Weligama Bay Marriott Resort & Spa in Sri Lanka [In-Depth Review] (2024)

Sri Lanka is an incredibly compelling country to visit. But there is so much to do that a full touring itinerary may have you bouncing all over the country — my family stayed in 6 hotels across 9 nights, for example. I knew a few days at the beach would give my kids (ages 9 to 11) something to look forward to after days of physical hikes, tedious car rides, and long safari treks.

Weligama Bay Marriott Resort & Spa in southern Sri Lanka checked nearly every box for a lovely beach break. Its somewhat remote location requires figuring out how to best slot it into your tour plans, and you’ll have to gauge whether or not its high nightly rates make sense for your budget.

Learn more about how I booked my stay, the resort’s amenities and dining options, and how you can wake up like a celebrity in your oceanfront room.

Booking

While guests may choose to redeem Marriott Bonvoy points or book with one of our recommended credit cards for Marriott stays, I found myself in a unique spot. I made my reservation on Hotels.com and paid for the entire reservation with gift cards.

Booking a hotel through a third-party website generally means forfeiting your elite benefits and not earning points. I do not have Marriott Bonvoy elite status and had a very low point balance, so this was less of a concern.

I booked 2 “Guest Room, 2 Twins, Ocean View” rooms with half-board (including breakfast and dinner buffets for 5 at Weligama Kitchen) for 2 nights in mid-February 2024 for an average of $369.83 per room per night with tax. The Hotels.com price options were very similar to the Marriott.com direct prices.

Half-board was bundled at $40 more per night per room pre-tax ($160 pre-tax for 5 people for 2 breakfasts and 2 dinners). I rationalized that we would have spent $8 per person per meal anywhere else we would have eaten, so this fee felt reasonable for the convenience of not leaving the property.

Room-only point redemptions can be found for as low as 20,000 points per night or $113 (pre-tax).

For perspective, we had traveled through other areas of Sri Lanka prior to this stay at an average of $61 per room per night (generally including breakfast). These were smaller, local hotels and not mega-chains at the beach, but you get an idea of the price differential. I would have looked at more affordable properties if I did not have the gift cards to take advantage of.

Even though I did not earn Marriott Bonvoy points for the booking, I earned $27.90 in OneKeyCash (2% per dollar spent) and One Key Silver status from Hotels.com.

After reviewing cash-back opportunities on CashBack Monitor, I also earned 4% cash-back ($44.73) on the booking via RetailMeNot.

Location

is around 106 miles (2.5 hours) south of Colombo’s Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB). The hotel can arrange a Peppwe Life shuttle service for $175 one-way, but an Uber will likely cost around $60.

If you’re arriving from the Yala National Park area in southeast Sri Lanka, expect a drive of just over 2 hours.

The hotel is less than a mile from the Weligama train station and about 10 miles from the Matara bus station.

The hotel towers above its surroundings and is the tallest beachfront building in the Weligama area.

The driver for our 10-day tour of Sri Lanka happened to be from the area and was very familiar with the property. As driving in Sri Lanka is on the left side of the road, the approach to the main entrance is from the left.

Hot Tip:

Many travelers choose to have a driver when touring Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka Car & Driver Hire is a resource for reading driver reviews and getting quotes.

Check-In

We arrived at the property just before 10 a.m., fully expecting our rooms not to be available for check-in since the reservations team had advised me that the hotel was at high occupancy and check-in was not until 3 p.m.

We declined the welcome dance, but I was able to catch it later when touring the property.

The 2-story lobby has a dramatic effect, with Weligama Bay on full open-air view past an infinity waterfall feature. A variety of seating options were scattered throughout the space.

After arriving via the main entrance, we were directed to the check-in room on the right.

I had emailed the hotel before our arrival to request connecting rooms. After explaining that we were traveling with children, the reservations team was able to adjust one of the reserved “Guest Room, 2 Twins, Ocean View” rooms to a “Guest Room, 1 King, Ocean View” (I was unable to book the king room on Hotels.com). They assured me that they would arrange interconnecting rooms.

