It is a beautiful hotel in a stunning location on the east coast. The beach is lovely and clean and the sea is calm and very safe for swimming in July/ august time which is the opposite of the south which is only calm in December/ January. The staff are delightful but the service can be quite slow. The food was very good down at the beach at the seafood shack. There is also a buffet and a la carte too. We didn’t eat from the buffet as really don’t like that type of dining experience. The rooms are clean and comfortable and work really well for families. This isn’t a luxury resort however so don’t expect it to be. It’s a relaxed, barefoot resort with a very chilled feel. I would definitely recommended it and also the east coast. The location, the beach, sea and pool are what makes it so special.

It wouldn’t take much to make this place really good. The setting could not be any more beautiful but a bit of attention to making the rooms feel a bit more special would help. Food and service times need a bit of thought. The staff are wonderful however.

Beautiful place for a relaxing and nourishing stay. Exceptional staff with attention to detail, friendly service without being fussy. Ethical ethos and welcoming environment. Highly recommend staying here.

A wonderful hotel with a very friendly atmosphere. Enjoyed the relaxed poolside ambience, cricket and volleyball on the beach, snorkelling, massages, cocktails. The room was incredibly clean with a beach view and the staff were kind and helpful. Our family had a brilliant stay.

Great place at a beautiful beach. Very nice athmosphere. Great entertainer - perfect mix between privacy and animation for the kids. Great reef for snorkeling, 45 min away. Food ( halfboard was very good), even better was the a la carte restaurant and bar directly at the beach.

Watch out for jellyfish in the afternoons, evenings.

Maalu Maalu is an amazing place to stay as a family. The facilities are great, lovely spacious pool, stunning slice of beach, good food but the thing that stands out is the service. The staff are amazing, the kids loved it there and just got up in the morning and vanished into the pool or the games area, the hotel is well enclosed and is very safe. Special mentions to Ruben & Ruchi, both went above and beyond to make our stay that extra bit special. There are some really nice restaurants just outside of the hotel in case you want a change but the food at Maalu was very good & reasonably priced. Overall we loved it, our kids were very sad to leave!

The only thing I would change would be to see more Sri Lankan food on the beach restaurant menu but seriously, nothing negative to say!

My son and I spent three wonderful days at Maalu Maalu. The hotel, perfectly located right by the sea, is simply stunning — a beautiful harmony of nature, comfort, and traditional architecture. But what truly made our stay unforgettable was the exceptional quality of the service. The staff were attentive, always smiling, and showed genuine hospitality throughout. There are plenty of activities for all interests, and the food truly won us over. A special thank-you to the chef and his team for their creativity: delicious, authentic Sri Lankan cuisine with a refined and modern twist. We’ll always remember their signature crab dish… and the amazing passion fruit sorbet. A heartfelt thank-you to Janaka, Chamara, Thasneem , Pethum, Ruchira, Eranda, Kavindu … and the entire team for your warm welcome and kindness. You made our stay a truly special moment!

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Exceptional stay in paradise! We had an unforgettable experience at Maalu Maalu Resort. The staff were incredibly kind and hospitable, always going the extra mile to make us feel welcome. The infinity pool and beach were absolutely stunning—perfect for relaxing and enjoying nature. Our room was a luxurious two-story cottage with a private pool, jacuzzi, and even a sauna. The spa treatments were top-notch; we enjoyed some of the best massages we’ve ever had. The food was delicious every day, with a great variety. One of the highlights of our stay was playing beach volleyball with other guests—it really added a fun, social touch. A special thanks to Ruchi, who truly made this trip magical. He treated our daughter like a princess, played with her, and made us feel like the hotel was our own home. He’s a rare gem who brought warmth and joy to our entire experience. Highly recommended for families and anyone looking to unwind in a tropical paradise.

The room we booked overlooked directly out to the beach and sea. The view was ace and the 4 rooms in the group had access to a private plunge pool which was nice as it had more shade from the sun. The room was large and with a mezzanine for the kids beds there was plenty of room. The bathroom was large and the shower etc was very good. We had our own balcony looking out to the beach. The hotel staff were lovely and helpful. The sun bed arrangements on the beach seemed to be orchestrated well. The food served in the dinner or breakfast buffets was good. We also ate A la carte as the price was cheaper. Also eating from the beach bar menu saved money.

The price of the buffet seemed high but the quality of food was good. The service at dinner seemed somewhat chaotic at times.

It is right on the beach and the sea which was beautiful Reuben was very helpful and polite each day arranging our sun beds and advising on the best times to see the sunset and sunrise

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Had a good atmosphere and lots of character. The staff were great, friendly and always smiling and would go out of their way. Especially Ruchi, a general all rounder to ensure all the guests are happy with their stay and are having a good time and organising transportation for visits around Sri Lanka.

The food and drinks were little limited. Seafood restaurant menu was the same as the pool menu and bar menu. On a week’s stay this became a little repetitive and we knew the menu by day 2 of our stay. Would have been nice to seen some more cocktails on the drinks list.