Serenediva Colombo Transit Hotel - Review

The hotel is part of SriLankan airline so major cusutomer are of srilankan airline.

I had a 10 hour transit between flights, and someone recommended me to stay at Serenediva Hotel as it is right inside the airport so i will not have to stand in long line of immigration and then for the hotel bus, if i chose another hotel which is away from airport.

I asked my agent to put the request for this hotel due to its convenient location.

The hotel is at the first floor of the airport building. Once my flight arrived I went to the transfer counter, where they issued me the voucher for the hotel.

The room was nice, with television (though i didnt watch much as i was just staying for less than 9 hours) the washroom was decent good with all amenities and toothbrush / paste
along with tea / coffee making and complimentray water bottles.

The hotel also provided free wi-fi which for me was super fast and streaming was good enough.

The beds were alright and no major complaints

WE were also given dinner vouchers for Palm strip restaurant (which is inside the airport)
The dinner was not that great.

We had taken our own snacks so we used our own snacks for the night.

We were not given our luggage so its better that you put your night suit and other essentials in your hand baggage which you may use at the hotel.

Also take some snacks for the overnight as the airport do not have many eateries and they all charge in US$.

On another note about Colombo Airport, which I think i should share:

Majorly all duty free shop, and restaurants charge in US$ and no other currency , not even Lankan Ruppee. So you are at a loss if you dont have US$ -

There are some convenience stores selling mineral water and other snacks etc

The smoking room is only in the departure hall, so if you have a transit flight and want to smoke right after coming out of the plane, you would have to walk towards the departure hall.
If the security guard is in good mood he will let you go to the smoking room , else he will tell you to do it outside after immigration.

Same is the case with muslim prayers. If between flight you have to offer prayer, the prayer hall is in the depature hall and you have to walk right at the end of the other end of the airport.
If security guard is in the mood, he will let you go for prayers, else he will ask you to go to immigration and offer prayers in the hotel.

These are few things that make the difference to international airports and srilanka airport needs a lot of work to reach to that level.

Presidential Security for the SriLankan Cricket Team

It is said that that Pakistani government and the Pakistan cricket board promised VVIP security, same that is given to the president of Pakistan, to the Srilankan cricket team.If this is the security for the president of Pakistan, then God save president of Pakistan from being assasinated in the middle of the street.Having my office on main Sh-e-faisal, I get to see and notice the security measures taken whenever president is in the city.Police force is deployed from the morning, no matter at what time the president has to pass the road.They are deployed on every street leading to the main sh-e-faisal. Rangers and police personnel are deployed at every few meters on each side of the road and on the islands. Traffic is stopped from coming to the roads some 20 - 30 minutes before the president is expected to pass the road.And when finally the president passes the road, his motorcade includes at least 2 dozen vehicles of different sort.With at least 8 police mobile vans, 2 ambulances, vehicles of the elite commandoes, traffice police bikes, and mobiles and various other vehicles.This is the security measures I have seen over the years that are being given to the president of Pakistan be it ex-President Musharraf or now President Zardari.The claim of giving high profile VVIP security to the Srilankan team do not prove to be correct.Its time for the government and agencies to deliver what they promise else even head of states would not be willing to visit Pakistan, let alone a sporting team.