To our surprise and delight, connecting rooms were available and ready. The agent asked for my Marriott Bonvoy number (to earn points for incidental charges) and advised that I could charge up to $250 to the room before needing to settle. I handed the agent my Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card for any incidentals as it would earn 2x Capital One miles on any expenses.

We were offered a sugary blue welcome drink that my kids immediately tanked.

Unique to this check-in experience is that another employee, Lochana, was introduced to us and accompanied us to our room to ensure we could access the elevator and room successfully. She also gave me her WhatsApp number, which I used for questions about unlocking the connecting doors and the kids’ club. She also later informed me about an on-site cultural show I was unaware of.

Hot Tip:

A small gift shop is in the lobby near the check-in area. It is open daily from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Elite Benefits

As I mentioned, I do not hold Marriott Bonvoy elite status, but my husband was Silver Elite at the time. As he would earn 10% more on the incidentals than I would have as a general member, I switched the numbers on the reservation before we checked out.

Amenities

As a beachfront property, the Weligama Bay Marriott Resort & Spa has everything you need to stay comfortably put for a few days, from pools to a spa to a kids’ club.

Pools

The hotel has 3 pools open daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Various seating options surround the pools, including loungers under umbrellas, armchairs towards the waterfall feature, and bean bags. Unfortunately, on our first visit, we could not find loungers, so we dropped our shoes in a pile on the pool deck.

Guests can request towels from a stand at the entrance to the pool area and are advised to return their towels at the pool and not take them to their room.

I noted staff members mopping the pool deck, which I think showed a lot of consideration for safety.

Outdoor Lap Pool

The pool area has a direct walkway to the beach, with the lap pool and kids’ pool to your left and the relaxation pool to your right.

The lap pool was the deepest option of the 3 and had a few areas with in-pool seating.

Relaxation Pool

The relaxation pool had several nooks with seating for groups to socialize. It looked like these were equipped with jets for a Jacuzzi effect, but we didn’t see any buttons nearby to turn them on.

There were also shallower areas that were good for families and a bit more shade.

The pools were lit at night, and we didn’t notice any issues with mosquitos, which always makes for fun night swimming.

Children’s Pool

The shallow-depth kids’ pool had several spray fountains and a curved slide that my younger kids loved. Note that the slide is for ages 12 and under; no flotation devices are allowed.

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Beach

The hotel has direct access to the public beach, and a few loungers with umbrellas were also available on the sand. My daughter loved the tree swings, and I saw a few hammocks, too.

Weligama Bay is a surfer’s paradise, and the only people who approached us at the beach were asking if we were interested in surf lessons. If we had more time, I would have explored this option further.

When swimming, you definitely need to be mindful of your surroundings (particularly with kids), as there are many surfers to dodge.

Vendors were scant, and no one really bothered us as we enjoyed the soft sand and warm waters. We went on a sunset beach walk and felt perfectly safe, though we had to be mindful of fishing boats anchored via rope to the beach.

Kids’ Club and Game Tables

The hotel had lots of entertainment options at the ground level for families, including this ping-pong table. Unfortunately, this area had a very musty smell, so I quickly passed it each time we walked from the elevators to the pool or restaurants.

Outside the corridor were foosball tables, a billiards table, and another ping-pong table. We always saw families enjoying this space.

This area also was where the complimentary kids’ club was located. At ages 9 and 11, my kids think they’re a little “too cool” for the kids’ club, but I was pleased to see a variety of programs offered.

The space was bright and colorful, with plenty of room for activities.

The kids’ club is open daily from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Fitness Center

The fitness center is open 24/7 on the mezzanine level. Locker rooms and steam rooms are also available.

I found the space a bit on the small side, and it was reasonably busy when I visited.

An area for weight training had a cable machine, dumbells, a weight bench with weight plates, and yoga balls. A counter had sanitizer spray and a small cooler with bottled water. Guests were encouraged to register for the gym via a QR code.

The cardio equipment included 3 treadmills, 3 ellipticals, and 2 stationary bikes.

The hotel offered complimentary sunrise yoga (starting around 8:30 a.m.) and sunset yoga for $5 beginning after 5 p.m. Private yoga sessions were available for $15 per person or $20 per family.

