Ella is known as one of the most beautiful parts of Sri Lanka and has been made famous by the popularity of the Kandy to Ella train route. The scenery in this area is absolutely stunning and you can get incredible views from most parts of the town.
This means there are literally hundreds of accommodation options and if you choose wisely you can get in on some of the views from right outside your bedroom. We asked some other travel bloggers about the best places to stay in Ella and got their reviews.
Below are whole range of excellent recommendations on where to stay in Ella. We have arranged them by budget so you can check through for budget accommodation in Ella, mid-range hotels or where to splash out for a luxury stay.
Best Places to Stay in Ella on a Budget
Hangover Hostels
by Hanna of Solar Powered Blonde
Hangover Hostels in Ella is a great choice for backpackers in Sri Lanka. The first pro is that you can walk here from Ella train station which will save you a few pennies! The location is great, as it is right in the centre of Ella, without being on the main road. It is near to all the best restaurants and also a great spot to start exploring from. The road to the start of the Little Adam’s Peak hike starts from just nearby, one of the best things to do in Ella in my opinion. On the way down from Adam’s Peak, you can visit The Nine Arches bridge and walk along the railway straight back to the hostel.
Staying in a hostel is also a great option as you can get a group to go exploring with, making getting up for sunrise much easier! The hostel has a keycard system and big lockers, making it a safe option, and rooms have up to 8 beds. There is one bathroom per room, as well as free WiFi and AC. They also do yoga classes and have a big common area for everyone to socialise in. The beds are basic with no curtains but there are plug sockets for each bed and a night light. It is around €12 per night so not as cheap as some others but worth the extra money!
Ella Escapade
by Lora of Explore with Lora
Ella Escapade is the perfect hostel for travelers looking for an option that's social but party-oriented. As soon as I walked into this place I felt at home. There is an outdoor common area that overlooks the lush tea fields of Ella, where travelers gather at the end of the day to swap stories and share advice. The hostel is a quaint country house style building with several large dormitories. The rooms are spacious, with comfy beds to relax in after a day of adventures in Ella.
Although not in the main town of Ella, this hostel is a good location for exploring the area. It's just a 5-minute walk to the train station, which is perfect if you are taking the train to other parts of Sri Lanka. You can also walk along the train tracks to the main town of Ella in just half an hour. Ella Escapade is the perfect location if you want to go on an early sunrise hike to Ella Rock. It's just a few minutes away from the start of the trailhead! And with such a social atmosphere, it's easy to find other hiking pals here.
Will Guest Homestay
by Meg of Fox in the Forest
The best way to experience Sri Lanka is to utilized the extensive homestay network. The concept is simple. Families build out a few rooms adjacent to their house and you get to stay with a family for a small fee. A homecooked dinner is almost always included and homestays offer an exclusive look at the daily life of Sri Lankans.
Escape the crowded tourist center of Ella and opt to stay up in the hills at Will Guest Homestay. Located just a short, 5-minute tuk-tuk from town, Will Guest is a beautiful property that features newly-built rooms with a balcony. The super-scenic views are absolutely breathtaking and you can watch the sunrise right from your cozy bed.
Will Guest Homestay is closer to all of the amazing hiking trails in Sri Lanka, including the famous Ella Rock. Your hosts are happy to provide any transportation or arrange any tours for you. At the end of the day, come back to Will Guest for a delicious meal on their outdoor patio and garden. Meet fellow travelers and soak in those incredibly lush mountain views.
Pub Ceylon Hostel
by Luke of The Coastal Campaign
When it comes to staying in budget accommodation you often have to sacrifice your location for cheap prices. This means having to walk for ages just to get to the local tourist attractions, restaurants and bars. Luckily when you stay in Pub Ceylon Hostel in Ella this couldn’t be further from the truth. It’s no exaggeration to say that this is probably the best location in Ella. It is right in the centre of town, steps away from where the bus drops you off and it is right across the street from Café Chill, one of the best places to hang out in Ella. It’s awesome to walk down the steps from your accommodation and be right in the thick of everything.
Having travelled all throughout Sri Lanka on a budget we also found that this place had some of the nicest rooms we had stayed in which was a bonus. The owner of the hostel was a local and also advised us of some stunning tea fields by his house which were unknown to most tourists yet absolutely worth a visit. With an amazing location, great rooms for the price and some inside knowledge from the owner of the things to do around Ella there are few better places to stay on a budget than Pub Ceylon Hostel.
Best Hotels in Ella
The Chillout Ella
by Jacquie of Flashpacking Family
Ella has so many accommodation options these days and we found the choice a little overwhelming, so we were very happy to find The Chillout Ella was as good as the reviews claimed.
It sits at the lower end of mid-range bracket, offering a small number of rooms that are basic but verging on minimal chic with polished concrete floors, white linens and a modern bathroom. There were also additional small touches like a minibar, a kettle and a mini book exchange. We had a family room on the ground floor which had a large double bed and bunk beds, perfect for 4 people.
