Cityrest Fort

Sri Lanka , Colombo
COLOMBO, 46 Hospital Street Colombo 01
Show on Google | Map

50 reviews shown

6/10

Pleasant

11 Mar 2024

Hannah Catherine

The hostel is in a great location, close to the train station and lots of great places to eat nearby. But that's the only strong point. Everything else is average at best. The place needs renovation, WiFi doesn't work, cleaning in the shared bathrooms could be improved. But the location is great. So if you are looking for 1 night near the station - this would do.

Business_and_leisure Self

6/10

Pleasant

17 Jan 2023

Erik

The uniqueness was the hotel location and the hotel had absolutely wonderful beds (mattresses.) However, it does not rate as a \"4 star, in no way...
The top rating would be a '1' star maximum..
I have traveled the globe worldwide (to 113 countries)
so I do know what I'm talking about!
Also, the hotel owner had cameras everywhere, almost like spying on the guests, which was most unpleasant, but the hotel staff, they were wonderful...

Leisure Self

8/10

Excellent

03 Apr 2018

Verified traveler

ok!

Location is good, near the main train station and bus terminal but tuk tuk driver said far and ask for 300Rs.

Dorm room is relatively small for 4 persons with luggages. Have enough toilets and shower cubicles.
Have a rooftop but nothing to see.
Free breakfast.

8/10

Excellent

22 Oct 2017

Ethan

Top-quality service

The location is great if you want to be near Fort railway station. It is within walking distance to the beach as well.

The service at check-in and check-out was excellent. They were friendly, helpful, and quick. We had to check-out in the morning before breakfast was served, and the desk clerk had even arranged for box breakfasts to be ready for us. We have a 3 year old, so not having to worry about finding food that early in the morning was quite helpful.

The only minor issue was that the bathroom looked a little past its prime. The shelf in the shower was rusty and it looked like the toilet had been repaired without properly cleaning up the adhesive.

Family

8/10

Excellent

26 Mar 2017

Verified traveler

professionally run

great location, close to bus or train station, walking distance or take a tuk tuk for 150, no more. staff is great and very helpful. lots of staff, even on every floor. not sure what people complain about the breakfast for?? probably one of the best breakfasts I'd had in any hostel, anywheres. wifi is very good, beds are comfy, AC works well, and towel included. It said locks were available for the locker but I had my own, so I'm not sure if you had to rent it or not. Only had hot water 2 out of 4 times, yet people had hot water the same day, so I guess it was luck of the draw. No windows in the rooms, which I prefer because it stops the traffic noise, and light from coming in. One guy was smoking in the room when I checked in so I'm not sure if this is allowed, or he was sneaking it

4/10

Poor

15 Jan 2017

Verified traveler

Airco was broke, so we moved rooms, but then there the airco also broke down. In addition there was a girl in our room that seemed to live there. It was all a bit weird. But location is good, and the staff is really nice.

4/10

Poor

09 Jan 2017

Pauline

The room smelt musty.
It was good that there was lockers in the room. A weird stain was on the wall next to the air con. Only one female shower. And not super clean. It's fine I you only need to spend one night. The driver collected us from the airport which was a gread and even stopped at the train station for us. The check in was great and we were well greeted.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

06 Nov 2016

Great place

Excellent location, rooms very clean, staff are really friendly, safe, breakfast included as added bonus. Great value

6/10

Pleasant

25 Oct 2016

philippe

Cheap hotel... good location

This hotel is cheap.. so everything is below average basicly. The bed is not very confortable, the shower is dirty, the towel they give you is old and cheap. The bathroom are also dirty.

Go there for 1 night but I cancelled my others nights.

8/10

Excellent

22 Oct 2016

liz

Good overnight stay

Good overnight stop. Good location. Pretty much as advertised.

10/10

Exceptional

11 Oct 2016

MAN WAI

Nice staff good location

I stayed only one night in the dorm. Room was very comfortable. A/C & WIGI were very strong. Reception staff was very informative and nice. just a minute walk to Dutch hospital and about 10 mins walk to Fort Rail Station.

Family

8/10

Excellent

10 May 2016

HISASHI

Located center of the city

Very clean for the shower room and toilet. Although the bed size is small for each, it is very clean as well. The staff is taking care the shower room until midnight, so he is also the good security parson for shared space. The hotel is located near the bus stops, so it's very easy to go to the other places in Sri Lanka. Free Wi-Fi is provided.