A pamphlet in the room mentioned morning meditation on the hotel lawn daily from 8 to 8:30 a.m.

Quan Spa

Quan Spa is open daily from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. and offers massages, facial treatments, mani/pedis, and more. Guests could enjoy 30-minute services from ~$62, 60-minute services from ~$97, and 90-minute services from ~$138. I saw a sign elsewhere in the hotel for complimentary 5-minute massages, but no mention was made of this when I dropped in for a look.

Business Center

The hotel did not have a formal business center, but a dedicated desk with a computer and printer was available for use in the Tides bar.

Wi-Fi

I had no issues connecting to the hotel’s Wi-Fi throughout the property.

Parking

The hotel offers complimentary valet and on-site parking.

Rooftop Terrace

The hotel has several meeting and banquet spaces throughout the property, but a notation in the elevator for the rooftop piqued my curiosity. I imagine this space typically hosts outdoor gatherings, but I had it all to myself for this beautiful sunset.

A pamphlet in the room indicated that a tai chi session is held on the roof from 5:30 to 6 p.m., 5 days a week.

Hot Tip:

The resort does not have an on-site ATM, but a few ATMs are in Weligama town within walking distance.

Rooms

Our rooms were located on the first floor. If you consider the ground level where the pool was, the lobby level, and the mezzanine level, I suppose this could be considered technically the fourth floor.

We were assigned rooms 119 (2 twins) and 120 (1 king).

Guest Room, 1 King, Ocean View

That beautiful Weligama Bay view smacked me right in the face as soon as I entered room 120. The room had a closet, luggage shelf, and minibar area to the left and the bathroom to the right.

The closet contained 1 robe, 1 set of slippers, an iron and ironing board, and a safe within a small shelf.

Next to the closet was a luggage shelf and a minibar.

The shelving between the luggage shelf and the minibar contained mugs, glassware, an ice bucket, and a kettle.

The minibar was empty, and while it was lit from within, this was just a warm drink storage unit of some sort. When I reported at checkout that our minibar was not cooling, I was informed that there was no cooling unit in the minibar. As a result, we ordered ice nonstop to keep our beverages cold, as there was no ice machine we could find to access directly.

A selection of Dilmah teas (a Sri Lankan brand) and instant Nescafé was offered to use with the kettle.

The room also had 2 complimentary bottles of water.

The bedroom itself was really something special. It was super spacious, and I really liked the mandala cut-out designs in the woodwork. The flowery motif carried over to the yellow-striped rug underneath the bed.

The bed had a fabric headboard with a secondary rattan-style headboard that ran behind the nightstands.

The right side of the bed had a nightstand with an alarm clock, a universal outlet, and light switches.

The left side of the bed had a telephone, light switches, a universal outlet, and my favorite feature: an automated roller shade for the large windows. The roller shade did a great job at blacking out the room, and I felt like a celebrity welcoming the day by having the shade roll up in the morning.

A couch with a side table was in front of the large window. The door to the left exited to the balcony, which had 2 chairs and a side table. Surprisingly, the room had nowhere in the bathroom or on the balcony to hang wet swimsuits. We were able to clip a travel clothesline onto the railing outside.

The views from the balcony were quite lovely, though I preferred gazing at the water from inside the room.

Weligama Bay sunsets, with the water dotted with hundreds of surfers and rolling waves, were absolutely magical.

To the right of the large flat-screen TV was a work area with a firm chair. The TVs in both rooms were a little wonky and misaligned.

A multimedia panel above the desk had inputs for internet, HDMI, A/V, audio, a PC monitor, USB-A, and universal outlets.

The remote and TV channel list were below the TV on the top of a long, wooden shelving unit.

From the balcony, you could see the bathroom’s setup, which had sliding walls to enclose the tub space for privacy.

Bathroom

The bathroom had a bit of an unusual setup. Upon entering the bathroom from the hallway, the shower stall and water closet were on the right, but they shared a sliding frosted glass door. This meant you had to choose to enclose either one or the other (not both) — so if 1 guest were taking a shower, any other guest that wanted to use the toilet would need to forgo their privacy and use the restroom without a door. Bizarre.

The shower had a handheld wand, a rainfall showerhead, and a small bench.

