New Tristar Beach Hotel

It was magical, in front of the sea and very quite and clean

I had high expectations despite some negative reviews, but unfortunately, my experience was disappointing. Only one bottle of water was provided at check-in, with no further supply during the stay. Room cleaning was offered only once a week and only upon request. The drawers in the room were broken. The mini-fridge in one of the rooms did not work. The bedsheet had a visible hole in it. The images online are misleading — there is no direct beach access. The pool is not at this property but across the road in their older property. The reception can only be reached via a mobile call, as there are no in-room phones. The rooms do not have wardrobes, making it inconvenient for longer stays. The locks are outdated, and the hallway tiles creak when walked on, giving an impression of poor maintenance. We tried to raise these issues with Hotels.com but were unable to get proper assistance. Our request for a full refund of the last night (since we had to cut our trip short) was not resolved. The manager of the hotel did not respond to the booking platform, and customer support was not helpful. Adding to the inconvenience, Hotels.com does not provide a Sri Lanka-based contact number, so calls have to be made internationally at the guest’s expense. Overall, the experience fell far below expectations.

I stayed for 1 night and the room was really nice and clean. The hotel staff very hospitable and friendly. Its a lovely view as it opens to the beach!

I did not have a great stay here, because of the hotel and hotels.com. First off, let me say that the hotel and rooms are ok, the breakfast is good, and the location is great (in the middle of the main business area and your back door goes right to the beach). BUT this makes it very difficult for light sleepers, which I am. I thought the beach would have a calming sound, but during high season the waves sound like a thunderstorm right outside your back door. And fishermen are parked right behind the hotel so you will hear them start their engines at 5:00 a.m. Also, there is a restaurant that parties all night on Thursday nights literally next door. Because of this I asked the manager if I could leave two days early for my 7-day stay. He agreed and asked me to have hotels.com connect with him. When I asked hotels.com to connect with him they have the wrong contact information, and the manager apparently can't connect with them either, so they couldn't get a hold of each other. How can you be on the website and not be able to communicate with each other? So I was forced to stay the entire 7 days and barely sleep at all. The manager is very nice but could not help me even though he said he could. But this place is good if you are a deep sleeper.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ An Unforgettable Stay in Paradise – New Tristar Hotel, Arugam Bay We had the absolute pleasure of staying at the New Tristar Hotel in Arugam Bay for 4 nights, from 29th June to 3rd July, and it was nothing short of exceptional. From the moment we arrived, we were warmly welcomed by the outstanding staff and the incredible manager, Arooz. His attentiveness, kindness, and genuine care made us feel right at home and truly elevated our experience. Our room was spotless and well-equipped, with efficient air conditioning, a working fridge and kettle, and 24-hour hot water in the shower — all the comforts you’d want while staying by the sea. The cleanliness and efficiency throughout the hotel were of the highest standard. Each morning, we were treated to a delicious breakfast featuring a fragrant mix of Sri Lankan specialties alongside comforting European favorites — a perfect start to each day. But the real highlight was the location. The hotel is directly on the beach, and we were lucky enough to watch the sunrise over the ocean right from our balcony — an unforgettable view that will stay with us for a long time. A heartfelt thank you to Arooz and the entire team for making our stay so memorable. Your warm hospitality and attention to detail made all the difference. We left feeling relaxed, recharged, and already looking forward to our next visit.