homey atmosphere, which we liked from the first second.

The air condition worked okay. As the suite is fully exposed to the sun as of noon, we figured out that closing the night curtains helps a lot to cool down the room in the afternoon. The embayment, which is a big plus point in the room layout to make it feel bigger, has a downside for the air conditioning. The AC does not really reach the embayment, and the temperature difference from the rest of the room can definitely be felt.

The bed itself was okay. The mattress we had on the first night was completely worn out, and we were lying in the bed like bananas, as it was so soft.

We asked the reception if they could do something or turn the mattress, and they took immediate care.

The mattress is still on the very soft side compared to other Sheratons, but after the intervention, it was better.

The bedding, vice versa, was top. The duvet was super comfy and fluffy, and the pillows were perfect.

WiFi:

Wi-Fi, unfortunately, is super slow throughout the entire hotel and all areas. We never got more than 21 Mbps download speed. Working on the laptop or watching films/YouTube on a handheld device is already difficult.

Bathroom

The bathroom is a very decent size and is equipped with a big rainforest shower as well as a separate bathtub. The water pressure in the shower is good. The sink is on the left-hand side from the door, and there is enough space to place your personal belongings. A little shelf is below the sink with hand and bath towels.

The only downside in the bathroom is that there is not a single rack or bar to hang your used bath towels. You have to either throw them on the floor or place them over the bathtub, resulting in them being changed every day even if you would like to reuse them. This is unfortunate, as environmentally, some savings could be made here.

Housekeeping

Housekeeping is amazing, and they are real towel artists. Every day we had a different animal or flower awaiting us on the bed.

The room was cleaned spotless, and the bed was made perfectly and impeccably.

All public areas were always super spotless clean, and you could see housekeeping staff buzzing around the entire day. Also, at this property, housekeeping is definitely on the ball with what they do.

F&B Outlets/Lounge

S Kitchen (Lunch/Dinner):

The S Kitchen is the main restaurant of this property. It is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

At lunch or dinner, you can either choose between buffet or à la carte.

Like the entire hotel, the interior here also looks dated. The dining hall is rather dark, and it feels very crowded with tables and chairs. What we noticed in particular is that there are almost no tables for two. There are lots of tables for four, as well as tables for up to 10 and 12, but hardly any tables for couples. Staff always have to clear away larger tables when serving couples.

We had dinner at the S Kitchen three times, and the food was super delicious and tasty. Everything was freshly prepared, and we could not find a single convenience item on the buffet.

Every night there were different dishes on the buffet, and not a single dish was repeated. The buffet catered to all tastes, with international, Chinese, Indian, and Sri Lankan dishes.

Everything is handmade, with love and passion. The chefs are around the buffet, explaining everything, and they would even cook something special for you if you didn’t find anything on the buffet.

It was a pleasure to try new dishes and explore the buffet.

Sadly, the dishes aren’t really hot, and some curries were actually cold.

The staff is phenomenal, from the chefs and chef de restaurant to every single server. They are motivated and super friendly. Their knowledge, customer service, and professionalism are top-notch.

S Kitchen (Breakfast):

Breakfast was also served at the S Kitchen.

Also, at this property, the breakfast buffet is amazing and huge. The buffet is set up with love, passion, care, and class, and with pride in what the kitchen does. Every morning, we found new and changing items on the buffet. It was always a pleasure to walk along the buffet and discover what they had prepared for the day.

The buffet is split into different areas. They have a big salad bar, a very large selection of homemade bread and Danish pastries, as well as typical breakfast dishes like porridge and a big cereal section.

Hot breakfast dishes are available in both Asian and international styles. They offer cold cuts and cheese, yogurt, fresh fruits, and fresh juices.

There is a traditional soup station, a live cooking station with typical Sri Lankan breakfast items, and of course, a live egg cooking station where you can order your eggs any style.

As it is the same staff as in the evening, they go above and beyond in customer service and offer impeccable, yet warm and heartfelt service.

Everyone from the chefs and waiting staff to the restaurant manager goes the extra mile, which makes a huge difference. They really enjoy interacting with the guests.

SHO Lounge/Bar:

The SHO Lounge is the lobby bar/restaurant of the hotel. It is right in the lobby and is open all day.