The full-size Oxygen Collection bath amenities had a eucalyptus scent. I noted that they were made in Sri Lanka.

The water closet had a bidet wand and a bench similar to the shower.

A large tub with a handheld wand faced the bay and could be as private as you preferred.

The vanity had ample room for our toiletries. I appreciated the extra touches, like the mounted makeup mirror and scale. There were hooks on the wall (as seen in the mirror) to hang towels.

The counter had tissues, a washcloth, and Oxygen Collection handwash, mouthwash, body lotion, and bar soap.

The shelf under the vanity contained dental, shaving, and vanity kits, as well as a shower cap and hairdryer.

Guest Room, 2 Twins, Ocean View

Our 3 children stayed in the connecting “2 Twins” room, which actually had 2 queen beds. The room was nearly identical to the king room, with the exception of the workspace and bathroom.

The room had a table with 2 chairs instead of the king room’s work desk and chair.

The bathroom had a window roller shade for privacy to separate the bathroom from the bedroom, compared to the sliding walls of the king room. Similarly, the main door to the bathroom itself closed with a heavy sliding door that my kids found a bit cumbersome.

Food and Beverage

Weligama Kitchen

Weligama Kitchen is located on the ground level and is open daily from 6:30 a.m. to 12 a.m. Breakfast (~$28, 50% child discount) is served from 6:30 to 10:30 a.m., lunch from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m., an afternoon snack menu from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m., and a dinner buffet (~$35, 50% child discount) from 7 to 10:30 p.m.

The patio featured table options that were well-suited for large groups.

The restaurant’s interior had various seating options for small and large parties alike.

Breakfast

We enjoyed the breakfast buffet on our second morning at the hotel, and I’ve seen few restaurants with as varied a bounty of options. Stations covered every type of cuisine from Sri Lankan to Indian to East Asia to Western standards.

I was excited to see made-to-order dosas and enjoyed a masala dosa with tomato and coconut chutneys.

My kids ravaged the pastry section and donut wall.

The area at the window featured juices, fresh fruits, yogurts, bircher muesli, salad vegetables, and cold cuts.

The Western area had shakshuka, scrambled eggs, boiled eggs, sauteed mushrooms, roasted potatoes, breakfast meats, and made-to-order eggs.

In addition to a noodle soup station, the East Asia section also had bao buns and savory options such as chili chicken, vegetable garlic noodles, and egg fried rice.

Sri Lankan options included string hoppers, egg or plain hoppers, pol roti, and potato, dhal, fish, or chicken curry.

I enjoyed an egg hopper with sambal, pork bacon, and shakshuka.

Dinner

As with breakfast, sections of the open kitchens were dedicated to specific types of cuisine. Indian and Sri Lankan options included lamprais, dum ka murg, kadai paneer, bhindi masala, nawabi murgh, and paneer makhani. I mainly filled my plate from this section; everything I tried was delicious.

The East Asia station featured items such as massaman beef curry, fried rice, and black pepper calamari.

These crab legs looked messy but delectable, though I opted for the hot butter prawns nearby.

Western options included a made-to-order pasta station and items such as lamb pie, roast pork or lamb, and roasted vegetables.

My kids had the most fun each night negotiating the number of desserts they could have; there was also a self-serve ice cream section with toppings nearby.

Bottom Line:

The options at breakfast and dinner were spectacular, and I 100% felt we got our money’s worth by upgrading to half-board, which came out to about $8 per person per meal.

Big Fish Restaurant

Big Fish, the hotel’s seafood restaurant, is located on the mezzanine level and is open daily for dinner from 7 to 10 p.m. on weekdays and until midnight on weekends. It offers a Japanese menu and dinner menu.

Mirissa Baking Company

Mirissa Baking Company is located to the left of the lobby entrance on the lobby level and is open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. The menu offers tea and coffee drinks along with cakes and savory pastries (such as a seeni sambol and egg bun, tandoori chicken parcels, and a fish puff).

Surf’s Up Pool & Beach Bar

Surf’s Up Pool & Beach Bar is open daily from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., and we saw plenty of coconuts with straws and passion fruit concoctions from here making their way to the pool area.

