Ferndale Retreat Knuckles

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 after it had camouflaged its texture and colour to blend with the trunk it’s on；or the Sri Lankan national bird hiding in the bushes; which red berries are edible (by eating them on the spot) and which are poisonous; identifying the plants and trees whose sap and leaves we take for granted as staples etc. He not only helped us hike safely through winding undulatingly uneven paths, but also imparted extensive knowledge of the geography of the mountain range and how/why it’s a UNESCO World Heritage area.
3. Jason
The tall and assuring guy who made sure that our needs are met throughout our stay. If Ferndale operations were an orchestra, Jason would be the maestro, conducting its quiet symphony of harmonizing with local produce and consuming nature’s resources sustainably.

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.

Magnifique endroit, chambres très agreables, vue incroyable

Being in the middle of nowhere, far from everything, very peaceful
Jason was a great host, always checking if everything was alright
Breakfast and dinner were great too.. Sri Lankan breakfast really good and filly

Het was echt een prachtige plek. Daarbij was het huisje top, heerlijk groot bed, mooie badkamer met warm water uit de douche. Personeel is super vriendelijk. Hoogtepunt van de vakantie.

De locatie/uitzicht is fenomenaal , midden in de jungle in de bergen 😍

Het uitzicht was prachtig. De wandelingen naar de watervallen door de jungle was hoogtepunt van vakantie.

Fina och fräscha rum. Maten var utmärkt! Tillmötesgående när vi ville korta vistelsen!

Beautiful place! So serene and in the middle of nature. The food is amazing and the staff is so friendly. You should definetely come here to discover the Knuckles mountain range.

The view, location, service team and great comfort. Really good food.

Here’s a polished, warm, and personal review you can use:

I had the most peaceful and refreshing time at Ferndale Retreat. The food was beautifully prepared, fresh, and clearly made with care. Every meal felt thoughtful and comforting, exactly what you want when you’re there to unwind.

The staff truly made the experience special. They were kind, attentive, and genuinely warm, always ensuring we were comfortable without being intrusive. The location itself is stunning, quiet, green, and incredibly calming.

If you’re looking to disconnect, slow down, and enjoy good food in a serene setting, this is the place. I left feeling rested, grounded, and already wanting to return.

Everything was amazing: the food, the amazing service with Jason in charge (best so far in Sri Lanka) and the great guide Charaka who accompanied us to a small trek in the jungle with my 3 years old son. The bungalows are clean, the beds are comfy and there is everything you need - if they don’t have already in the room, you ask and they find a solution! The views are incredible!
We spent Christmas there, they went all the way into creating a Christmas tree with lights on the heliport so we could have dinner around it - a special barbecue. The food is also a fair price for the quality you get.

Prachtig uitzicht vanuit kamer, mooie verzorgde kamers. Er is aan kleinste details gedacht! Het eten was heerlijk en werd mooi opgemaakt! De pompoensoep, bananenbrood en het cardemom ijs waren onze favorieten!

We werden erg vriendelijk geholpen en ze doen er alles aan om het naar je zin te maken.

We had a very relaxing stay during our honeymoon at Ferndale retreat. We stayed for 2 nights and enjoyed the views of the stunning knuckles range from our room. We enjoyed two treks - the high knuckles trek and the shorter waterfall trek. Special mention to our guide Charaka who accommodated our shorter trek on our day of arrival and for being very friendly and knowledgable on our walks!

The best hotel we stayed at in Sri Lanka!
The people were amazing, the rooms were beautiful, and the food was even better. We also did a hiking tour with the hotel’s guide, which was an incredible experience. We highly recommend staying for at least two days — it takes about two hours to drive up the mountain, and you’ll want a full day to explore the beautiful surroundings. Please go ahead and book — it’s absolutely wonderful!