Cinnamon Lakeside Colombo
by the TopOfHotel team
Cinnamon Lakeside is the quietest five-star in central Colombo — it sits on Beira Lake instead of a main road, with the biggest pool in the CBD and a floating-temple view you won't find anywhere else in the city.
Cinnamon Lakeside is the quietest five-star in central Colombo — it sits on Beira Lake instead of a main road, with the biggest pool in the CBD and a floating-temple view you won't find anywhere else in the city.
In-Depth Review
Rooms and decor
Picture a five-star in a capital city that, instead of fronting a busy business-district road, has a whole lake shielding it from the noise of Colombo out back. That's the appeal of Cinnamon Lakeside Colombo. It sits in Slave Island on Beira Lake, the same stretch of water where Geoffrey Bawa placed his masterpiece, the Seema Malaka temple. The 346 rooms and suites split into City View, Lake View, Premium Lake View and Cinnamon Suite. The best of them — and the one people book hardest — is Lake View: open the curtains and you're looking at open water with the temple's timber pavilions floating right in front of you. Interiors run to warm wood tones and modern Sri Lankan textiles, with soft beds, stone-tiled bathrooms, and a tub from Premium level up. Reviews keep mentioning the private balcony, where you can step out and take in the lake at dawn. It's a small detail, but it's what makes the place feel like a resort despite the downtown address.
Food and amenities
The headline feature is the outdoor lakeside pool, which reviewers call the largest hotel pool in Colombo's CBD. Clear blue water, rows of loungers and umbrellas running to the edge of a deck that looks out over Beira Lake, plus a pool bar serving cold cocktails — on a soft-light afternoon this is heaven for anyone who wants to read by the water. On food, the hotel runs 8 restaurants on site. The Dining Room is the main buffet for breakfast, lunch and dinner, with live stations spanning Thai, Sri Lankan, Chinese, Indian and European. Royal Thai handles Thai food, The Library leans Western and seafood in a quieter room, and the standout is 8° on the Lake, the rooftop bar whose sunset view over the lake and skyline gets endless mentions. There's also Azmaara Spa, which uses Sri Lankan Ayurvedic herbs, a 24-hour fitness centre, and an executive club lounge with free drinks and snacks through the day. The thing reviews agree on is the service — warm in that genuinely Sri Lankan way, quick to smile, good at remembering names, and ready to arrange a tour or flag a tuk-tuk whenever you ask.
Location and getting there
Location is what sets Cinnamon Lakeside apart from its Galle Road sibling, Cinnamon Grand. Both sit in central Colombo, but having Beira Lake in between makes this one far quieter, with none of the wall-to-wall traffic noise of the business district. Walk out the side gate and in about 10 minutes you reach Gangaramaya Temple, Colombo's most important Buddhist temple, with its museum of royal treasures and scripture hall — and on the way you pass Seema Malaka, the city's top photo landmark, floating mid-lake. The Dutch Hospital Precinct, a block of colonial-era buildings turned into restaurants and shops — including chef Dharshan Munidasa's world-famous Ministry of Crab — is about 15 minutes on foot. A little further is Galle Face Green, the seafront lawn for sunsets, and the One Galle Face mall, roughly 1.5 km away — a few minutes by tuk-tuk. Slave Island railway station is a 5-minute walk if you're taking the train to Kandy or Galle, and Bandaranaike Airport (CMB) is about 45 minutes via the newer expressway. It's a location that works for a sightseeing trip on foot and a business trip where you want to come back somewhere calm.
Things to know before booking
Straight talk to help you decide. Cinnamon Lakeside was open long before it joined the Cinnamon group — it was previously Trans Asia, then Taj Samudra Lakeside. The building has had several renovations and most rooms are updated, but parts of the lobby, corridors and public areas show wear next to newer five-stars like Shangri-La Colombo or Movenpick nearby. The complaints that come up tend to be about dated carpet or wall finishes in some room types, so if you want flawless, brand-new modern, this may not be your first choice. Second, City View rooms face away from the lake onto buildings and road; they're cheaper, but you lose the main draw — spend a few more dollars and take Lake View. Third, the breakfast buffet at The Dining Room is known for choice, but on mornings when tour groups check in together, reviews note crowds and slower service — go before the 7:00 peak or later after 9:30. Finally, the morning call to prayer, temple bells and boat sounds from the lake carry; light sleepers may want the windows shut tight.
Our take
After reading through hundreds of real reviews and weighing it against the other five-stars in Colombo's CBD, Cinnamon Lakeside lands as the right pick for anyone who wants five stars in the heart of the city but off the main road — a city-resort feel with Beira Lake as the backdrop, a big lakeside pool, 8 restaurants that cover a whole trip, and a location within minutes of major temples and a top-tier dining strip. It's best for couples who want a romantic view of Bawa's floating temple, families who want a big pool for the kids, and business travelers who want to actually unwind after meetings. If you're chasing brand-new polish at the Shangri-La level, or want to be steps from Galle Face Green, there may be a better fit. Overall we give it 8.6/10 — a five-star with real character and a memorable stay at the most reasonable starting rate in its class.
Score Breakdown
Assessed by our editorial team from data and real guest reviews
The Honest Verdict — pros & what to know
- Lakeside spot in the heart of Slave Island — close to everything but off the main road. It's about a 10-minute walk to Gangaramaya Temple and roughly 15 to the Dutch Hospital Precinct, where Ministry of Crab is.
- Lake View rooms look straight at the floating Seema Malaka temple, one of Geoffrey Bawa's signature works. It's a view you genuinely can't get anywhere else in Colombo.
- The outdoor lakeside pool is the largest hotel pool in Colombo's CBD, with a pool deck and bar. It gives you a resort feel even though you're in the middle of the city.
- 8 restaurants under one roof — Sri Lankan and Thai at Royal Thai, the big buffet at The Dining Room, Western and seafood at The Library, and 8° on the Lake, the rooftop bar where the lake and the Colombo skyline light up at dusk.
- Warm, genuinely Sri Lankan service. Plenty of reviews single out the staff for remembering guests' names and going out of their way, especially at check-in and the concierge desk.
- The main building has been around since its Trans Asia and Taj Samudra days and has been renovated several times. Most rooms are updated, but parts of the lobby, corridors and public areas show their age next to newer five-stars like Shangri-La Colombo. If you want spotless, brand-new modern, this isn't the first pick.
- City View rooms face away from the lake toward buildings and road. They're cheaper, but you lose the hotel's whole selling point — spend the extra and book Lake View instead.
- The breakfast buffet at The Dining Room has plenty of choice, but on mornings when tour groups arrive together it gets crowded and service can fall behind. Go before about 7:00 or after 9:30 to dodge the rush.
Who It’s For
Match Score by travel style
Amenities
Location & Nearby Spots
Things to do near Colombo
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Insider Tips
- Book a Lake View room and nothing else — it's only a few dollars more, but waking up to Seema Malaka floating on the water is the most memorable view of the trip.
- Have a sunset drink at the 8° on the Lake rooftop bar, where Beira Lake and the Colombo skyline sit in one frame. Drink prices are fair for a view like that.
- Walk out the side gate toward Gangaramaya Temple in the evening, crossing Seema Malaka on the wooden lake walkway. It takes about 10 minutes, it's free, and it beats taking a tuk-tuk.