The Hill Country
Tea Trails comprises a collection of five stunning colonial-style residences built for British tea plantation managers. Completely refurbished, the…
Must-see hotels in The Hill Country
The Hill Country
Located in a tea plantation, this fine mountain lodge enjoys outstanding views – on very clear days you can even see the Dondra Lighthouse on the South…
Haputale
Kelburne is a simply sublime spot to relax for a few days, with homely accommodation in immaculately renovated former tea-planters' bungalows and dapper…
Nuwara Eliya
High in mist-wrapped hills 13km northeast of Nuwara Eliya, this unique place has been built into and around a century-old tea factory. Blurring the line…
The Hill Country
Located at around 1000m, this gorgeous former tea planter’s bungalow enjoys a temperate, sometimes coolish climate on a steep forested hillside surrounded…
Ella
Totally renovated, this once supremely tacky hotel now has seven perfectly designed, sleek, modern bungalows, each with stupendous valley views from their…
The Hill Country
Thanks to masses of exotic tropical flora, the air you breathe at this divine hotel, once home to a Kandyan chief, literally tastes perfumed. Now fully…
The Hill Country
On the edge of the Sinharaja reserve (very rare purple-faced langurs are regularly seen) this is one of the remotest hotels in Sri Lanka. Highly original…
The Hill Country
The Swiss–Sri Lankan owners of this idyllic little three-room guesthouse have created a small slice of bliss here. There are cool, high-ceilinged rooms…
Uda Walawe National Park
A welcoming place offering good budget accommodation in simple, quite spacious fan-cooled rooms with cold-water private bathrooms. Breakfasts, indeed all…
Ella
A delightfully secluded homestay run by an Australian couple with a flair for art and design. The building melds into the hillside and offers views over…
Kandy
Dotted with antiques, and with stunning views over a secluded arc of the Mahaweli Ganga, Villa Rosa is an inspiring place to stay. Spacious wooden-floored…
Kandy
A lot of know-how has gone into this very well-set-up hostel, with its inviting air-con dorms (all with lockers, comfy bunks and reading lights) and…
Ella
One of the best homestays in the Ella region, Chamodya is run by a lovely couple who take very good care of their guests. Guests get to enjoy a glorious…
Nuwara Eliya
Set in spacious lawned grounds, this colonial-era bungalow is straight out of a period drama – even the sprucely turned-out staff hovering in the…
Ella
Owned by a talented musician and master carpenter, these beautifully finished rooms boast gorgeous handmade fixtures and fittings (shelves, clothes rails)…
Kandy
This popular, well-established guesthouse is owned by a friendly family, one of whom worked in hospitality for years, and is surrounded by towering palm…
The Hill Country
In a rural location 2km north of Wellawaya, this fine new hotel has well-appointed, smart and modern rooms that overlook rice fields and across towards…
Sinharaja Rain Forest View Villas
The Hill Country
These well-constructed wooden forest cabins are delightful, each with a double bed, stylish attached bathroom (with hot water) and veranda. There are…
The Hill Country
Dalhousie’s best option is Slightly Chilled in name and very chilled in nature. You'll find spacious, comfortable and colourful rooms with polished wooden…
The Hill Country
In a remote rainforest location, 6km north of Kitulgala via a rough road, this hotel is fantastically secluded. It has four timber cottages built around,…
Nuwara Eliya
Run by a very hospitable family, this charming little guesthouse is located up in the hills, 4km northwest of town, in a mountain village said to be the…
Kandy
A superb converted villa with seven gorgeous rooms, all with plush, tasteful furnishings and a dash of art, and kitted out with all the mod cons you could…
Nuwara Eliya
Judged in pure value-for-money terms, the somewhat tired rooms at this quintessentially colonial hotel don't really cut it. However, a stay at the Hill…
Nuwara Eliya
North of town on a beautifully groomed rise overlooking the golf course, this striking colonial residence was once a planters’ club. Today, it's a…
The Hill Country
Brothers Palitha and Bandula Rathnayaka are both certified forest guides, so staying here makes it easy to maximise your time. The rooms at their home are…
The Hill Country
Definitely glamping not camping, this upmarket lodge's luxe tents are scattered around a verdant hillside, and are all equipped with commodious beds,…
The Hill Country
Around 90 years ago, they wisely stopped updating the furniture at this venerable tea planters’ club. Now, in the 21st century, this hotel is a jolly fine…
Ella
A wonderful guesthouse where the rooms have enormous glass-panel windows and terraces strewn with hammocks and chairs. Eating breakfast on the sunny…
Haputale
For a unique experience, check into this monastery, which has only recently permitted outside guests. There are nine clean neat rooms with private hot…
Ella
Ten clicks south of Ella, this converted tea-planters' bungalow is fringed by blossoming, beautiful gardens carefully cultivated by the owners (one of…
Uda Walawe National Park
This safari camp has comfortable canvas tents strung along the river bank with attached (cold-water) bathrooms and proper beds (with mossie nets). It's a…
Kandy
This stunning villa was once the home of Sir Cudah Ratwatte, the first elected mayor of Kandy. Today, it's been lovingly converted into a beautiful hotel,…
Haputale
This orderly, well-run family guesthouse in a tranquil location (with no views) has been in business for decades. There are five new rooms with a…
Ella
Located above the restaurant of the same name, this hotel's accommodation is immaculate and ideal for families. Many of the offerings are mini-apartments…
Nuwara Eliya
This huge mock-Tudor edifice has immaculate lawns, a reading lounge and an impressive partly open dining terrace. Rooms are comfortable and well-equipped,…
Kandy
Run by Thomas and Mani, a very welcoming couple, this slightly bohemian place is a great escape from the city, a Sri Lankan cottage tucked away in a…
Kandy
This small hilltop place is one of Kandy’s longest-established hotels and it has excellent views and scrupulously clean rooms decorated with Sri Lankan…
The Hill Country
This old colonial-era bungalow serves as the hub for a rafting and birdwatching outfit that sprawls along the riverbank. The 10 quirky riverside cottages…
The Hill Country
This family-run, eight-room guesthouse north of town has warm hospitality, good Sri Lankan food and fine views of emerald-green rice paddies. The cheapest…
