SriLankan Airlines, UL, Colombo complimentary Transit Hotels (and other options) mini-review.
I've been offered a SriLankan Airlines complimentary Transit Hotel at Colombo eight(?) times now, so I know a bit about them and the process you need to go through at CMB airport.
SriLankan Airlines Transit Accommodation information, in general, is here:
https://www.srilankan.com/en_uk/plan-and-book/transit-accommodation
But don't necessarily expect any response to emails from UL. Even if you call them, they will only say that your Transit Hotel has been "requested". If you do get a response, you'll get an email titled "CPS Voucher CPSxx_xx_X from SriLankan Holidays" with all the details of your Transit Hotel.
With or without a voucher, on arrival at CMB you need to go to the air-side (before passport control) SriLankan Airlines Transfer/Transit Desk to either collect a voucher or to have your voucher stamped. You'll have your Transit Hotel details confirmed then.
Here is a CPS voucher sent by email:
And one you'd get at the UL air-side Transfer/Transit Desk:
With your voucher, you then go though CMB passport control and customs and then out into the arrivals hall.
In the arrivals hall you go to the SriLankan Airlines Colombo Stopover Counter. They will take your voucher and give you another one that you need to hand to the hotel check-in desk. And you'll possibly get a further voucher to hand to your transport driver.
Then you are told to wait in the general public waiting area for your transport to arrive. They'll come and find you. It might be a 5 minutes wait. It might be a 25 minutes wait. You might have to share the transport with other transit pax.
At the hotel you might receive meal vouchers to use in their restaurant. Or they might simply add them in their system against your room number.
Check-out time is 3 hours before your flight. The hotel will arrange/order your transport back to the airport.
The hotels you might get.
They are hit or miss in my experience! From 4 stars to 2 stars. Business Class does in general seem to get the better ones. But, as I found out on this trip, that's not guaranteed!
Here are some possibilities. They are all within 10 to 25 mins drive from the airport.
* Vivanta by Taj - Airport Garden
A solid 4 star hotel with good facilities. You'll probably get an unrenovated room but it's still pretty good.
* Jetwing Sea Hotel
The jackpot in my experience. A nice hotel right on Negombo Beach.
* Ramada by Wyndham
An OK hotel. Nothing special. I've had 3 or 4 stays here.
* Full Moon Garden
I have not stayed but it looks OK.
* Beacon Beach Hotel
A nice location on Negombo Beach but it's very much a 2 star hotel.
Some other options.
You might have to pay for them but they are an option:
Serenediva Airport Transit Hotel
You can avoid the hassle of passport control, customs and security by staying airside. It's OK but not great. Currently starting at USD $85.
Hotels in Negombo Beach
This is considered to be a pretty good area and it's close to the airport. The better hotels are pretty nice.
Hotels in Colombo city
If you have a long transit, there's some pretty good hotels in Colombo city. With more to see and do around them. It can be good if you have never been to Colombo.
Stay in the lounge
If in Business Class, the Serendib Lounge (I earlier typo-ed Senendi
P a couple of times) allows quite long transit visits. It has a darkened "relax" room with recliners. And there are showers. But it's still a lounge.