Living Heritage Koslanda

Style

Fruits of the forest

Setting

Revamped rubber plantation

Living Heritage Koslanda sits in an area called God’s Forest; spend five minutes amid its cinnamon-scented serenity and you’ll soon see why. Romantic, rustic rooms, a dazzling hilltop infinity pool and a brilliant chef keep things heavenly. Instead of visiting angels, elephants stomp by during the drier months.

Facilities

Rooms

Nine, including three suites.

Checkout

Noon, but flexible, subject to availability. Check-in, from 2pm.

More Details

Rates usually include breakfast (Continental or American).

Also

Have a cookery class with chef Lal for US$20 a person; you'll learn how to make perfect Sri Lankan rice and curry, hoppers (pancakes made with rice batter and coconut milk), rotis, pittu (rice layered with coconut), sambals and other local dishes. You can even spend some time with Lal in the kitchen garden, selecting the produce you want to cook with. Pluck some home-grown pepper while you're there.

Free Internet Access

Laundry

Pool

Room Service

At the Hotel

Swimming pool; library; stash of on-loan CDs; WiFi in the restaurant (the other common areas are WiFi-free zones). In rooms: TV, DVD player, local bath products. The Pepper Garden Cottage and Suites have WiFi (but the Forest Pavilion does not).

Our Favourite Rooms

Villa One, housed in the main building, has its own little courtyard with mountain views; it's a spacious, simply designed haven from the heat. For maximum privacy, opt for the Garden Villa, set away from the main building and tucked in the undergrowth, close to the pool. This room is smaller and cheaper than the other options, but it has a private courtyard and the same timber- and stone-styling.

Poolside

To get to the pool, you’ll need to stomp up a hill, but you’ll be richly rewarded when you do: Koslanda’s jaw-drop hilltop infinity pool surveys the valley below. Staff will also point you in the direction of a secluded waterfall and river that you can swim in (depending on the season), close to the hotel.

Spa

Set among the lush landscapes of Sri Lanka’s highlands, Living Heritage Koslanda’s wellness retreats invite guests to slow down and switch off. Ancient Ayurvedic therapies, tailored treatments and restorative rituals are designed to soothe tired muscles, calm busy minds and leave you feeling refreshed, all surrounded by nature at its most serene.

Packing Tips

Waterfall-proof swimwear; sturdy shoes for walking on the rough paths around the hotel; your notebook for cookery lessons.

Also

Wondering where the hotel gets its architectural good looks from? It was designed by the late film-maker Manik Sandrasagra, in collaboration with renowned Sri Lankan architect Channa Daswatte. After Manik’s death, his wife Lucy completed the project.

Children

Little Smiths are welcome, but parents should note that this is a grown-up affair, with few distractions. Extra beds can be added to rooms for an additional charge. Children over-12 are charged as adults.

Gallery

Food & Drink

Top Table

The restaurant is lovely, but who could resist a lantern-lit table for two by the creek, or tucked away in a hilltop pavilion behind the pool?

Dress Code

Stay cool in light linens – it gets humid here.

Hotel Restaurant

Housed in an open-air timber pavilion with a pagoda-like roof, the restaurant serves delicious Sri Lankan food (don't expect any beef) cooked on a traditional wood-fired stove, plus Western favourites. Chef Lal rustles up a mean home-made pasta; the grilled prawns are pretty toothsome, too. The locally made timber tables are topped with dark cloths and red-glass bowls that twinkle with candles at night. Food and drinks are priced very fairly, so you might find yourself ordering extra.

Hotel Bar

There's no formal bar area as such, but drinks are served by the pool and throughout the hotel. Pick from beers, wine and a small selection of cocktails.

Last Orders

Dinner is served until 10pm at the restaurant; breakfast is 7.30am-10.30am.

Room Service

Available 24 hours, room service spans the full restaurant menu.

Planes

Bandaranaike International Colombo airport is around five and a half hours from the hotel by car, with connections to Singapore, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and London Gatwick, among other destinations. Call our Smith24 Team on 03300 376 891 to arrange flights and transfers.

Trains

Haputhale station is 20km from the hotel, a 45-minute drive.

Automobiles

Koslanda is your retreat, the kind of place you get to and stop moving (apart from the short stroll to the pool and waterfall). Plus the road that leaves to the hotel is rough and rocky; you’re better off leaving your wheels back home.

Worth Getting Out of Bed For

Let staff take you on a guided nature walk in the jungle and forest; if you want to explore further afield, they’ll also take you to Diyaluma Falls and a nearby rubber plantation, or to a local tea plantation, where you’ll see people picking tea, learn about production and taste a brew (US$45 a person). You can also visit a local jam-maker. For US$10 a person, staff will take you on a tour of the hotel gardens and teach you about pepper and spice cultivation, fruits and Ayurvedic plants. Set off on foot with your swimming gear and splash around the waterfall and river (in season). Take a book to the relaxation pavilion or communal veranda, or pack your bags for a serene, sunny afternoon by the hilltop infinity pool.

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. .