Ulagalla: Asia’s award winning luxury hotel

Ulagalla, one of Sri Lanka’s newer luxury boutique hotels, has been named as one of the top 25 Small Luxury Hotels in Asia by TripAdvisor in its 2013 Travellers’ Choice awards. Now in its 10th year the TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice awards honour the world’s best hotels, earning their distinction from those who know them best – real travellers.

This recent award is an addition to its already existing TripAdvisor accolade from 2012 when it was awarded a Certificate of Excellence. “Magical,” “an experience to cherish,” “tranquil haven,” “unforgettable stay,” “six stars,” and “simply an amazing place” are just some of the words guests have used to review Ulagalla on TripAdvisor since it opened two-and-a-half years ago.

This magnificent luxury hotel is located in the heartland of North Central Sri Lanka very close to Anuradhapura (three-and-a-half hours from Colombo) and is spaciously situated on 58 acres of scenic gardens bordering two reservoirs. Its 20 individual sumptuous chalets, each with private plunge pools, are nestled amongst lush foliage, providing absolute privacy and a retreat from the hustle and bustle of day to day life.

Dining is a gastronomic experience of the finest gourmet cuisine – and you chose when you want to eat and where you want to eat. Everything is prepared from the freshest ingredients – many of them coming from the hotel’s organic garden.

CEO of Uga Escapes Ramli Ghaffoor said: “This latest accolade from TripAdvisor reflects Ulagalla’s dedication and perseverance in offering a luxury product with impeccable service and incredible guest experiences. Without this focus and without the incredible support from our guests we would not be able to receive such prestigious awards.”

He added: “Being a member of the prestigious Small Luxury Hotels of the World keeps us on our toes, ensuring that we continually deliver high service standards. At Ulagalla we always welcome our guests with warm Sri Lankan hospitality. Nothing is too much for our attentive yet discreet staff to fulfil.”

Whilst caring for their guests Ulagalla also takes great pride in caring for the environment. The entire property produces most of its own electricity, being one of the largest solar farms in Sri Lanka. They also harvest their own rain water, produce their own bio-gas to power some of the hotel’s lighting requirements, they have an extensive organic vegetable garden, and offer non-motorised activities limiting the hotel’s carbon emissions.

Ulagalla is part of the Uga Escapes portfolio, which includes Jungle Beach in Trincomalee and Uga Bay, the newly-opened resort in Passekudah.