By the Best Mountain Hotels editorial team ·
98 Acres Resort & Spa is the most famous place to stay in Ella, the laid-back mountain town at the heart of Sri Lanka's hill country. Built on a 98-acre tea estate, its chalets, made partly from old railway sleepers and rough-hewn granite, look across a valley of tea bushes to Little Adam's Peak, with pools, a spa and a restaurant on a hilltop.
98 Acres Resort & Spa is the most famous place to stay in Ella, the laid-back mountain town at the heart of Sri Lanka's hill country. Built on a 98-acre tea estate, its chalets, made partly from old railway sleepers and rough-hewn granite, look across a valley of tea bushes to Little Adam's Peak, with pools, a spa and a restaurant on a hilltop.
Location: Ella, Sri Lanka
The resort is on the Greenland tea estate, on the Passara Road just outside Ella, at the foot of Little Adam's Peak.
Sri Lanka's hill country is a landscape of emerald tea plantations, waterfalls and misty peaks, crossed by one of the world's most beautiful railway journeys, from Kandy to Ella. The tea estates were planted by the British in the nineteenth century, and many of the old planters' bungalows survive. The climate is cool and fresh compared with the coast, and the region is famous for its hikes, from the pilgrimage climb up Adam's Peak to the gentle trails of Ella. Ella itself is a relaxed mountain town of cafés and guesthouses, and nearby are the Nine Arch Bridge, a famous colonial railway viaduct, the steep climb to Ella Rock and Ravana Falls.
Ella is a perfect base for exploring the southern hill country, with day trips to Horton Plains and World's End, the waterfalls of Ravana and Diyaluma, and the tea estates and colonial charm of Nuwara Eliya. The town's relaxed cafés and restaurants are a short tuk-tuk ride from the resort, and the region's tea history dates back to the 1860s, when the first commercial plantations were planted in the hills.
Chalets at 98 Acres Resort
The chalets are built mostly from recycled materials, with decks and walls made from discarded railway sleepers and floors of rough granite, and have balconies looking over the tea gardens and the valley. Some suites have their own private pools.
The resort is designed to make the most of its setting, with every chalet positioned for views over the valley, and the paths between them wind through the tea bushes, so guests feel part of the working estate. Its sustainable design has made it one of the most photographed hotels in Sri Lanka.
Facilities at 98 Acres Resort
There is a pool with views over the tea estate and a spa offering Ayurvedic and other treatments. Restaurant 98, on a small hill, serves Sri Lankan, Western and Asian dishes. The resort arranges walks through the plantation, tea factory visits, sunrise hikes up Little Adam's Peak and trips to the Nine Arch Bridge to watch the trains cross.
The mountain moment
The 98 Acres moment is the sunrise climb up Little Adam's Peak, a gentle walk through the tea bushes from the resort, reaching the top as the first light floods the valley and the mist pours through Ella Gap towards the lowlands far below.
Later in the day, a walk to the Nine Arch Bridge to watch the little blue train curve across the viaduct through the jungle and tea gardens is one of the classic sights of Sri Lanka.
Why 98 Acres is one of the best mountain hotels
98 Acres earns its place for its setting, its character and its value. Its chalets, views and tea estate make it the most memorable place to stay in Ella, at a fair price. It is popular and can feel busy, and the paths around the estate are steep. But for couples and travellers exploring the hill country, it is a superb base.
For colonial bungalows near Adam's Peak, see Ceylon Tea Trails.
Two or three nights is ideal to enjoy the hikes, the train and the views. Many travellers arrive on the scenic train from Kandy or Nuwara Eliya, one of the most beautiful railway journeys in the world, and continue to the safari parks of Yala and Udawalawe and the beaches of the south coast. Bring good walking shoes and a light rain jacket.
When to go to 98 Acres Resort
January to April brings the driest, clearest weather in the hill country, ideal for hiking. May to September brings the south-west monsoon, though Ella, on the eastern side of the hills, is often drier than the western slopes. The train journey to Ella is wonderful in any season, but book seats in advance.
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Questions, answered
- Can you walk to Little Adam's Peak from 98 Acres?
- Yes. The resort is at the foot of Little Adam's Peak, a gentle walk through the tea bushes.
- Does 98 Acres have a pool?
- Yes, with views over the tea estate, and some suites have private pools.
- What are the chalets at 98 Acres made from?
- Mostly recycled materials, including old railway sleepers and rough granite.
- How do you get to Ella?
- By the scenic train from Kandy or by road through the hill country.
