We stayed here for 1 day, and enjoyed our stay very much. Michael in particular was super attentive to our needs and went above and beyond to cater for us. The food is also amazing and reasonably priced.
I stayed at the Northgate Hotel for two nights and was pleased with the overall experience. The hotel is decent and well-maintained, and the staff were excellent—friendly, helpful, and attentive throughout my stay.
Upon check-in, the hotel staff recommended the restaurant located on the first floor. I tried the seafood kothu roti on May 19 and was genuinely impressed. Though the dish was dark in colour, it was packed with flavour and had a great mix of seafood—I could taste shrimp, cuttlefish, and fish. It was very well prepared. The dish was reasonably priced at 1700. I also ordered a local arrack cocktail (arrack, passionfruit cordial, lime, etc.), which was refreshing and balanced. Priced at 770, it offered good value for both taste and presentation.
Later that evening, I visited Machnag Bar, which is attached to the hotel. I had a 500ml Lion Beer (cost 635) and found the space comfortable and welcoming. The bar also serves food, though I had already eaten at the hotel restaurant.
Breakfast was included with the room, and the buffet exceeded expectations. It featured a wide selection of traditional items such as puttu, string hoppers, fish kulambu, sambar, dhal, and various sambols. Fresh milk appam (hoppers) were available on order, and they were just as I remembered from childhood—fresh, soft, and full of flavour.
Overall, I highly recommend the Northgate Hotel, its first-floor restaurant, and the Machnag Bar. The combination of good food, fair prices, and warm servi