Hookahs were advertised nearby with fruity-flavored shisha, and I suspect you would order them here.

Surf’s Up Restaurant

Surf’s Up Restaurant is open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. The menu featured drinks, appetizers, and entrées.

On our first day, we had a late lunch/snack here. Not wanting to spoil our dinner, my husband and I split the Shack Fish Burger, and our kids ordered chips and salsa. Everything was made fresh, and we enjoyed our items. The chips were particularly crispy and delicious.

Unfortunately, due to the service charge and taxes, a seemingly cheap meal of $33 in food items totaled $48 after all the fees were thrown in — that’s over 45% more. This sticker shock caused us to venture off-property for lunch the next day.

Tides

Tides is located to the left of the check-in desks on the lobby level and is open daily from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

The bar had a very upscale, classy feel to it, and the views were gorgeous.

I liked the look of this patio seating, with options for loungers or tables for 2.

Beers were $6, wine was $10 a glass, and co*cktails started at $8. A BOGO happy hour ran daily from 6 to 8 p.m.

Room Service

The hotel offers room service, with breakfast entrées starting at $10, salads starting at $10, sandwiches and pizzas starting at $12, and Sri Lankan mains starting at $11 for all-day dining.

Takeaway Breakfast

We had an early departure on our first morning to go on a (fruitless) whale and dolphin-watching trip. Upon request, the hotel prepared individual takeaway breakfast boxes that included a chicken sandwich, fruit, croissant, donut, juice, and water.

Service

We didn’t have many interactions with staff, but the staff we did interact with was very helpful and friendly.

I liked that Lochana escorted us to the room and shared her WhatsApp number if we had any concerns. Getting the connecting rooms unlocked was a priority for me, and it did take a few hours, but we checked in 5 hours early, so a bit of a wait was understandable.

Our meals at Weligama Kitchen tended to be during busy times, but the staff that served us made conversation, asked where we were from, and asked about our stay — interactions beyond clearing a plate or refilling water.

When I checked out, the desk agent thanked me with a cupcake, and when I mentioned I had 3 kids with me, she made sure no one had to fight over a treat.

We didn’t really have any hiccups during our stay, but there were a few power blips. Unlike in South Africa, where you are generally given some warning about scheduled power cuts, we were not sure if these were regular or scheduled, and staff never discussed them. Overall, it was no big deal, but it is worth noting.

Surrounding Area

I’ve never visited a beach with as many surfers out on the water. Weligama Bay had a steady stream of small waves that clearly must make for ideal surfing conditions. Plenty of vendors up and down the beach offer lessons and board rentals if you want to try!

While Weligama is somewhat remote, the town works great as a stop on a tour of Sri Lanka, particularly for those traveling between Yala National Park (known for leopard safaris) and Galle.

Neighboring Mirissa (to the east) is where our organized whale-watching tour departed from. This long 5- to 6-hour tour resulted in zero whales or dolphins, though we did see a big sea turtle. Many kids got seasick (thankfully, not mine!), so just have an idea of what type of morning you might be signing up for.

To the west is the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Galle Fort and its lighthouse. Walking the walls of the fort in full mid-day sun zapped us good.

Other area attractions include several turtle conservation outfits and seeing stilt fishermen. I did not read many positive reviews about how ethical the turtle businesses were, so we opted out of this. I also hoped to see stilt fishermen in a “natural” setting, but along the northwest route, they were waiting by the side of the road for tourists to stop. Once tipped, they would venture out to the stilts for a picture. It was a bit contrived for me, so we passed.

Further north, my family enjoyed a boat tour of Madu Ganga, which features mangroves, Cinnamon Island, and an obscene number of floating fish spas.

Final Thoughts

After several days of amazing hikes and safaris, my entire family was looking forward to the reward of a few lazy beach days. delivered comfortable rooms, amazing facilities, and meals we looked forward to again and again.

The high nightly rate is the only deterrent for staying at this property, particularly if you’ve booked a budget itinerary for the rest of your days in Sri Lanka (as we had). However, if you’re looking for a top-notch experience for the entire family, you’ll find it at Weligama Bay Marriott Resort & Spa.

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