Jungle villas and beachside estates: The best hotels in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is a resplendent island with a lot to supply: from huge jungle teeming with wild leopards and Asian elephants, to quaint beachside villages, nice surf and climbing alternatives galore. And it has 1000’s of properties from which to discover.

Having spent eight months travelling from the plains of Jaffna within the north of the nation, to the southern coast and every little thing in-between, these are the motels with elegant service, top-class design and fascinating bedrooms the place relaxation and rest come simply. There’s dreamy eco lodges, boutique metropolis boltholes and good architectural marvels. Some are perfect for honeymoons, whereas others deal with wellness, but all are completely charming and can elevate your journey.

Right here’s our fastidiously picked edit of the very best motels in Sri Lanka.

Nestled excessive up within the mist-shrouded mountains north of Kandy, sits this hidden sanctuary the place the pure world takes centre stage. Aarunya is near infinite climbing alternatives throughout the UNESCO-listed Knuckles Mountain Vary, and is lower than an hour away from Sri Lanka’s cultural capital, Kandy. It means it’s the perfect base for anybody wanting to actually get away from all of it.

Whereas greenwashing phrases are bandied round all too typically as of late, Aarunya stands out from the group with strong commitments to sustainability by biodynamic farming, photo voltaic utilization, and by supporting native communities. Environmentally delicate in design, Aarunya’s villas function floor-to-ceiling glass sliding doorways, massive open loos and comfortable four-poster beds that mix into the healthful environment flawlessly.

Set inside 9 acres of lush jungle, with spice and tea plantations on website, the properties personal villas have been designed to showcase the great thing about nature, making recognizing Sri Lanka’s endemic birds, just like the gray hornbill and yellow fronted barbet an nearly each day prevalence. It’s additionally doable to identify frequent birdwing and blue Mormon butterflies immediately out of your very personal personal plunge pool or deep soak outside bahtub.

E-book it: Double rooms on a full board foundation begin from £520 per evening. aarunyaresort.com

There’s no scarcity of fine motels in Sri Lanka’s vibrant capital, however Maniumpathy takes the highest spot on account of its charming, completely embellished bedrooms. Showcasing luxurious materials, parquet flooring, and flawless marble loos, there are simply seven bedrooms housed inside this grand, bright-white mansion within the fashionable Colombo seven district.

This place has all of it: nice location, charming workers, good meals, fairly rooms and a chilled pool to laze by. Among the floor flooring rooms have entry to small personal terraces, whereas higher flooring bedrooms have a balcony overlooking the boutique lodge’s beautiful backyard.

E-book it: Double rooms on a B&B foundation begin from £225 per evening. maniumpathy.com

Tucked away within the picturesque village of Polhena, down coconut tree-lined lanes the place packs of stray canines laze, sits the very fairly, completely manicured Meraki, dropped at life by Iona and Kavishka. An actual home-away-from-home interesting to solo travellers, {couples} and associates, this flawless lodge has been thoughtfully embellished with regionally made furnishings, numerous leafy crops and a complete lot of affection.

Centering round a pleasant swimming pool are eight bedrooms. Some include an out of doors bathtub for stress-free underneath the celebs. Yoga lovers will adore the rooftop shala the place courses happen each day, whereas Meraki’s ethereal, open-plan cafe serves up an array of scrumptious treats resembling cacao smoothies, tropical fruit bowls and good espresso.

This boutique, mountain-set keep a few hours from the worldwide airport is the right place for a chilled begin to your journey. Reached by a winding hair-pin street, edged by forest, you’ll really feel as if you’re up within the clouds when you’re dropped on the stairs to the historic fundamental home of the lodge.

With simply ten rooms, there’s a alternative of three lovely suites within the unique 18th century transformed tea planters’ bungalow, or seven trendy mountain-view villas. Select a villa for palatial loos, a personal plunge pool and outside dwelling space, in addition to sundeck and balcony which overlook the views of cinnamon plantations or the forest. Or if fairly classic colonial furnishings and unique options are extra your factor, plump for one of many rooms inside.

