Uga Ulagalla

Style

All creatures great and small

Setting

Rice paddies and ponds

Uga Ulagalla is where the wild things are – expect to see monkeys, peacocks and elephants galumphing around this Cultural Triangle treat. An open-air spa, resident horses, ravishing dining and serene villas make romance as natural as air here.

Facilities

Rooms

Twenty-five, including one suite.

Checkout

11am, but flexible, subject to availability. Earliest check-in, 2pm. Guaranteed early check-in or late check-out will be charged as an extra night.

More Details

Rates usually include breakfast (Continental and hot options) and WiFi.

Also

Volunteer to help out with the rice harvest if you're here in March, when the rice is in season. You'll learn about traditional harvesting techniques and will wield a sickle alongside fellow rice-pickers (if you'd rather help eat it, the restaurant puts its crop on the menu).

Fitness Center

Free Internet Access

Laundry

Pool

On-Site Restaurant

Room Service

Spa

At the Hotel

58-acre grounds, stables, day spa, basement wine cellar, library, stash of CDs and DVDs. In rooms: TV, DVD player, iPod dock, minibar.

Our Favourite Rooms

Villa 21 is the most private and romantic of the sleeping quarters, set furthest from the main building, overlooking a little lake (a hammock for two swings temptingly by the water).

Poolside

All rooms come with a private plunge pool, except for One and Two, which have an in-room Jacuzzi instead. There’s also a large, family-friendly communal pool, whose pretty azure and opalescent tiles are a vivid contrast to the hotel’s lush green foliage and red-tiled roofs. A lifeguard keeps watch over the pool between 6am and 11pm daily (timings may vary).

Spa

Two rooms built within a mud-brick-walled natural depression – in view of a pond with a water feature, reeds and glimmering fish – make up Ulagalla’s serene open-air spa. Opt for the Royal Body Ritual, which kicks off with a traditional herbal foot bath, foot scrub and forehead massage, and leads on to an exfoliating back scrub and full body massage.

Packing Tips

Binoculars to spy on the elephants, monkeys and peacocks.

Also

Each villa has his 'n' hers bicycles so you can wheel around the verdant 58 acres.

Children

Little Smiths are very welcome: extra beds cost US$15 a night, cots are free, babysitting and junior adventurers, such as horse riding and a rangers programme are also available (subject to availability and additional costs)

Gallery

Food & Drink

Top Table

Try out each of the flexible dining options on offer here: poolside, in the thick of things; out in the romantic rice paddies; on top of the observation platform under the twinkling stars; in the privacy of your own villa; out on the helipad.

Dress Code

Easy breezy: light layers, short sleeves and a dash of spicy cologne. If mozzies find you irresistible, opt for longer sleeves or hemlines during the wetter months.

Hotel Restaurant

Liya Wela occupies the top floor of the main building, with views of the gardens, pool and surroundings. Because it’s open to the elements, a pleasant breeze blows through the dining room. Furniture is traditional, crafted from timber; the menu ticks off international options and Sri Lankan classics (mostly vegetarian, including a delicious sweet-potato curry – though the chef’s signature Wallawa chicken with curry leaf, spicy sauce, rice and home-grown vegetables is also worth sampling).

Hotel Bar

The bar sits directly below the restaurant and shares its open-air, unfussy design. Timber rafters and sturdy pillars punctuate the space. If you're thirsting for something fruity, order two Pink Millenniums – a zingy muddle of sparkling wine, vodka and cranberry juice.

Last Orders

The restaurant stops serving food and drinks around 11pm.

Room Service

Available 24 hours, room service spans all the restaurant’s breakfast options, plus a selection of light dishes such as salads, sandwiches and soups.

Planes

Anuradhapura domestic airport is 25km from the hotel (a half-hour drive). Connecting flights leave daily from Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo. Call our Smith24 Team on 03300 376 891 to arrange flights and transfers.

Trains

Anuradhapura train station is the same distance as the airport, served by SriLankan Railways.

Automobiles

Maintain the holiday mood and leave wheels at home; it’s cheap and easy to get around by taxi. You might find yourself loath to go far, anyway.

Worth Getting Out of Bed For

Have a cookery class with the chefs; you’ll learn to make a traditional curry and perfect rice in the resort’s organic garden, where produce for the restaurant is plucked. There's an onsite archery range (staff will lend you all the kit) in the gardens; the friendly staff will show you the ropes and coax you into hitting some bull's-eyes. Set off on a nature walk along the two reservoirs adjoining the resort (keep your ears and eyes peeled for elephants), or hop onto the hotel's two horses and canter around the property. Staff are on hand to help beginners. Take your bikes and cycle to the local village – be sure to hop off by the Buddhist temple. You can also borrow kayaks and take to the water.

Earn or Redeem Points with World of Hyatt

This Mr & Mrs Smith hotel participates in the World of Hyatt loyalty program. As a member, you can earn and redeem points and enjoy exclusive benefits for qualifying nights. .