Best Luxury Hotels in Ella, Sri Lanka: 5 Hill Country Stays

ByJanice and George Updated on
Best luxury hotels in Ella, Sri Lanka

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Ella is all grown up!

Once a backpacker hangout, this funky little hill town now has some seriously stylish digs – much like the lovely luxury hotels we’ve found elsewhere around Sri Lanka. Two exciting new deluxe hotels opened here in 2026 alone.

So if you’re wondering where to stay in Ella, you now have some tempting choices.

On our Sri Lanka trip, we rolled in on the legendary train from Kandy to Ella. We hiked Little Adam’s Peak (twice!), climbed up Ella Rock (discovering Buddha statues in a secret cave) and toured the Uva Halpewatte Tea Factory.

We also luxuriated by our hotel pool, soaking up the gorgeous emerald-hill views you get here.

Here are our picks for the five best places to stay in Ella.

Best luxury hotels in Ella, Sri Lanka

Two hikers sit at the top of Little Adam’s Peak in Ella, Sri Lanka, with sweeping mountain views behind them.
We conquered Little Adam’s Peak – and what a view!

1) Uga Ghiri

Best for: Ultra-luxury

Modern private villa at the new Uga Ghiri in Ella, Sri Lanka, surrounded by lush gardens and flowering hydrangeas
A very modern retreat on a century-old tea estate

Ella finally has a bona fide ultra-luxury resort!

Opened in 2026, Uga Ghiri spills across an old colonial-era tea plantation, with 11 acres of terraced hillside and knockout views over Ella’s mountains.

And here’s the fun part for us: We’ve actually stayed here before – when the property was The Secret Ella. We remember those glorious hill-country views!

But almost everything else has changed…

From old bungalow to luxe retreat

Spacious modern villa bedroom at Uga Ghiri in Ella, with a king bed, sitting area, wood floors and mountain views through floor-to-ceiling windows
Is this bed with a view calling out to you?

Uga beautifully restored the century-old tea plantation bungalow, which now forms the heart of the resort.

Then it added 15 striking new standalone villas – and, with a sleek contemporary look, they’re a complete contrast to the old bungalow. Think clean architectural lines and walls of glass.

These aren’t exactly petite hideaways either. Each villa is a whopping 1,200 sq. ft., with a king bed, separate living area, big bathroom with a soaking tub and walk-in shower, and a private deck with its own heated Jacuzzi.

There’s also a resort infinity pool for taking in the mountain views, along with a spa, sauna, steam room and gym.

Good to know

  • The resort is all inclusive – All meals and select beverages are included in the room rate.
  • You can walk to Nine Arches Bridge – It’s a 30-minute walk from the resort, making one of Ella’s star sights easy to reach on foot.
  • You’re close to Ella town – The resort is about 2 miles from central Ella, so figure on about a 10-minute tuk-tuk ride.

Our take

Elegant open-air dining terrace at a new Ella hotel in Sri Lanka, with white columns, white sofas and tables overlooking the gardens
Pull up a chair – meals and drinks are included at Uga Ghiri

We’ve stayed at another Uga property, the jungle-luxe Uga Ulagalla in Sri Lanka’s Cultural Triangle, and loved its blend of private pool chalets, fine food and warm service.

From everything we’ve seen and heard, Uga Ghiri is following suit – so we feel pretty confident calling it the most luxurious hotel in Ella.

Booking Uga Ghiri

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2) 98 Acres Resort & Spa

Best for: Views, hiking and a romantic getaway with buzz

Thatch-roof chalets (some with private pools) are scattered across a green hillside, against a backdrop of a purple sky.
Rustic-chic hotel guestroom with stone walls, wood floors, a king bed and thatched ceiling
A Grand Executive Suite at 98 Acres Resort & Spa, with polished wood floors, a private plunge pool and mountain views
Thatch-roof chalets and rustic-chic rooms (some with private pools) – mountain luxury, 98 Acres style

One of Ella’s most iconic stays, 98 Acres Resort & Spa sprawls across a working tea estate in the hills above town.

It was always a hit, but it’s even better now – after a major refurbishment in 2024 spruced up its rooms and resort facilities.

Thatch-roof chalets

A couple enjoys breakfast in bed with mountain views in a Royal Deluxe Room, where the bed rolls right out onto the terrace at 98 Acres Resort.
Royal Deluxe Rooms offer breakfast in bed, with Ella’s mountains putting on a show

Scattered about the estate, you’ll find eco-chic thatch-roof chalets, built from old railway sleepers and other recycled materials.

Clinging to a steep hillside, they offer spectacular views of the surrounding hills. Inside, you’ll find timber floors, king beds and traditional stone showers.

How about breakfast in bed – on your deck?

In the Royal Deluxe Rooms, the bed actually rolls out onto the terrace, so you can enjoy your eggs and bacon with a side of misty mountains, without even getting out of bed!

For an extra dose of romance, some chalets even have their own private heated plunge pools.

Splashing out?

