Buckingham Place

Many places call themselves boutique hotels but Buckingham Place is truely the definition of what that really is. Fabulous suites, delicious meals, knowledgeable and attentive staff in a glorious location with excellent facilities make this place our favourite resort in Sri Lanka. All this is overseen by the hospitable owner, Nick Buckingham, who has lovingly developed the resort over many years, providing valuable employment for the locals and has built up a well trained crew. Nothing was too difficult and any need was happily accommodated. We will be back for our 3rd visit next year.

We arrived at Buckingham Place after getting very lost looking for the turtle hatchery. We had to walk in complete darkness along beach looking for hatchery only to be 90mins too early! So we went for a drink at Buckingham place, we must of looked very bedraggled, and we were so so hot. The staff were wonderful, escorting us to the bar by torchlight, bringing us cold flannels, to mop our brows and generally made us very welcome. The owner a little later on introduced himself and again made us very welcome. We felt very looked after and were so grateful for their hospitality. Would highly recommend, the hotel is beautiful!

Huge rooms, fantastic food, spotlessly clean and a relaxed a**osphere away from the crowds with the best service from the friendly staff you could imagine. Nick, the charming resident owner, has created somewhere very special and makes sure that everything runs perfectly. As well as enjoying the great food and pool, we took a tuk-tuk to a local rock temple and saw turtles on the local beach.

Wow! It is the best place we have ever stayed! As soon as we arrived at Buckingham Place, we were greeted and welcomed with excellent service. Throughout the stay, the service was outstanding, and nothing was too much trouble. The food was out of this world. The service was fantastic, with water being topped up without even being asked and a different menu every night for dinner. The food on the menu had excellent choices to suit everyone. Some of the best meals we have ever had. Indeed, some amazing chefs!! The waiters were superb! They were always ready to welcome you. They welcomed you into the restaurant and bar area always with a smile and prepared to attend to your needs. We have never had service like this before. Just fantastic!! During our first night, Nick, the owner, came over to introduce himself. He was so welcoming and made sure everything was perfect throughout our stay. He truly is a fantastic person who has done so much for Sri Lanka and is changing so many lives. It was a pleasure to meet Nick and get to know him. We enjoyed spending time with Nick and hearing about his time in Sri Lanka. Kalpa, the guest manager, was fantastic with our every need. Nothing was too much hassle. Even when we needed him very late one night, he was more than happy to help. Kapla was always there to check everything was perfect! The room was beautiful! So much space and lovely decor. The room was cleaned when needed, and nothing was too much trouble. The spa was one of the best massages we have ever had. The service and choice of trea**ents was perfect. We felt so relaxed after our trea**ents. Overall, we would recommend this hotel to everyone! You must visit this hotel while in Sri Lanka!! You won’t regret it! We can’t wait to go back again. Thank you to all the fantastic team for making our stay so memorable. Nicole and Kaidyn Jersey

This is a well appointed hotel run by an ex- pat Englishman, the personable Nick Buckingham. I would describe it as ideal for anyone wanting the universal resort style accommodation and facilities: the infinity pool outside the dining area, the billiards room, the decor , the presentation of the rooms. There is a garden pool which is lovely for a less public bathe. A spa is onsite and I enjoyed the pedicure. There is a good range of cocktails and the dining is excellent: my husband had the best prawns of the trip. No spoiler alert, but there is a special touch to the dining experience. It was disappointing to have no hot water in the shower. It also seemed very odd to have no tea/ coffee making facility in the room: this is most uncommon, and certainly the only place in Sri Lanka to lack it. I was told I could order tea any time, day or night, but this is not quite the same, especially when I saw we had been charged US$5.00 for every cup I had. There is a pleasant walk along the beach, but we did not get to see the turtles nesting.