On arrival you’ll obtain an distinctive again, neck and shoulder therapeutic massage to ease these knots from the aircraft or automotive, and the colorful native menu will delight anybody eager to pattern genuine dishes with a effective eating twist. Employees are readily available by way of Whatsapp or in particular person to make sure you don’t must raise a finger. And for wellness-seekers, packages for sleep, a detox and extra, will be booked for a 3 to seven-night keep. Hayley Spencer

The historic, once-riotous city of Galle Fort performs host to an eclectic mixture of buildings that span Portuguese, Dutch and British occupation, one in every of which is Amangalla, the second-ever lodge to open in Sri Lanka, after the Galle Face Lodge in Colombo. Surrounded by picture-perfect frangipani timber and courting again to 1684, a romantic air sweeps by the lodge, from the stress-free terrace the place spectacular breakfasts of freshly baked pastries and Sri Lankan string hoppers are served, to the really fantastic spa the place you’ll be handled to the very best therapeutic massage of your life.

Of the 31 bedrooms and suites, the third flooring Amangalla suites, overlooking Church Road are price securing. Massive, effectively embellished and supremely snug, friends are handled to lovely bathtubs with selfmade tub salts, writing desks, chaise longues and top-class service at each flip. There’s additionally a big swimming pool, yoga deck, library space and sauna.

E-book it: Double rooms on a B&B foundation begin from £768 per evening. https://www.aman.com/resorts/amangalla

Perched on the prime of the Demodara Property tea plantation, this five-bedroom bungalow boasts picturesque gardens and excellent views. Flawlessly designed, every bed room retains most of the unique tea bungalow options, together with beautiful six-pane metallic home windows and excessive ceilings, in addition to a personal veranda the place unwinding with a cup of regionally grown tea is prerequisite.

Near Sri Lanka’s famed 9 Arch Railway Bridge, friends can hike the 7km pathway all the way in which right down to the photogenic feat of engineering simply in time to see one of many nation’s pale blue or crimson pink trains trundle on by. Ought to you’ve gotten forgotten to pack properly in your Sri Lankan sojourn, straw fedoras and gray pashminas dangle by the entranceway and a number of navy blue Wellington boots are stacked by the door – every obtainable for friends to make use of throughout their keep.

Nothing is as stress-free as waking up in one in every of Fort Bazaar’s gorgeous suites then meandering right down to take breakfast on the lodge’s terrace early sufficient that the day trippers haven’t moved into city for the day.

Sitting proper within the centre of mystical Galle Fort, near some unbelievable bars and eating places, this luxe lodge delights with fabulously designed areas, together with a really charming library space on the primary flooring. Photogenic at each flip, the very best rooms will be discovered immediately above the doorway and include personal balconies overlooking the road under.

Each day complimentary cocktails add a pleasant contact and it’s price reserving in for dinner because the menu gives a spread of delectable dishes in collaboration with hip Colombo restaurant, Monsoon.

Magical and legendary, and studded with fairly villages, the surroundings round Haputale is a few of Sri Lanka’s most gorgeous. It’s an ideal place to catch the prepare to, if arriving from Kandy or Hatton. Located only a 10-minute drive from Haputale’s bus and prepare stations, and never too removed from Lipton’s Seat, sits this good shiny white bungalow, often known as Thotalagala. It’s a perfect base for exploring this whimsical tea-ringed space. From begin to end, this seven bedroomed outdated tea plantation bungalow wows, not solely are the workers charming — bringing sizzling chocolate and heat towels on arrival — however bedrooms are luxurious and cosy. The views out over the lodge’s infinity pool into the majestic mist swirled mountains are unreal. Breakfast additionally an actual spotlight with recent juices like soursop that includes on the menu alongside an array of freshly baked desserts, pastries and breads.

If you wish to get up to a troupe of curious monkeys peering into your bed room go for the George Pilkinton suite with its ruby pink wallpaper and spectacular chandeliers. Neat touches like Spa Ceylon merchandise left on pillows, sizzling water bottles positioned in beds and evening time tea dropped off at turndown service guarantee Thotalagala stands heads and shoulders above the competitors.