8/10

Excellent

17 Apr 2016

Bianca

Quick stop over

I was only here about 7 hours- the customer service was great, breakfast was nice, clean room- what more could you ask for when you hve a stop over. The train station is close which is an added bonus!

8/10

Excellent

06 Apr 2016

Michael

business trip

Very friendly and helpful staff. WiFi was decent and breakfast was decent. I enjoyed my stay.

6/10

Pleasant

08 Mar 2016

Blondie

cheap option for central colombo

short stay as it was close to train station. staff helpful.

6/10

Pleasant

07 Mar 2016

Jonas

Good but could be better!

In total I'm satisfied about the quality even if the stay is relatively pricey.
But there is also one no go!

1. Everyone should know, there are no windows in dorms! In the corridor you will face a bit stinky air because no one is going to open a window. That's not an huge issue but guest should be aware.
2. The the most ridiculous thing is that you only can buy bottled water for ~150 LKR! That's simply naughty and absolutely not supportable! No stay in Sri Lanka seems to have a water purifier or at least a water refill to prevent plastic bottles. From that point of view India seems to be more developed then Sri Lanka. Btw water refill in India costs ~20 LKR per litre and a bottle of water in Sri Lanka costs normally around 60-80 LKR. However, that feels like robbing and I'm really disappointed about that. On top the page tried to excuse it with the high costs in the neighbour hotel \"Hilton\" (piece is 500 LKR). I don't think this is comparable ;-)

8/10

Excellent

10 Feb 2016

Neela

Good Hotel

Good hotel to stay in colombo, if you want to be near Galle face or near to beach. Amenities are good. When you check in ask for the blanket, Towel, and bathing soap. If you can avoid, then better to buy mineral water bottle outside as its costly there, 150 rupees. Outside its 60.
There is no lift, if its a problem to stay in the third floor, ask for lower floors.

6/10

Pleasant

10 Feb 2016

Beau

A very average stay. You get what you pay for...

Great, central location close to Colombo Fort train station and room was clean. Very disorganised check in process and the new General Manager was more concerned with telling everyone he was the general manager than actually serving guests and solving problems. Bathrooms need more attention - no hook or place to hang towel in 2 of the 3 cubicles and all the soap dispensers were empty. No working key for the door so had to leave door ajar to go to the bathroom or common area. Had to ask for sheets and towel.

8/10

Excellent

03 Jan 2016

Great budget option in Fort

Decent hostel in a great location near the main train station and Galle Face Green at a reasonable price. Staff were extremely helpful, even assisted with booking a train for us (not easy during peak season in Sri Lanka).

Family

8/10

Excellent

24 Nov 2015

CHUNG

Good clean hostel

Stayed for 3 nights in one of the 2nd floor dorm rooms. The whole hotel and dorm rooms are very clean by hostel standards. Despite a lack of windows, the dorm rooms don't suffer from the usual damp smells, due to having both a fan and A/C. The bed clean, comfortable and there was a locker to keep my stuff. The bathroom and toilets are also cleaned regularly.

While it's possible to order lunch/dinner at the hostel, I'd have to say that it was the one disappointment of the stay. The fish finger with fries was just awful, with the former having the texture of mashed potatoes and only a vaguely fishy taste.

The included breakfast was well above average hostel fair. Mostly cereals, tea, coffee, sausages, eggs, rice and fresh fruits and juices.

Location wise, it's hard to beat as it's right next to some upscale shopping and dining places and also very central for the sights around the city.

Satisfied overall, it's a high price for a hostel. However, you do get clean rooms and bathrooms, good breakfast and friendly staff.

8/10

Excellent

14 Nov 2015

Alexander

Thumbs up

Very good overall. High standard of facilities for a backpacker/couple in Colombo which can be hard for the value sometimes

Partner

8/10

Excellent

06 Aug 2015

David

Great location. Clean. Dorm Style

Best location you can get and probably the lowest price. It's half a block from the Dutch Hospital Shopping and Restaurant area. For tourists, there isn't really anything in Colombo of interest besides this area plus the adjacent Fort colonial buildings. Rooms have no windows so they are quiet and dark for sleeping but you don't want to be there during the daytime. My bed was a bottom bunk and was saggy in the middle so I think it negatively affected my sleep. Wifi worked well and the breakfast area was air conditioned during the day so you can watch tv or work on your computer. The whole place was clean. Dorm style offers the usual trade off of opportumities to get tips from other travelers but of course less privacy and comfort.

10/10

Exceptional

22 May 2015

Amrit

Great budget option!

Great hostel, stayed in the female only dorm, excellent clean standard and great value for money.

