Amanwella

We have stayed at many Aman Hotels. This one ranks among the worst. While overall the amenities are OK, there is unfortunately no gym and no spa. And our shower leaked water into the room (we were informed that nothing could be done about it, « it’s a design problem », we were told). The worst part was the service. While some people at restaurant were good and attentive, most of the staff is only reactive. Many of them just appear to stand around with unclear tasks, and service at restaurants can be slow. Messages like « I eat gluten and lactose-free » or « I prefer no chillies in my food » need to be repeated at each meal, and seemed at times to genuinely puzzle the staff (« Aha, no lactose for you, so can you eat tomatoes? », we were asked). It took us five attempts over a period of three days to have a light repaired by a staircase descending to the beach, which effectively prevented us from going down to the beachfront restaurant for an evening meal because it was deadly dark and we almost tripped when we attempted to take it. It took several attempts before a mango was finally delivered to our room (the cleaning staff explained that this was not their responsibility, it’s « food and beverage » that handles that). And sometimes our room was just not serviced during the day (to ensure service, we got into the habit of calling reception when we left the room, this worked). We are not great shoppers at hotels, but the Amanwella shop was so sad and so devoid of anything remotely interesting that we left after a few moments. I can continue, but I don’t want to clobber the staff, who are nice people, but clearly lack direction and training. The real problem appears to be in the management itself, which is very different to what we experienced at Amangalla, another Aman hotel only one hour away. The service there is irreproachable - we attribute this to a hands-on and very present General Manager. With a few changes in the structure (adding a gym and a spa, repairing other defaults like inundation from showers) and, especially, a more enlightened management, the Amanwella can be a great place. But until that happens, you might as well avoid it and stay at other hotels (of which there are quite a few in the area).

The hotel is very tired and needs urgent renovation which I am told will be done next year. Food at the hotel is OK but not exceptional its quite expensive best to eat out there are some very good cute restaurants just take an UBER the hotel transfer price is ver very expensive

A very disappointing stay at Amanwella, really not what you would expect from Aman or the price they ask. The resort is in desperate need of renovation, rooms are tired, floors are marked and chipped, doors don’t close. Simply not what it should be in this price zone. The location is nice but not amazing, it sits above a public beach with public access going straight through the middle of the hotel which doesn’t give you the privacy you would expect. A gym is also strangely missing, which in a hotel chain which positions its self towards wellness seems at odds. The worst element is the food. We had arrived from Wild Coast Tented Lodge in Yala which was absolutely wonderful and here the quality dropped off a cliff. There are two restaurants, with bland menus which don’t change from day to day (and very few Sri Lanka options?!). The food is very average, lacking taste and feels a bit like standard home cooking…again not what $1600 a night should deliver. Breakfast is the best of the three meals with a wide, varied selection Finally, in terms of attention to detail it wasn’t there. We received a message during turn down referring to an enjoyable Christmas stay…in mid Feb! To finish on a brighter note, the service is warm friendly and staff are willing to go out of their way to help. To sum up, either the resort needs serious improvements and changes or the price needs to be divided by 3.

Amanwella – Sri Lanka It is genuinely painful to write this, but Amanwella no longer reflects the level one expects from Aman. The pricing is very high, yet the overall experience does not match it. There is visible deferred maintenance throughout the property, and the resort feels tired rather than refined. This is especially disappointing because Aman is normally synonymous with perfection, serenity, and impeccable detail. What stood out immediately was the extremely low occupancy. In January — peak season — the hotel appeared to be less than a quarter full. That alone says a lot about the current mismatch between price and value. That said, there is one truly exceptional element: the staff. They are without question the kindest, warmest, and most genuinely caring people I have ever encountered — even compared to Thailand, which says a lot. Their kindness and dedication are extraordinary, and they deserve real praise. However, the level of spoken English, including at reception, needs significant improvement to match the price point and brand positioning of Aman. For a resort at this level, communication should be effortless and precise. In its current state, Amanwella either needs a full renovation or a very different pricing strategy. At roughly half the current rates, expectations would align far better. The location and potential are absolutely there — but the execution no longer lives up to the Aman name.

I would give this place 5 out of 5 for ambience and tranquility it offers to all its guests with private villa that has their own pool.