  • Choose a Grand Executive Suite – At 580 sq. ft., each has a generous living area, kitchenette and outdoor dining space, along with personalized butler service. Best of all, you get your own private infinity plunge pool, complete with loungers.
  • Pssst! We hear #301 is the most private – The pool from the #303 Grand Executive Suite is more visible from reception.

Hike Little Adam’s Peak

One of Ella’s most popular hikes starts practically on the resort’s doorstep.

We hiked the Little Adam’s Peak trail on two separate mornings, setting off early to beat the heat and getting back in time for breakfast.

It takes about 40 minutes to climb up through the tea plantations. And you get sweeping views from the top over rolling green hills and Ella Gap, where the mountains part to reveal the deep valley below.

Pool time: Quiet or buzzy?

Guests lounge on white daybeds set on raised circular platforms in the pool at Ravana Pool Club at 98 Acres Resort.
The Ravana Pool Club is where 98 Acres lets its hair down

There’s a small resort pool for quieter dips.

Or, when you’re in the mood for more of a scene, head to Ravana Pool Club, the bigger and livelier pool complex elsewhere on the property.

Open to outside guests too, this Balinese-inspired day-and-night club has a big infinity pool overlooking the mountains, along with daybeds, cocktails, food and DJ-spun music. As a 98 Acres guest, you get complimentary admission.

Come earlier for a more chilled-out vibe; afternoons tend to get busier and livelier as the music cranks up.

Good to know

  • The hillside setting means lots of steps – Chalets, reception and the restaurant are all at different levels, so you’ll want to be reasonably mobile.
  • It’s not all honeymoon hush – Ravana Pool Club can get pretty hopping in the afternoon, with music and a younger party crowd… Great if you like a little energy with your luxury; less so if you’re after complete peace and quiet.
  • You’re close enough to pop into Ella for dinner – At 2 miles from central Ella, 98 Acres is roughly a 10-minute tuk-tuk ride into town.

Booking 98 Acres Resort & Spa

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3) Nine Skies

Best for: Old-world tea-country luxury

Nine Skies nails that elegant tea-plantation country-house look

If your idea of hill-country heaven involves four-poster beds, afternoon tea and old-world pampering, Nine Skies may have your name written all over it.

Part of the exclusive Teardrop Hotels collection, this wonderfully restored 1920s tea planter’s bungalow is tucked into the hills about a 15-minute drive from Ella.

For us, Nine Skies is the best hotel in Ella for that elegant private-country-house feeling.

An intimate stay

Spacious Nine Skies bedroom with a four-poster king bed, sitting area and modern tea-country decor
A modern take on traditional tea-country style

With only five bedrooms, Nine Skies is deliciously small and personal.

Most rooms have four-poster king beds, along with period furniture and plenty of colonial-era character.

Poolside or trailside?

Outside, lawns and gardens spill down toward an infinity pool overlooking the misty hills.

Feeling energetic? You can hike about 2½ miles through the countryside to the Nine Arches Bridge.

Sundowners, anyone?

After a day of hiking, settle into a garden chair for butler-served sundowners – or cozy up by the crackling log fire when the hill-country mist rolls in.

We can picture ourselves doing exactly that.

Good to know

Breakfast table set with plates of omelettes, bacon and sausages; bowl of fruit and pot of tea
Now, this is what we call a hearty breakfast!

Nine Skies is all-inclusive. Meals, snacks and drinks are rolled into the rate, making it very easy to settle in and play country-house guest for a few days.

Booking Nine Skies

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4) Newburgh Ella, The Tea Factory Resort

Best for: Tea history with a twist

A former tea factory, with an orange chimney, surrounded by lush green hills and mountains in Ella, Sri Lanka
A 120-year-old tea factory (now a hotel) with million dollar views

One of Ella’s newest luxury hotels is actually more than 120 years old.

Opened as a hotel in 2026, Newburgh Ella occupies a carefully restored 1903 tea factory, founded by Scottish tea planter George Thomson (who helped put Ella on the tea-growing map).

Much of its industrial character remains, from the stonework and steel beams to the distinctive orange chimney still rising above the property.

But you certainly won’t be sleeping on a tea sack.

Stay in a tea factory

Clawfoot tub, glass-walled bathroom and wood beamed ceiling in a Silver Tip guest room at Newburgh Ella
A Silver Tip room: From factory tea-factory floor to fabulous hotel room

The hotel has 41 contemporary rooms and suites, whimsically named after grades of tea – Bronze Tip, Golden Tip and Silver Tip.

Bronze Tip rooms start at 246 sq. ft., while the higher categories give you more room to spread out and offer some of the loveliest mountain views.

And what views they are! Newburgh looks out over Ella Gap, Ella Rock and Little Adam’s Peak.

From tea leaves to tipples

The tea theme goes well beyond the room names too.

You can see old tea-making equipment, wander through the estate and learn how Ceylon tea goes from freshly plucked leaf to your morning cuppa.

There’s also the Ayuwasa Spa, an observation deck and several places to eat and drink, including the atmospheric Founder’s Tavern.

Room tip

We’ve heard that sound can carry between rooms, with some road noise too. The earplugs provided in the rooms may be a hint!