8/10

Excellent

01 Mar 2015

Christopher

Good downtown choice

This is a good hostel in the center of Colombo. Easy walking distance to the historical buildings, Galle Face Green, train station, market area. Good air conditioning and good shared bathrooms. Generous breakfast buffet. Decent common areas. Left luggage room. Nice rooftop patio. Good location. I stayed here for a few days and found it to be a good downtown hostel. No outside food or drink is allowed, and there are other less expensive hostels Colombo but overall good value.

10/10

Exceptional

12 Feb 2015

Dean

PERFECT FOR INTERNATIONAL TRAVELERS

Four night stay in a perfect location. Very friendly helpful staff. It is said that it is not possible for a business to satisfy the three most important aspects of customer satisfaction - product, service, price -, but City Rest Fort has put it all together.

10/10

Exceptional

29 Jan 2015

Verified traveler

Great location and clean

I liked this place and came back ! Easy to find close to station and it's clean. Lockers in dorms for secure

Family

8/10

Excellent

28 Jan 2015

Michael

Nice hostel for a short stay!

I arrived very early due to an early flight, staff brought me cold towel and a drink, gave me wi-fi password. They let me check in early, which was very much appreciated.

The room was very tidy, comfy enough bed, clean sheets and towel. Nice size locker for valuables, air con was good and even a plug and lamp per bunk.

In a good location, 5 min walk to the harbour, which was surprisingly nice at sunset. Plenty of places to eat nearby and the train station is very close, so a big bonus!

Only reason I didn't give it 5 is because of a lack of atmosphere, but that can be down to the guests.

But thanks again to the staff, you really did make me feel very welcome!

8/10

Excellent

21 Jan 2015

Verified traveler

Nice find near train station and pettah market!

Loved the stay here and met fellow travelers. The staff was super friendly but could use some help giving tourists suggestions on traveling throughout Sri lanka since Colombo is a main hub for backpackers. Little things like knowing the current train time tables help travelers out so much!

Family

10/10

Exceptional

06 Jan 2015

Jean-Pierre

Great spot, great staff.

Truly enjoyed the stay. Close to the Market, train station, bus station, the sea and the staff was in every way helpful. Better service than we expected. Would return definitely. Remember that this is a hostel but a good one.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

11 Dec 2014

Matina

Clean and conveniently close to the bus station!!

The hotel staff were very helpful in anwering all my enquiries and the rooms, bathroom and hotel was very clean and comfortable. If you like market shopping, Pettah markets is 10 minutes walk, is huge and a bargain hunters dream. A good place to stay for one or 2 nights :)

8/10

Excellent

12 Oct 2014

Robert

Great stay in really handy, very central hotel

Stay was just what was needed. Very central location next to Dutch Fort with good cafés & restaurants. Also v. handy for Colombo Fort station.
Staff v.welcoming & accomodating.

10/10

Exceptional

09 Aug 2014

I, Cajal

Perfect for a quick stop off

Our flight into Colombo arrived at near-midnight so we booked into the CityRest Fort just to lay our heads. It's not very easy to find - the airport taxi driver asked local tuk-tuk drivers and even they didn't know, but the receptionist at the hotel answered the phone straight away and guided the taxi driver, it's essentially next to the Hilton. It's a hostel-type place and we booked into a private room rather than dorms (we were a male and female pair of friends and didn't really want to be split up). It's very clean, got all the things you'd need of a hostel, and breakfast was good - plenty of coffee, cereal and fruit juice. Overall, it was exactly what we needed - why waste money on an expensive place if you're only staying for max 12 hours? The next day we were taking the train to Kandy and the station was very nearby. The hotel had a left-luggage room (free). Definitely would stay again, even for a slightly longer stop.

Family

8/10

Excellent

22 Feb 2026

yves

Le personnel est très agréable, quant à la chambre ; petite et surtout sans fenêtre !!

