Reviews from guests who stayed at this hotel, shared by our hotel supplier. Score based on the latest 51 reviews.
Petr
Czechia · Group of friends · November 2026
“An Unforgettable Experience in the Heart of the Knuckles Wilderness”
+An Unforgettable Experience in the Heart of the Knuckles Wilderness If you are looking for a place where the views take your breath away and the people truly touch your heart, this is it. Everything started with flawless organization even before our arrival,manager Lordy had every detail completely under control. When we arrived, it was typical rainy weather. The team came to meet us at a pickup point about 2 km from the resort, where standard cars can no longer pass. From there, they drove us by jeep deep into the jungle, where three amazing chalets are hidden away. After a wet and tiring journey, a warm welcome awaited us with hot tea and a delicious bite to eat, which instantly set the mood. The next day, we set off on a long trek. Our guide was absolutely wonderful,he eagerly showed us the local nature, looked after our safety, and constantly made sure we didn't get bitten by leeches (which are quite abundant in the area). The resort provided us with tall anti-leech gaiters, which made the whole hike vastly more comfortable. Along the way, we spotted lizards, butterflies, wild orchids, and above all, took in unforgettable views of the surrounding mountains. The food deserve
−Nothing
Ranasinhe
Sri Lanka · Couple · September 2026
“A perfect mountain getaway, made even better by the warm and attentive staff.”
+Conveniently located at the starting point of the Knuckles hiking trails, this is a wonderful place to stay if you’re planning to explore the area. The rooms are small but comfortable, private, and very clean. The staff are incredibly helpful and attentive throughout the stay. We did the High Knuckles hike with Charaka, and it was excellent. I would highly recommend this as a must-do activity during your stay. It was one of the highlights of our trip. I would recommend staying for at least two nights, as the property is quite far from Kandy and there is so much to enjoy in the surrounding area. The food deserves a special mention. Everything was fresh, organic, and incredibly tasty, while also being excellent value for money. The 10-curry Sri Lankan lunch was an absolute masterpiece,authentic, flavourful, and beautifully prepared.Kudos to the chef! The manager, Lordy, is such a lovely and accommodating person. We mentioned that we would love to have some of our favourite sweets for afternoon tea on the second day, along with fried rice for dinner, and he kindly arranged everything for us. The garden is beautifully maintained and adds so much to the charm of the property. We stayed
−AC would have been a nice addition as the room can get a little warm during the day, but it had minimal impact on our stay.
Gedon
United States · Solo · August 2026
“Leeches galore... Not high-end, low value for money”
+Absolutely amazing staff!! They are so helpful, considerate and kind. They helped us , fed us, guided us and we were delighted with each one of them. The beds were comfortable, showers and hot water were good. The meals were well presented and the food was delicious, the homemade ice cream was terrific. The natural view was superb!
−The value for money is horrible... And is not suitable for children/families unless you are cool with them being traumatized by leeches... The hotel looks amazing and high-end on booking.com but the reality is the place is nowhere close to the level they present themselves to be... There is no AC or heating in the room (and it's needed even in August), the rooms are poorly filtered from insects... we got ants, beatles, leeches and all other types of flying insects in the room (no screens, no barrier under the entrance door). there is no internet outside of the rooms, there is no lighting outside from the rooms to the dinning patio and walking to dinner is a dangerous hazard (as if placing a single flashlight in the room solves that). The hotel doesn't present its limitations properly either - there is no way to get there in your car, instead you need to park a mile away, and they take you with a Jeep to the location. They offer you trails to hike - but have no real alternatives since you can't get in or out without the jeep. The access road is a mile long full of leeches, you can't walk without getting 5-6 attached to your skin and must use leech socks to minimize attacks. We went
Noah Frederik
Austria · Couple · July 2026
“An outstanding eco-retreat experience”
+Lordy and his team provided an exceptional Sri Lankan experience, starting with an impressive 10-curry welcome feast. The food in general was outstanding, everything was prepared freshly and many ingredients were from their own garden! (And everything was served warm / hot, so don’t worry about that in old reviews.) The eco-conscious retreat is seamlessly integrated into nature, preserving the local vegetation. The view from the bed / balcony was impressive and unforgettable. We highly recommend trekking in the Knuckles Range,ideal for experienced, self-guided hikers. Hiring a guide would also have been possible. The team’s genuine warmth made us feel immediately at home and we also had a lot of fun with Lordy; leaving was the hardest part.
Paul
Australia · Couple · June 2026
“Amazing to spend a few days high in Knuckles Range. When the weather closed in that limited our options but Lordy and th”
+Amazing location. Staff were really friendly and helpful.
−Feels a bit of a work in progress. More facilities are coming which will elevate the experience.
Jacob
United Kingdom · Couple · May 2026
+The most beautiful place we’ve ever stayed - the photos can’t do justice to the views in every direction. The staff were incredible and extremely attentive, and the food was fresh and delicious. Thank you to all of the team! The highlight for us were the guided walks with Charaka up into the Knuckles mountains, and his knowledge of the endemic fauna and flora.
−As the property is remote, and there are lots of animals about, it can be quite noisy at night - but we had some earplugs and this solved the problem entirely - would recommend bringing a pair.
tara
Singapore · Couple · April 2026
“Excellent”
+The location is incredible. It’s got a beautiful view of the mountains from your room and you can see the sunrise in the mornings. Honestly, breathtaking scenery’s. The staff are also very attentive.
−We requested two long hikes and ended up with a long hike and a short hike. We would have loved for the second hike to be a bit longer
Marcus
United Kingdom · Couple · March 2026
“Quiet and secluded”
+Amazing cardamon ice cream Secluded and quiet with beautiful views from the balcony Well maintained and landscaped gardens Excellent ten curry Sri Lankan lunch
−Room not sound proofed as claimed Limited dinner options and drinks menu 30-40 mins from the nearest village (could also be a positive) Slow internet A shame guests not given simple map to explore local area, and instead expected to pay ‘guide’ for a short walk
vivian
Singapore · Couple · March 2026
“Relaxing and rejuvenating stay!”
+We’re a couple from Singapore enjoying our prolonged early mid life crisis backpacking across Sri Lanka. We’ve generally been touched by the warmth and kindness of the people. One of our stopovers was the Ferndale Retreat nested within the Knuckles Mountain Range. It was the best stay we had in Sri Lanka, with warm hospitality, farm to table food and the most peaceful environment you can get. Special shoutouts to: 1. Sujith Our butler who was meticulous towards our needs and has the right timely attention to detail that speaks volumes of his extensive experience across the hospitality industry. He made sure we wanted for nothing with respect to food and beverage, and housekeeping amenities. We love the conversations with him where there was good exchange of culture, knowledge and learning from each other e.g the delectation of our palates was enhanced knowing the sources of the ingredients and how they transform from farm to plate. 2. Charaka Our knowledgeable guide who knows the area so well and puts us at ease during our hike. He was attuned to our needs and pace during the hike and we got to see many things thanks to his eagle eyes e.g he could spot the leaf nosed lizard even af
−None!
Anne
United Kingdom · Solo · February 2026
“Peace in the mountains”
+If you're looking for quiet, remote and a space to rest, this is it. We stayed for 5 nights and could have stayed longer. The view is exceptional, the rooms comfortable, and you are surrounded by birds and lizards. We went on a gentle walk to a waterfall with a guide and spent hours just soaking in the sound of birdsong. Food here is full board as it's so remote, and we enjoyed several huge curries worthy of any top class restaurant. I really couldn't recommend it more.
−It's quite a drive from Kandy, but a very interesting and beautiful one, so not really a downside.