Enter Uga Ghiri, the newest Uga Resorts retreat, set to open in July 2026 in Ella. Perched on 10 acres of terraced hillside, the boutique property gives panoramic views of tea-draped valleys, distant peaks, and the iconic Nine Arch Bridge where you can watch trains chug along (wholesome AF).
The estate’s main house is a restored manor that somehow balances century-old charm with modern luxury, while 15 standalone villas each come with floor-to-ceiling windows, private jacuzzis, and design details that’ll have you calling an interior decorator asap.
Balinese wellness traditions with highland calm.
Spa time is also serious business here. Uga Ghiri pairs Balinese wellness traditions with highland calm in two treatment rooms overlooking Ella’s peaks. Plus there’s a sauna, steam room, and that glorious feeling of staring at clouds while someone rubs your shoulders. In other words, it’s heaven.
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Foodies and culture buffs won’t be left behind either. Guests can roll up their sleeves for Sri Lankan cooking classes, artisanal tea experiences, or guided tastings of Ceylon arrack. Adventurous types can hop on a bike along the Namunukula Ridge or join Rewild the Hills, a conservation-focused walk that makes biodiversity feel like the ultimate Instagram backdrop.
Nightly rates start from AU$1,795 AU which, considering the scenery and the jacuzzis might just feel like a bargain (sorta).
Why It Exists
To give travellers a front-row seat to Sri Lanka’s Hill Country, combining heritage, landscape and slow-living luxury in the heart of Ella.
The Vibe
Tea-blanketed hills, misty mornings and deep exhale energy, where everything slows down just enough for you to notice it.
Your Bed Tonight
A standalone villa or restored manor room with floor-to-ceiling valley views, a private jacuzzi and design details that quietly nod to the region’s colonial past.
The Thing You’ll Brag About Later
Watching trains cross the Nine Arch Bridge from your hillside perch while sipping something cold and pretending life has always been this calm.
Eat / Drink This
Sri Lankan cooking classes and curated tastings of Ceylon arrack, followed by long dinners that showcase the region’s spice-driven, seasonal flavours.
Steal This Local Move
Swap the pool for a guided walk or e-bike ride through the hills, where tea estates, cloud forests and conservation trails turn every turn into a postcard moment.
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It just sits there above the mirror-still waters of the Kandalama Reservoir, looking calm, confident and mildly unimpressed by the rest of the Sri Lankan hotel scene.
It’s 5am and my alarm loudly pierces the darkness of my tent.
If your idea of sightseeing usually involves a car, a dusty selfie stick, and way too many “are we there yet?” moments, it’s time to rethink things.
