Boutique hotel · Kandy

Ellerton Bungalow

Nawa Gurukelle, Doluwa, near Gampola, on a hilltop at about 2,400 feet some 40 minutes from Kandy, looking down the valley to Alagalla mountain

About Ellerton Bungalow

Rooms: 8 types
Dining: 3 places
Wellness: Spa
Swimming: Pool

A tea estate manager's bungalow more than 100 years old, run by its owners, Luca and Iromi Poloni, as a 9-room house on 9 acres of garden, with an infinity pool facing Alagalla mountain.

It is run like a friend's country house rather than a hotel: no reception desk, meals taken wherever guests like, and drinks, tea and cake served through the day as part of the stay.

Rooms are spread between the original Main House, the Valley House by the pool, 2 Garden Rooms and the Aurora Bungalow, and 4 of them are suites for up to 4 people.

Rooms and suites

Main House Suite
King or twin bedsUp to 4Connects
A large king room in the original bungalow, with a connecting twin room and shared bathroom; up to 4, and a cot fits.
Main House Twin
Twin or double bedsUp to 2Connects
Spacious twin or double room with a connecting smaller room for 2 more, sharing 1 bathroom.
Main House Double/Twin
Up to 2Garden
High-ceilinged room for 2 with a row of windows onto the garden.
Garden Room
King bedsBathtubBalconyHill view
2 separate bungalows with king beds, a private balcony looking down the valley, and a bathtub and walk-in shower; not offered to children under 15.
Valley House 1
Double bedBathtubLiving room
Very spacious double with a sitting area, bathtub and walk-in shower; an extra bed or cot can be added for a family of 4.
Valley House 2
King bedBathtub
Spacious king room by the pool, with a bathtub and walk-in shower.
Valley House 3
Twin or double bedsHill view
The smaller Valley House room, single, twin or double, with a walk-in shower.
Aurora Bungalow
King or single bedsUp to 2BalconyLiving room
A 2-room suite opened in 2018: a four-poster king bedroom with French windows to a sun-bed balcony facing the sunrise, and a sitting room that takes 2 single beds.

Dining

The Dining PavilionA large open-sided pavilion over the valley where meals are usually served, with menus that change daily.
Dinner3 courses with a choice of 2 starters, a curry or a non-curry main and 2 desserts, served with imported wines; curries come with 5 or 6 vegetable dishes.
Breakfast and lunchFull English, continental or Sri Lankan breakfasts, and a lunch menu of soups, salads, pasta and sandwiches.
Vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free cooking by 3 chefs, using local and estate produce.

Wellness

Massages and yoga lessons arranged on request.
Walking and cycling routes from the door, from easy to demanding.

Amenities

Pools and spa

Infinity pool facing Alagalla mountainMassages on requestYoga lessons on request

More dining

Open-sided dining pavilionCandlelit dinners in the gardenPacked meals for picnicsDrinks, tea and cake through the day

Activities

6 mountain bicycles to borrowMarked walks and hikesBird watching and nature photographyVillage toursVisits to the Orange Field tea factoryBoard games, books, table tennis

For families

Suites for up to 4Cots on requestChildren's books, games and crafts

Services

Free Wi-FiTransfers arrangedLaundryDoctor on callBoard and lodging for drivers and guidesFree drinking water from the estate's own purified well

Rooms

Tea and coffee making facilitiesFridgeTorch by the bedNo television or telephone in bedrooms

Good to know

The 2 Garden Rooms are not offered to children under 15.
3 resident pets (2 dogs and a cat) share the grounds; tell the house in advance about allergies.
No televisions or telephones in bedrooms; satellite television is in the Main House.
About 40 minutes from Kandy and 3 hours from Colombo; the house takes bookings directly by email rather than through the major online platforms.