We were checked in at the SHO Lounge, and we visited it to take some pictures, as it looks beautiful. Unfortunately, we did not try it out ourselves.

The lounge looks really nice and has a welcoming atmosphere with couches and large paintings on the walls. Staff was always friendly and smiling even when only passing by.

The Olive Pool Bar (daytime):

The property has a massive pool area (more details below). The pool bar is called Olive, and they serve drinks, cocktails, snacks, and typical pool dishes during the day.

It is a vibrant and lively bar with music, a real pool bar in the water, and some lounge-style chairs.

The staff is absolutely amazing and goes above and beyond for every single customer. The restaurant manager and the entire team are always one step ahead of each customer, fulfilling your every wish.

Drinks and food can be enjoyed at the bar, lounge, or on the sun loungers. The team is always walking around, so you can easily order something if you want. The drinks they prepare are top-notch and delicious, and the food is of super high quality. It was one of our favorite spots.

The Olive Restaurant (evenings):

The Olive Restaurant also serves as the international restaurant of the property, with a Mediterranean kitchen. The menu is extensive and offers a wide variety.

We had dinner here twice, and the food was a highlight. The kitchen and chefs cook on a high culinary level. I tried the seabass as well as the red snapper, and both were a feast. The salads were super fresh and crispy, and I had one of the best shrimp cocktails of my life.

Again, the staff is present throughout the day, and so it is the same team. They are all well-trained and offer excellent evening service, with attention to detail, care, and class.

There is one downside to this F&B outlet, especially in the evenings. The atmosphere and the furniture do not correspond with the meals served or the prices.

There are lounges with tables, typical bar high chairs, and wooden beer benches. This decor and furniture are more suited to a bistro or brewery, but not to a Mediterranean menu with dishes costing up to $60.

One night, we were surprised with a private dining experience in the garden (if ordered, it would also be available on the beach). The food is also prepared at the Olive restaurant.

It was an absolute culinary delight on a high and outstanding level. The dishes were prepared with care and class, down to the smallest detail. It was a "wow" moment we will remember for a lifetime.

Blu3 Rooftop Bar & Lounge:

N/A, closed at the moment.

But you can still go to the rooftop and enjoy the amazing sunsets at Kosgoda Beach. I can imagine this would be the perfect place for a sundowner.

Sheraton Club Lounge:

As this Sheraton is a resort, they do not offer a lounge.

Pool:

The hotel has the absolute dream pool for a resort, the one you actually wish to relax and unwind at. The main pool is at least 50 meters long, and there is a side pool for children. The pool is simply huge. It is located in the hotel garden and is lined with palm trees and other greenery. There are enough pool loungers and parasols. There is also a beach volleyball court available, and you have access to the beautiful Kosgoda Beach, where you can take walks.

The pool boys and staff at the pool are top-notch and offer impeccable service. As soon as they see you arriving, they bring you pool towels and set up the loungers for you. They are always up for a chat when you walk by, and they keep the pool area tidy.

Spa:

The Shine Spa is located on the first floor of the hotel, next to the lobby. At this property, we enjoyed two 90-minute treatments.

Both treatments, as well as the therapist, were very professional and relaxing. The Shine Spa at this property is very beautiful. The interior is modern and welcoming. Prices are reasonable and not overpriced like at other hotels.

Spa staff was always friendly and welcoming.

Gym:

The hotel has a decent gym on the ground floor. It offers everything you need for a good workout. They have modern cardio machines, weights, and weightlifting machines, and there is always staff available who are trained. The gym staff is super friendly and helpful. They also conduct aqua aerobics and other sporty activities at the property.

Social Media:

Social media at this property is quite active. They use social media to advertise things but also to interact with guests. They are reposting pictures and responding to comments and questions.

Summary:

All in all, a great stay at the Sheraton Kosgoda Turtle Beach Resort.

There is not a lot in close proximity to the hotel, but the property itself is a place where you can spend a great vacation.

It is a real resort, and it offers everything you could wish for in a holiday.

A great pool, great restaurants, nice rooms/suites, and top-notch customer service from the staff.

Yes, the property itself looks dated, and it isn’t the most modern, but the software (the staff) is absolutely amazing and offered the relaxing and unwinding vacation we were looking for.

We can highly recommend the Sheraton Kosgoda Turtle Beach Resort, and we plan to come back ourselves should we return to the area.