Hi guys, hope you are doing well. Today I am going to talk about a unique hotel situated in Ella, Sri Lanka. That’s 98 Acres Resort & Spa.
But first, tell me this. What type of a person are you? If you are going to spend the holiday somewhere, what type of accommodation would you choose, a fully air conditioned, extremely comfortable hotel room or a place which is so close to nature which will not be much comfortable? Here in Sri Lanka you will find both these types easily. But what if you want an accommodation, which is both extremely comfortable and so close to nature? Now that is hard.
Because in Sri Lanka, there are not many places which will fulfill both those requirements 100%. 98 Acres Resort & Spa is one of those few places. It is situated in Ella (Badulla District), a major tourist destination in Sri Lanka. (It is funny how the Badulla train which comes from Colombo, gets almost empty at the Ella railway station. There is about 2.3km from Ella Railway Station to 98 Acres Resort.
Highly Blended with Nature
The resort is situated in a tea estate. Unlike a traditional hotels, there are only few rooms. It might be in order to protect the green concept. It can be noted that they have managed very well to minimize the impact on the environment when the resort is built. When you enter the resort premises, it feels very relaxing and calm.
How About Rooms?
The interior design of the rooms is very interesting. It differs as per the type of room, since they have several types of rooms. But mostly the rooms consist of wooden flooring and face rubble walls. The most unique thing you will find there is the furniture made out of used railway sleepers. Yes, you heard it correct, they are made of used railway sleepers (and some useless wooden poles).
The balconies of the rooms are facing the Ella Gap, a stunning valley. Behind the valley you can see the Little Adam’s Peak. Having a tea on the balcony in the morning while observing the valley, is a marvellous experience.
When it comes to bathrooms also, there are several types. I have stayed there once in a ‘Superior’ Room. Superior rooms have the most unique bathroom design. They have railway sleeper flooring, face rubble walls, stone showers and taps, a stone wash basin and an inbuilt bath tub. All the bathrooms have hot water.
Room service and other services at 98 Resort are excellent. The staff is very hospitable.
Restaurant
The restaurant is situated separately at the summit of the land. It is an open one with a high roof, made of stone, timber, bamboo and dry leaves (Illuk). It is a nice observation point to have a beautiful panoramic view. The resort has a rich food menu every day. Food was decent when we were there. You have to go to the restaurant to have the breakfast. It is a buffet. But for lunch and dinner, you can either come to the restaurant or have the food delivered to the room. But trust me, having food at the restaurant is a much better experience than having it in the room, especially the dinner.
In case the cold is too much for you, they have heaters at the restaurant.
There is dedicated spa at the resort. It is obvious as it is mentioned in their name also, 98 Acres Resort & Spa. I bothered to check the spa when I was there. They have a vast number of types of massages and therapies. Many of you will find it interesting to have a massage or a therapy there.
There are a number of activities you can take part there. Bird watching, hiking, cooking with chef, etc. They even have helicopter rides which will pick you up from Katunayake Airport or Ratmalana Airport and brings to 98 Acres Resort & Spa helipad. It is very expensive though. Please check their website mentioned below to know total list of activities you can take part there.
How to Reach…
The highly recommended way of transportation is the train to get to 98 Acres. Because that is the most beautiful train route of Sri Lanka, Colombo to Badulla. Even though it takes time, it is totally worth the beauty of the sights you will meet on the way. If you want to travel in the observation saloon or in the AC compartment (1st class), you are going to have to book the seats in advance. Make sure to book your seats as early as possible. Because the seat are reserved very quickly. For more details, visit Sri Lanka Railway Department’s website’s Train Schedule and Reservation page.
If you are travelling with a vehicle it will be 210km from Pettah to 98 Acres Resort & Spa. If you are travelling from Matara, there are around 170km to Ella. Either you are travelling on a train or by a vehicle, you have to come to Ella town and travel 2km along Passara Road. And also, as I mentioned earlier, if you can afford it, you can have a helicopter collect you from the airport itself and bring you to 98 Acres.
What to See at Ella?
As I mentioned at the beginning also, Ella is a major tourist destination in Sri Lanka. There are a number of natural attractions around the area. And Ella itself is an attraction because of cold weather and the surround.
If I list out some major attractions….
– Little Adam’s Peak
While we were at 98 Acres Resort and Spa, we visited here. It is situated on the opposite side of 98 Acres on Ella Gap. It is a little mountain with a forest cover. If you are lucky, if the surround is clear you will be amazed by the stunning panoramic view at the top.
We found these lonely folks at the top of Little Adam’s Peak.
– Ella Rock
– Nine Arc Bridge
– Demodara Railway Loop
– Ravana Ella Falls
– Ella Gap Waterfall
– Ravana’s Cave
Other than that, you can do hiking, cycling, bird watching and many other activities in Ella.
For more information 98 Acres Resort and Spa, visit their official website here.
So if you count my recommendation, 98 Acres Resort & Spa is highly recommended if you are not on a low budget. Because the place is unique, beautiful, comfortable and very hospitable. For sure it will be a memorable experience for the entire life.
If you ever feel this place is more than your budget, there are plenty more options you can consider in Ella.
So that’s about 98 Acres Resort & Spa. Let me know in the comments what your feelings about the place are. And if you have been there, please share your thoughts with us also. See you in the next post.
Note: This is not a sponsored article. I have visited the place once and I loved it, that is why wanted to share it with you.
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