Living Heritage Koslanda
Bandarawela

Tucked away in Sri Lanka’s remote Hill Country, halfway between Ella and Wellawaya, Living Heritage Koslanda is an exquisitely serene boutique retreat that blends traditional Sri Lankan design with barefoot luxury and immersive nature. Set within a 80-acre estate of protected forest, tea plantations and pepper groves, this hidden gem is a soulful place to pause and reconnect with nature and local culture.

The villas are perfectly suited to the cooler climate and combine boutique-style luxury with the authentic charm of vernacular Sri Lankan architecture. The hotel worked closely with local craftsmen and revived centuries-old building techniques, such as wattle and daub walls and clay-tiled roofing, to ensure every structure is deeply rooted in tradition. Colours and textures such as burnished terracotta, cool polished cement and dark wood, are thoughtfully incorporated throughout. The rooms are decorated with antique pieces sourced from across the island, adding a sense of history and character.

Each villa is a private sanctuary, designed for indoor-outdoor living, featuring their own secluded courtyard, outdoor hot water garden shower and open-air jacuzzi. Interiors are tranquil and refined, with high timber ceilings, four-poster beds and wide daybeds that invite long hours of reading, napping or gazing out into the jungle canopy. There are also three open-sided pavilions, known as ambalamas, once the communal meeting place in every Sri Lankan village, perfect for unwinding with a book or a pot of Ceylon tea. A wide veranda lines the main building, encouraging leisurely afternoons of conversation, lounging and observing the colours of the forest shift with the light.

Meals are prepared using ingredients grown on-site or sourced locally such as fresh herbs from the garden, vegetables picked that morning and rice cultivated in the hotel’s own paddy fields. The kitchen excels at flavourful, home-style Sri Lankan cooking and guests can enjoy meals in the open-air dining pavilion, under the stars by the candlelit pool or as a picnic beside the hotel’s own private waterfall.

Wellness here is natural and intuitive. The estate’s setting alone is deeply restorative, but for those seeking deeper relaxation, Ayurvedic treatments and aromatherapy massages are available either in-room or under the trees. Yoga and meditation sessions can also be arranged on request, taking advantage of the peace and beauty of the surrounding forest.

The estate itself invites exploration and one can follow winding footpaths through woodland trails to reach the private waterfall, perfect for swimming or enjoying a forest picnic. Go birdwatching with a local guide, spot monkeys in the trees or take a cooking class to learn the secrets of Sri Lankan cuisine. The estate is also ideally placed for visiting nearby attractions such as Diyaluma Falls, the second-highest waterfall in Sri Lanka, and the famed Nine Arch Bridge and Little Adam’s Peak in Ella, just an hour away.

Living Heritage Koslanda has been praised by publications such as The Telegraph and The Hotel Guru for its authenticity, architectural beauty and enveloping sense of peace. It is a place to escape where the forest is your soundtrack and where heritage, nature and hospitality live in harmony.

My favourite thing is to go where I've never been.
Diane Arbus