Exceptional! I’ve spend my life travelling overseas on biz and for pleasure. I’ve never encountered such a well run hotel with such well-trained staff. You will be met on arrival by the hotel manager (the gate keeper checks yr name and buzzes the manager who is there waiting for you). He spends 1/2 hour showing you around. From then on you immediately feel at home. Owner, Nick Buckingham runs the show quietly from his ‘view-all’ seat, and he misses nothing. From the little gestures of cool drinks served to all sunbathers at the pool at midday, to having a glass of water handed to you as you return from the beach- and always two of the dinning room staff to pull back your chairs. My wife had a sneezing fit one day (a frequent event), and a box of tissues were slipped quietly onto our table. The hand towels in the toilets near the pool, were always turned down with a small flower on them. Try moving one of your pool deck-chairs on your own - you’ll never get away with it, as one or two of the observant staff will politely shoo you away - and do it for you! Fresh flowers every day around the hotel. Posters were hung for guests birthdays (as well as a cake of course) - and ‘Welcome back’ posters for returning guests, of which I would expect there must be many. We even had a cake on our final evening with ‘Thank you for your visit’ scribed on the top. The bar area is deliberately small and intimate, which encourages social interaction - of which there is much. We thoroughly enjoyed our 2 week stop, longer than I’ve probably ever stayed in a hotel anywhere. The guests came from everywhere - which made socialising interesting. The food is of the highest standard. Personally, I have a simpler taste, but there was nearly always something to suit me while my wife tucked in to more exotic dishes. This is the first time I’ve ever given full marks to a hotel. Nick’s team deserve it - they are really quite exceptional. They are all a very cheery team, and will always stop for a chat. And then, on the sad occasion that you have to leave this paradise, the staff all line up to wish you a Bon Voyage. Where else have you ever seen that? It makes departure all the harder! We’ll be back one day! Thank you ‘team Buckingham’ P.S. They also supply Marmite (and Vegemite for our cousins from ‘down under’)

Nestled along the sun-kissed shores of South Sri Lanka, Buckingham Place and Spa stands as a beacon of serenity in a tropical paradise. From the moment you arrive, you're enveloped in an a**osphere of unparalleled excellence and genuine hospitality. Every aspect of this boutique gem, from its lush gardens to its inviting poolside with sun deck and swim up bar, exudes a sense of tranquility and sophistication. At Buckingham Place and Spa, every guest is treated to a private sanctuary, with our own accommodation being a spacious suite with excellent views over the lagoon and a unique open roof shower experience. Toiletries provided were a lovely touch and were topped up daily along with the mini fridge. We enjoyed the resident peacocks strutting around, even with the early wake up calls and were treated to many evenings entertainment with monkeys playing in the trees around us. The culinary delights of Buckingham Place and Spa have been a gastronomic journey to remember. Each evening brings a new menu which has been carefully curated to cater to every palate. From local delicacies to international classics executed with their own little twist we never struggled to find something that we would like to eat and we were loyal patrons every evening as there is nothing else locally that can touch the quality of the food that is served. Even being slightly fussy at times was met with flexibility from the kitchen staff. And it's not just about the taste; the presentation of each dish is a work of art, reflecting the same attention to detail found throughout the hotel. Additionally, the innovative "lazy breakfast" concept allows guests to rise at their leisure and still enjoy a freshly cooked breakfast every morning. We took full advantage of this and attempted to try everything we could off the menu! Thank you kitchen staff! However, what truly sets this boutique apart is its exceptional team of dedicated staff. From the smiling gardeners, the patient tuk tuk drivers and the meticulous housekeepers to the front of house team every member of the Sri Lankan team are united in the spirit of personalised service. Special mentions to Commander Deepal (we promoted you!) and Ruwan who ran steady ships each meal time; Heshan, Dilshan, Niluka, Nudun who always served us with a smile, Harshana who brought us countless room services, Ashan for his amazing smile (and the cake!) and Aruna for all the cocktails and wine recommendations (we will miss your wit!). We also need to thank Chamindu for rescuing us twice when we were lost and also sorted out various things for us around the hotel and the wonderful Umesh for his knowledge and kindness throughout our stay (keep up the physio!) Our biggest thank you has to go to the oracle himself Mr. Kalpa who was on hand even before our arrival with sorting our transfers and answering our ridiculous questions. This gentleman has the patience of a saint and a wonderfully dry sense of humour! Every single member of the team

Amazing staff, excellent food, superb location. The perfect place to relax at the end of a 3 week tour of Sri Lanka. Right next to the most amazing beach! Swimming pool is lovely! The cocktails are so good! Breakfast is a la carte with a varied choice - all delicious. Food is available all day and was always top notch. It’s very chilled here, we loved it. An additional great thing for us was that you only tip at the end of your stay … and the tips get distributed amongst all staff. We chose to book a secluded room with a lovely deck and inside / outside shower and bath. Beds are very comfortable. Sincere thanks to everyone for making us feel so welcome and at home.

It’s all true! I was certainly a little sceptical prior to arrival, as I had never seen such good reviews for a hotel, anywhere. But Buckingham Place gets it so right. How? Firstly, a great leader; Nick is a visionary guy, who exudes energy and enthusiasm. He has thought about each and every detail of the experience he wants to offer guests. And then there’s a loyal and committed staff, who clearly enjoy their jobs. They are friendly, hard-working and communicate really well. They all knew about my husband’s food intolerance within 5 minutes of us telling one of the team and they remembered over the four days we were there. Buckingham Place has a really chilled vibe that is a product of all the hard work that goes on behind the scenes. Try it; you won’t be disappointed!