E-book it: Double rooms on a full board foundation begin from £300 per evening. thotalagala.com

For anybody wanting a relaxed break with surf classes thrown in fairly than committing to an intense sports-only schedule at a camp, Jetwing Surf near Arugam Bay is unbeatable. Not solely are the workers completely good (shoutout to pretty Lakshan), most of the lodge’s eco-friendly cabanas unfurl immediately onto the seashore, that means you possibly can watch the solar rise from mattress.

Pottuvil Surf Level (typically nicknamed Jetwing Level) is only a few minutes stroll from the lodge and a very good place to surf as soon as the fundamentals have been grasped with among the greatest native licensed surf coaches within the space, together with a handful of good native feminine instructors.

After hitting the waves, the lodge is readily available to rearrange attention-grabbing excursions to the native space’s historic and non secular websites, or to Kumana Nationwide Park the place leopard and elephant recognizing comes simply. Alternatively take a look at the fabulous tuk tuk safari the place friends are whisked off street to witness lagoon crocodiles, elephants, gray langurs and loads of promenading peacocks.

Roughly 20kms from sacred Adam’s Peak, Camellia Hills is the perfect base from which to climb the mighty mountain from. Although it’s additionally an ideal place to easily sit again and admire the rolling hills of tea nation that encompass the property. Comprising simply 5 bedrooms, every embellished in florals and tones of pale blue, Camellia Hills has an atmospheric really feel and a group of very pretty workers, for whom nothing is an excessive amount of hassle.

Bedrooms are expansive and ethereal, making it laborious to go away. Equally inviting are the lodge’s communal areas which beg to be lingered in, particularly on cooler days when the mist rolls in throughout the reservoir and log fires present comforting heat. Sundowners by the infinity pool spherical off every day completely, earlier than scrumptious three-course hand crafted meals are served in a compact open fronted eating space, making it straightforward to mingle with fellow friends.

E-book it: Double rooms on an all-inclusive foundation begin from £647 per evening. teardrop-hotels.com

Designed to the best eco-standards and hidden within the wonderful mountains near Kandy sits Santani Wellness, a whole haven of rest and contemplation. Upon arrival, each visitor expertise is personalised following a session with the lodge’s Ayurvedic physician. What follows is twice each day yoga, nature walks, a tailor-made meal plan, therapies, Ayurvedic therapeutic massage, and oftentimes, multi-week detox programmes.

Mountain view chalets have excessive shine, polished concrete flooring easy, but elegant darkish wooden furnishings together with four-poster beds, and terracotta dishes of the blue lotus flower, often known as Nil Manel in Sinhala. Meals, all of that are scrumptious, are largely ready utilizing elements grown on the lodge’s grounds and are tailor-made particularly to every visitor relying on the on-site Ayurvedic physician suggestions. Even the restaurant itself is an occasion, because the wood construction sits according to surrounding treetops affording breathtaking views over Sri Lanka’s spectacular mountains by floor-to-ceiling home windows.

E-book it: Sleep, Restoration, Stress, Immune-boosting, Detox, and Rebalancing packages can be found at Santani Wellness Kandy. Or it’s doable to e-book rooms per evening, Backyard View Chalets begin from £293, and Mountain View Chalets begin from £387. santani.com

Get impressed by nature with a keep at famend architect Geoffrey Bawa’s Lunuganga. It’s the perfect lodge for lovers of fine design, revolutionary buildings and good gardens. The famed architect’s home sits in sprawling rubber-tree-filled grounds surrounded frangipani (Bawa’s favorite) bent into coral-like formations. The principle constructing is residence to Bawa’s personal bed room, the place friends can keep, surrounded by his private artwork assortment, in addition to a visitor room simply reverse.

Elsewhere, separate out-buildings home art-filled bedrooms, and there’s a each day strolling tour of to grounds the place friends can study all concerning the property, Bawa’s architectural fashion and his life-style. Complimentary sundown drinks overlooking serene Dedduwa Lake present ample alternative to satisfy fellow friends or just delight within the energy of nature.