Each room has a balcony or veranda furnished with table and chairs and a hammock with views out over the tea plantations. We enjoyed a simple but delicious breakfast each morning on our veranda at a time that we chose the evening before. It mainly consisted of toast, an omelette, fresh fruit and fruit juice. The hammock was great to hang out and chill after a busy day visiting Sri Lankan tea estates or climbing Little Adam’s Peak.
The Chillout Ella is perfectly located for visiting Little Adam’s Peak as it’s right at the start of the trail. It’s also only a 5-minute walk to the trail that takes you to the Nine Arch Bridge. It’s a little out of the centre of town, but this means that it’s much quieter and it's easy to grab a quick tuk tuk into town.
Chill Ville View Point Hotel
by Claire of Stoked to Travel
An excellent luxury stay in Ella is the beautiful Chill Ville View Point Hotel. Nestled high in the dense forest about 15 minutes out of Ella town centre, a stay here is guaranteed to be a true retreat from the bustle of Ella.
The journey to Chill Ville View Point is definitely half the adventure, with magical vistas across verdant fields of tea leaves. The route twists and turns up an impossibly steep tarmacked track before suddenly emerging to the tucked-away paradise that is Chill Ville.
The hotel is run by the same team behind the super popular Chill Ville Restaurant in town, where most visitors to Ella will eat at least once. They've really put some thought into this hotel, from the stunning infinity pool with unbeatable views and freshly blended smoothies with bamboo straws to the exceptional breakfast spreads that were a four-course adventure into Sri Lankan cuisine and hospitality.
We had one of the rooms perched high on the hillside. Beautifully decked out with mahogany furniture and soft white linens, we had the most peaceful sleeps, listening only to the tropical birds above. In the mornings, we would open the doors onto our decking to be greeted with the most phenomenal views across the lush valleys of Ella and the earthy aromas of freshly harvested tea leaves.
Best Luxury Accommodation in Ella
98 Acres Resort and Spa
by James of The Travel Scribes
Nestled in the hills, 98 Acres was named the World’s Best Mountain Resort a few years ago, and it’s easy to see why. This exquisite resort set on a gorgeous 98-acre tea estate has lashings of contemporary style, to die for views across Ella, luxurious self-contained chalet suites and some of the most amazing cuisine at its hilltop restaurant.
The resort is pretty eco-friendly in that the suites are made out of recycled or sustainable materials including granite and repurposed railway sleepers, alongside plush furnishings like pristine white linen and top-notch bathroom facilities. Boasting a fantastic fitness centre and a world-class spa and wellness retreat called Spa 98, the property is also home to a great swimming pool overlooking the rolling tea plantations. Speaking of the tea plantations, the estate is technically still a working plantation and you can take a private tour to see the tea plucked, withered and infused in a delicious scalding pot of Sri Lanka’s finest or even a sweet, tea-inspired cocktail.
The crowning glory of the resort is undoubtedly the on-site restaurant. Set high atop a hill, it offers both Sri Lankan and Western dishes from spicy curries to heavenly, flaky croissants each morning; all eaten as you survey the sweeping views from the eatery.
98 Acres is perfectly positioned for short walks in the Ella countryside and actually the trail for the famous Adam’s Peak runs directly next to it, meaning you could catch that early worm and be first up the peak for sunrise. Looking for something more adrenalin-filled? Sri Lanka’s first zip line, the Flying Ravana, is only a stone’s throw away including 500m of zip line going up to 80 km/h.
Aimed at couples (particularly honeymooners) and small families, 98 Acres is undoubtedly somewhere to splash out as part of your Sri Lanka itinerary.
Kaduruketha Eco-Luxury Hotel by Jetwings
by Claudia of My Adventures Across The World
One of the best places to stay in Ella is Kaduruketha Eco-Luxury Hotel by Jetwings. The hotel is actually located in the outskirts of Wellawaya, a smaller town at about 20 minutes drive from Ella. It is a paradisiac place, completely immersed in nature, where guests can enjoy peace and quiet.
Bungalows are scattered around a park that can be explored on foot and by bike, and they all have views of the beautiful rice fields. Animals are free to roam in the park - among them, you will be able to spot gorgeous peacocks, monkeys and flying squirrels.
Rooms at Kaduruketha Eco-Luxury Hotel are large, elegant and comfortable. As the hotel is ecofriendly, they have no air conditioning but just a fan, and no TV. But they have a porch where guests can enjoy a drink while admiring a fabulous sunset.
The on-site restaurant offers delicious international and local dishes. There is a spa to get a good balinese style massage and beauty treatments; a pool with stunning views. Guests can participate in yoga classes. The staff at the reception helps plan excursions to the many local attractions such as Nine Arch Bridge, Elle Wala Waterfalls, Adam's Peak, the tea plantations surrounding Ella and more.
Wondering where to stay in Ella, Sri Lanka? This is a guide to all the best places to stay in Ella including budget accommodation right through the luxury resorts. Find yourself the perfect accommodation in Ella! #srilanka #ella #asia #travel #traveltips #accommodation #accommodationella #ellahotel #ellatrain #ellatrainstation #scenictrain
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Wondering where to stay in Ella, Sri Lanka? This is a guide to all the best places to stay in Ella including budget accommodation right through the luxury resorts. Find yourself the perfect accommodation in Ella!