The Spice Trail

A real gem in Arugam Bay (which is a bit run down). Staff were excellent, the villa was great and the pool very good. Food is a stand out.

pros: refilled glass water instead of plastic, lovely staffs that went beyond in every way, good location, nice pool, happy hour (only beer) cons: food can be improved as there are plenty of alternatives nearby, room needs more lights (can’t even notice pouring shampoo or shower gel)

Gardens were beautiful - rooms were spacious and clean - pool was also very clean and a welcome reprieve from the heat. We had breakfast here three days and lunch two - food was delicious! We enjoyed our time in Arugam Bay, at the Spice Trail. The only room for improvement was our initial arrival at the hotel: The manager warned us about safety in the area the evening we arrived. I understood his want to be cautious and have his guests stay safe, but it made us unnecessarily uneasy the first 24 hours. Being told to not really leave the property is not what you want to here when you first arrive somewhere new. Maybe finding a different way to say it? Also - my partner and I did not feel unsafe at anytime during our visit, despite the area being very quiet.

We enjoyed our stay a 100% at The Spice Trail. A beautiful hotel with rooms like little villas with its own garden. The pool is great as well and is nice for a little swim after a day at the beach. Be aware that some rooms are close to the noisy pool bar (music) of the neighbouring hotel.

as soon as we arrived at the resort, the staff were very helpful and the service was great. the room was enormous and the bed was really comfortable. we had our own little courtyard/grassy area which was nice. the pool area was so nice and relaxing. we got sunburnt one day at the beach and when the staff found out they went and brought us aloe vera leaves every few days. we ended up getting to know a few of the staff members over our 5 night stay and they were incredibly helpful and inviting. on the last day, the taxi booking fell through so the manager of the resort drove us himself, all the way to Passikudah. He use to be a tour guide so he stopped off and showed us a few places on the way to break up our long trip and showed us some of the street food on the side of the road which I never would have tried but was so happy I did because it was delicious!

Lovely spot across the street from the beach. Restaurant is lovely. Staff are kind and helpful. Only negative feedback to the hotel I have is that it needs shelving or bench space in the bathroom. Overall, top rating.

After 3 weeks travelling through Sri Lanka and staying in lots of different hotels when arriving at the Spice Trail we realised we were in for a treat. I can not praise this hotel enough. Everything was perfect. Congratulations to everybody involved with the hotel. The actual hotel is pure luxury everything is perfect. Gorgeous chalets amazing pool excellent restaurant serving amazing food but most of all we were impressed with all of the staff. They are all so friendly, professional and helpful. Arosh on reception is excellent his English is exceptional and he makes everyone feel so welcome. The manager is also brilliant and was so happy to share the cultural history of the area. Please don't think Arguam Bay is just for surfing because its not there are so many things to see here, we organised a safari to the nearby wildlife park through the hotel which was the highlight of our trip. Thank you to everybody at The Spice Trail and I hope to visit you again. Ps Also well done also for your eco friendly efforts within the hotel.

Very comfortable good hotel with a lovely room and bathroom. Swimming pool v.good with sun loungers but no umbrellas, partial shade supplied by trees.Unfortunately we went out of season and there is not much going on. No sunbeds available on the beach. V.good fresh fish restaurant over the road. I understand this place is buzzing in season and great for surfing.

This hotel was the best on the strip by far, we lucked in! The rooms are massive, the bathroom is massive, the shower is hot, each bungalow has its own private garden area. There is a strong ecofriendly philosophy, which also wishes to support local industry through training and employment. All staff clearly love their job, taking excellent care of the place - extremely well maintained grounds, gardens, and pool. The property manager is super friendly, helpful, knowledgeable, and passionate about the hotel. The menu is exceptional - being super healthy and different from every other place we went to in Sri Lanka. The perfect place to stay for a beach holiday.

The room are spacious and very nice with a private garden. The food at the restaurant is very good. The hosts are very friendly

This is a great minimalist style, luxury, eco-friendly facility for the location. Every staff member was friendly and helpful. I couldn't be happier with the location. The Spice Trail is right on the main strip next to everything. The pool is excellent and I enjoyed the food. I think what made this place home for over a week was the welcoming staff. Truly the only downfall was no tv. But that might be common for the area and it forces you to get out and explore. I loved it

It was lovely! Food was delicious! Pool was delightful!

Room spacious and clean but without fridge, iron, hairdryer and safe. Pillows not to my liking bed nice though. Right next door to loud bar but noise ends at 11pm so really didn't find this an issue. Could do with more landscaping ie: pavers/lawn. Shower could benefit from hand held shower nozzel to keep clean. Resturant was good many missing items from the menu though. Very friendly staff I'm sure with time will improve.

We loved Spice Trail and would compare the experience to a boutique hotel. Within Arugam Bay there is a big mix of backpacker / surfer accommodation but this was a cut above. Our room was extremely spacious and stylishly decorated with exceptionally good aircon and lovely bathroom. The pool was luxurious and the restaurant on site was delicious and extremely reasonable - we ate there multiple times, not just for breakfast, and had a range of local and Asian fusion food. They also have a sustainable ethos providing drinking water in reusable glass bottles etc which we really appreciated. My only comment to bear in mind is that this won't be the cheapest place you stay and at moments we wondered whether the trips we arranged via the hotel were the best value (but we did not try to make a bargain). Nonetheless we would absolutely recommend the whole experience.

Loved this place great food great service,excellent pool. Very friendly staff very good new coffee shop, just the place if you want to relax or a base to look around.

Amazing hotel, great staff, rooms well designed and maintained. Breakfast and food are excellent too. Everyone bends over backwards to make your stay just fantastic. Will stay here again! Wish I could keep this place a secret!

Wunderschönes kleines Hotel als Basis für Erkundungen in der Umgebung. Super gepflegte Anlage und Pool. Tolles großesZimmer und Bad. Erholung pur.