E-book it: Double rooms on a B&B foundation begin from £258 per evening. geoffreybawa.com

Whereas the phrase ‘as soon as in a lifetime’ is overused for journey experiences, a sleepover at Wild Coast Tented Lodge on the sting of Yala Nationwide Park, actually is simply that. It shouldn’t be missed in case your price range permits. The lodge’s cocooned tents are pure indulgence with freestanding copper bathtubs, four-poster beds, limitless entry to a complimentary mini bar, and a personal plunge pool.

Nightly charges (with reductions for solo travellers) embrace a each day sport drive into Yala Block one the place sightings of untamed leopards, Asian elephants, blue-tailed bee-eater birds, tufted gray langurs and sloth bears (for those who’re very fortunate) make this keep really one in every of a form.

E-book it: Double rooms on an all inclusive foundation begin from £574 per evening.

Other than the very best crab curry you’ll discover in Sri Lanka and the opposite residence prepare dinner delights you’ll discover served on the Mahesa Bhawan’s communal eating desk, this 4 bed room villa offers the perfect location for exploring the nation’s northernmost area. Out of bounds for many years because of the nation’s devastating civil conflict, Jaffna and Level Pedro provide a special perspective of the nation with temples, idyllic islands and infinite stretches of seashore, that are dotted with fishing boats and rust-coloured nets.

The town of Jaffna itself is equally fascinating and value exploring on foot, then when the warmth of the day will get an excessive amount of, Mahesa Bhawan’s cool bedrooms, inviting swimming pool and extensive terrace present the right respite.

Ceylon Tea Trails includes 5 historic tea planter bungalows, every with 4 or bedrooms making certain an intimate, homely really feel. Bedrooms are decadently luxurious with four-poster beds, claw-foot stand-alone bathtubs, and writing bureaus. Non-public butlers are readily available to take care of your each want, from offering al-fresco afternoon tea on the garden, to icy G&Ts within the jacuzzi overlooking Castlereigh Reservoir.

One of many highlights of a keep right here, apart from the delectable delicacies and informative nature walks, is a go to to the close by Dunkeld tea manufacturing facility, the place unique visits are supplied for Tea Trails friends and information Bernard is readily available to clarify the complete tea manufacturing course of from begin to end. As he’s one of the crucial educated consultants in Sri Lanka, it’s price reserving an evening’s keep at Ceylon Tea Trails for his tour alone, particularly for those who admire a very good brew.

One of many larger motels in our round-up with 46 studios to select from, Uga Bay offers respite from the bustle of Sri Lanka’s cities with its gradual paced vibe, serene spa and seashore entrance entry. Situated on Pasikuda Seaside, typically known as the Maldives of Sri Lanka, it’s the perfect place to snorkel because the heat waters teems with vibrant fish and marine life – however there’s loads of enjoyable available for journey lovers too, because the lodge can organize jet snowboarding, kayaking and even dives to a close-by shipwreck.

Rooms have been embellished in a impartial color palette with pops of shiny blue and plenty of have a personal deck. Other than the gorgeous beachfront entry of this lodge, the true draw is the massive infinity pool that nearly blends proper into the ocean. Uga Bay is equally appropriate for a few nights cease off on a tour of the nation, or a week-long vacation. It gives the last word stress-free break no matter your vacation fashion.

E-book it: Double rooms on a B&B foundation begin from £237 per evening. ugaescapes.com

Three enormous yellow, pink and blue Ena De Silva batik prints command consideration within the foyer of the grandiose Anantara Kalutara on Sri Lanka’s east coast, an hour south of Colombo. This actually isn’t an intimate boutique property, like most in our roundup: it’s a sprawling maze of passageways, paths, communal areas and bedrooms, which makes it perfect for marriage ceremony events, teams and excursions.

With two swimming pools and three eating places, in addition to a surprising spa and a zipline, this resort has sufficient to maintain everybody occupied, throughout all ages.

E-book it: Double rooms on a B&B foundation begin from £195 per evening. anantara.com