Partner

2/10

Poor

20 Feb 2026

Yukio

部屋の鍵は、電子タッチと鍵穴があったが、鍵穴しか使えなかった。ところが、この鍵は全室同一のようで間違えって他の部屋を開けてしまった。また、夜中に共用トイレに行った後部屋に戻ったら、電子キーが作動し中に入れなかった。どうなってるの、このホテル。

Self

2/10

Poor

28 Feb 2025

Mayumi

Prison, solitary confinement. I booked a room with a shower toilet, but when I asked the hotel staff, they said they didn't have one and the shower and toilet were shared. The sheets were old and dirty, and the hotel was under renovation so it smelled like a construction site. The stairs were smelly and there were stains on the walls. I would be happy with half the price for this level. The room was completely different from what I booked, so I reported it to Expedia

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

11 Nov 2024

Hideaki

ロケーションもよく快適に滞在できた。部屋のドアの解錠(開け方)方法にコツがいるので、到着して最初に部屋に案内された時にスタッフの前で何回か解錠方法を練習した方がいい。シャワーブースのステンレス製石鹸トレーに鋭い部分があり肘に怪我をした。腕を上げるとちょうど肘が当たる部分なので気をつけて。

Leisure Self

6/10

Pleasant

26 Jan 2024

Rita

Ihan ok hintaansa nähden

Breakfast was included in to the price, but the kitchen was under reparation. They gave me 300 rupia as discount.
Room was clean and tidy, fan good, walls very thin, excellent location if you travel by bus or train.

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

30 Jan 2019

Verified traveler

普通なホテルでしたよ。
周りに数軒の店もあったし、困ることはないかと思います。

共同部屋だったので、こんなもんですね。

8/10

Excellent

29 Dec 2018

CHIE

清潔で過ごしやすい。

wifi環境もよく、清潔な部屋で過ごせて良かったです。少し場所が分かりにくいのでトゥクトゥクのおじさんも迷っていました。

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

27 Jul 2017

Nice location, good service and clean

I stayed CityRest Fort only 6 hours to take a shower and short nap for catching a mid-night flight. I booked a bed in Shared 4 Beds Dormitory. I checked in at the front desk and went into the room... I noticed there was nobody in the room! The man at the front desk was nothing to tell me but he arranged a sort of private room for me! I was able to relax and rest very well. Thank you so, so much for your angement. I'll definitely come back to CityRest Fort when I come to Colombo next time.

6/10

Pleasant

18 May 2017

Saoufe12

bon rapport qualité prix pour une nuit

Hôtel bien placé, proche de la gare, idéal pour une rapide escale entre l'aéroport et le train pour partir explorer le sri lanka !

8/10

Excellent

08 May 2017

Surya

駅から徒歩圏内の清潔なドミトリ

コロンボフォート駅から徒歩圏内にあり、清潔な男女別ドミトリでこの値段はありがたい。飲食店も最寄にあり、たいへん便利です。泊まったのは2階建てベッドが2つあるドミトリで、下の方が便利という人も多いと思いますが、上り下りに支障のない人であれば、上でも快適でした。エアコンや天井扇の強度については、同室の人と話し合ってください。効きすぎると風邪を引きます。バス・トイレも清潔で使い勝手がよかったです。

4/10

Poor

20 Mar 2017

john

Hotel bien situé et staff accueillant mais chambre sans fenêtre avec une mauvaise odeur, chambre au 1er étage entre la cusine et la salle à manger donc bruyante. Salle de bain commune sale. Bref si vous y allez, demandez à ne pas avoir de chambre au 1er etage!

8/10

Excellent

16 Mar 2017

Riku

Average hotel

Nice small hotel, excellent taxi-service to airport, well priced.

Family

4/10

Poor

06 Feb 2017

Verified traveler

Grei plass å overnatte ei natt etter lang flytur

Family

8/10

Excellent

31 Jan 2017

guy

Chambre sans fenêtre, très propre.

Nous y avons habité une nuit pour prendre le train pour Kandy le landemain matin. Prês de la gare.

8/10

Excellent

03 Jan 2017

VYK

Best choice near the train station

I stayed for only 5 hours as I arrived late and got a morning train to catch. Everything was clean - shower, room, bed, etc. Staff was superb and helpful! Unfortunately only cereal was provided for breakfast before 7am. The best choice near the train station!

8/10

Excellent

18 Dec 2016

やなちゃん

従業員のホスピタリティーは文句なし！

深夜1時のレイトチェックインでしたが、冷たいおしぼりとウエルカムドリンクが、パスポートの手続きの間に提供されます。滞在中、従業員すべての感じの良い応対に、とても満足しました。またコロンボ滞在の際には泊まりたいホテルです。

8/10

Excellent

26 Sep 2016

Verified traveler

Quiet, clean and confortable

Good value for the money. We stayed in a dormitory and it's basic but clean. There are lockers, wi-fi, good breakfast, hot water! It's perfect for backpackers on a budget who are looking for a bit of confort in this crazy city

Partner

8/10

Excellent

20 Aug 2016

Verified traveler

立地がいい。

バスターミナルも駅も近く、立地がいい。

Partner