Uga Ghiri
Contemporary take on a tea planters’ bungalow
Couples,
Solo
Uga Ghiri sits high in the hills of Ella, with standards to match and the Nine Arch Bridge in view from the garden.
At the centre of the Sutherland Estate, Uga kept the early 1900s colonial manor standing as it was and saved the fresh thinking for the interiors. This is where you dine, under soaring ceilings, or out on the veranda overlooking the hills.
Around it, across eleven acres of terraced hillside, sit fifteen slick, standalone villas facing the mountains and tea plantations.
We can confirm the service is warm and attentive, the details had been thought through, and everything you eat and drink is taken care of, right down to the minibar.
Uga Ghiri suits couples who want to experience the hill country in contemporary comfort, and who like a morning with a purpose before an afternoon with none. Start with the included tea session: plucking leaves, processing them by hand, then blending your own Ceylon tea. Spend the afternoon at the 15-metre infinity pool, or in the spa. Evenings belong to the manor: a library, a drawing room with a fireplace, and a bar with a pool table.
Two resident naturalists lead walks across the estate, including Rewild the Hills, where guests help record the region’s wildlife and support a butterfly and dragonfly breeding programme. There’s also a cycle down from the Namunukula Ridge through tea estates and villages, a cooking class that starts at the market, and arrack tastings, all charged separately. Little Adam’s Peak is within walking distance.
Meals are served in the manor, indoors or out, from a set menu that moves between Sri Lankan and Western dishes. A fusion high tea fills the gap in the afternoon.
The Rooms
With 15 villas spread across the island, Cempedak keeps things simple by design.
All fifteen villas are generous in size with floor-to-ceiling windows to frame the dramatic landscape.
Inside, they’re light-filled and modern, finished in neutral tones with some Sri Lankan details. The bathrooms are the highlight, with a bathtub, a walk-in shower and his-and-hers vanities.
Outside, each deck has its own six-foot heated jacuzzi. Every villa has a double bed except one, which is set up as a twin, and each can take an extra bed for a third person. An espresso machine and Sri Lankan tea come as standard.
What You’ll Find:
Why You’ll Love It:
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