We’d ask for a quiet room, preferably toward the back.

Good to know

  • There’s no swimming pool – That’s a bit of a miss for a luxury resort in our books, particularly when you’re comparing Newburgh with Uga Ghiri, 98 Acres or Nine Skies. Then again…
  • Rates here are much easier on the wallet – The resort is a more affordable way to stay somewhere with real character and a great sense of place (which helps make up for that missing pool).
  • Ella town is close – Newburgh is 1¼ miles from central Ella, about a 5- to 10-minute tuk-tuk ride away.

Booking Newburgh Ella

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5) EKHO Ella

Best for: An upscale boutique hotel close to town

Outdoor hot tub, surrounded by red flowers, on the terrace at EKHO Ella, overlooking mist-shrouded mountains
Maybe you don’t need a pool when your hot tub comes with views like this?

Want to be really close to Ella, without giving up those mountain views? EKHO Ella delivers both.

Perched just above town, this small boutique hotel is only a few minutes’ walk from Ella’s cafés, restaurants and shops. Yet out back, the outlook opens dramatically across Ella Gap toward Little Adam’s Peak and the surrounding green hills.

Rooms with a view

Junior Suite at EKHO Ella with bed covered in white linens, and private Jacuzzi in a glass nook overlooking the mountains
We like the Junior Suites best

There are just 12 rooms, giving EKHO a quiet personal feel. Interiors mix contemporary comforts with Sri Lankan touches, while big windows make the most of the scenery.

  • Entry-level Superior Rooms are cozy – They’re under 260 sq. ft.
  • Premier Deluxe Rooms bump up the size – And they feel roomier at 365 sq. ft.
  • Go for one of the two Junior Suites – At 549 sq. ft., they offer much more room to spread out. Plus, they feature a private Jacuzzi in a glass nook, with a stunning soak-and-stare-at-the-mountains kind of view.
Private Jacuzzi in a glass nook off the Junior Suite at EKHO Ella, with sweeping mountain views
Ahhh, yes… This should feel good after a day of hiking!

Dinner? Just stroll into town

One of EKHO’s biggest perks is its location. You can easily walk into town for dinner or drinks, then retreat to the peace and quiet of your hillside perch.

Or stay put… The hotel has its own restaurant, where the Ella Gap scenery comes with your meal.

Good to know

  • Morning yoga is free – Fancy starting the day with a 45-minute session of down dogs and sun salutations?
  • There’s no swimming pool – Groan… But there is a large outdoor heated Jacuzzi overlooking Ella Gap, and it’s quite the spot for a soak after a hike!
  • Sightseeing is easy – Little Adam’s Peak and Nine Arches Bridge are both nearby.
  • It’s comparatively affordable – Like Newburgh Ella (#4 above), EKHO is less expensive than Ella’s top-end luxury stays, making it another good-value upscale choice.

Booking EKHO Ella

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Experience more of Sri Lanka

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Our top travel tips and resources

→ General trip planning: TripAdvisor is a helpful starting point, with loads of user reviews on hotels, restaurants and things to do.

→ Hotels: Booking.com is our go-to for scoring a “wow” hotel – or at least a decent one – often at lower rates than the hotel’s own website. (We especially like Booking.com’s flexible cancellation policy!) You can also find excellent discounted rates on Expedia, especially for hotels in the U.S. and Mexico.

→ Vacation homes, condos and rentals: We prefer and use Vrbo (Vacation Rentals by Owner).

→ Flights: For the best flights, we search on Google Flights first. Expedia and Kayak are then perfect for snagging the cheapest tickets. (They’re often non-refundable, though, so for more flexibility, we book directly with the airline, even if it costs more.)

→ Airport lounge access: We love (and have) Priority Pass for comfy lounge seats, free snacks and drinks, complimentary WiFi and sometimes even showers and spa services!

→ Tours: For the best local food, walking and other guided tours, plus skip-the-line tickets to attractions, check out Viator (a TripAdvisor company) and GetYourGuide.

→ Car rental: Renting a car can be a great way to explore off the beaten path. Discover Cars searches car rental companies for the lowest rates.

→ Travel insurance: SafetyWing is designed for frequent travelers, long-term adventurers and digital nomads. It covers medical expenses, lost checked luggage, trip interruption and more. We also have and recommend Medjet for global air medical transportation.

→ Travel gear: See our travel shop to find the best luggage, accessories and other travel gear. (We suggest these comfy travel sandals for city walking, the beach and kicking about.)

→ Need more help planning your trip? Check out our travel tips and resources guide for airline booking tips, ways to save money, how to find cool hotels and other useful trip planning info.

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Photo credits: 1 courtesy 98 Acres Resort & Spa | Remaining hotel photos courtesy of the respective hotels

About the authors

We’re Janice and George Mucalov, award-winning travel journalists who’ve explored all seven continents – always with room for one more adventure (and one more glass of wine). Here on our luxury travel blog, Sand In My Suitcase, we share destination guides, luxury hotel reviews, cultural discoveries, cruise know-how and insider travel tips. Curious? Read about us.

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