98 Acres Resort & Spa

Stunning location pretty views and an amazing guide that walked us to sunrise at 5.30am spa facilities were so relaxing

We recently stayed at 98 Acres Resort & Spa and had a slightly mixed experience.

The resort itself is large and feels more like a full-scale resort than a boutique hotel. It’s clearly very well suited to hikers and travellers looking for an active, outdoors-focused stay. Personally, we tend to prefer smaller, more intimate boutique properties, so it wasn’t quite our style. However, for guests who enjoy a bigger resort atmosphere with expansive grounds and facilities, it would be a good fit.

What truly stood out was the staff. From arrival to departure, everyone was warm, kind, and genuinely eager to help. Nothing was too much trouble, and their hospitality made a real difference to our stay. A special mention must go to Indika, who looked after us at dinner. He was wonderful - funny, attentive and incredibly kind. He knew the menu inside out and gave excellent recommendations. A real personality and a credit to the hotel.

The food was acceptable, especially considering the scale of the operation and the number of guests being served. While it wasn’t the highlight of our trip, everything was perfectly edible and well presented for a large resort producing high volumes. The restaurant itself is a very large space and can feel quite chilly in the evenings, so we’d recommend bringing something warm to wear at dinner.

Overall, while it wasn’t quite our preferred style of property, the exceptional staff and beautiful setting will certainly appeal to those looking for a larger resort experience in Ella.

98 Acres is a wonderful, higher end hotel, in the Hill Country of Sri Lanka, just up the hill from the small bustling town of Ella. We were welcomed with a Hindu blessing and made to feel very welcome during our short stay. As the hotel bungalows and shared areas are set on a hillside then you could call golf buggies to get around on site which was fun. Our room was beautifully decorated and very comfortable, topped off with an incredible views over a tea plantation from the balcony, and also Little Adam's Peak towering over the scenery. Food in the restaurant was delicious and we were kindly given a birthday cake at breakfast on the relevant day. We would happily have stayed longer if we'd had more time. The staff were very smiley and helpful.

Superb location overlooking the valley across from Ella’s rock. Serene environment surrounded by tea plantation, and adjacent to amazing nature trails and walks. We saw sunrise from Little Adams peak as well as visited stages 15 &16 of the Pecoe trail.

I am lucky enough to have visited 53 countries in my lifetime and 98 Acres is quite simply the best hotel I have ever stayed in. Its position is glorious, the villas blend in to the natural landscape, it is scrupulously clean, the staff are super friendly and helpful and the food delicious. None of us wanted to leave!!

Pictures just do not do the epic view on arrival justice - our first thoughts were that we had to make some more room in our schedule to just sit and enjoy this special place. We had a deluxe double room (112) close to the main reception and the view looking out onto Little Adam's Peak and the surrounding mountains just took your breath away. We did the sunrise walk up to Little Adam's Peak and although partly cloudy, the views warranted the early start (take a torch for the walk up!). Food was excellent with a good choice between local and European options. The dining area is a bit of a let-down for a hotel and spa of this quality - it is basically a large open-ended structure that feels like a mid-market hotel's large dining space - not very relaxing or intimate and very cold. Breakfast outside on the terrace was lovely though. We found the service a bit mixed, not quite as attentive as other hotels we stayed at on this trip. The room was very comfortable and well-equipped but they could do with making the seating on the balcony more comfortable as the thick wooden armchairs were very upright and uncomfortable and not really right for sitting and just enjoying the jaw-dropping view. Ella is a real backpacker's busy tourist town, full of bars and restaurants - we preferred the tranquillity of 98 Acres. Highly recommended.

Wonderful setting with excellent accommodation and facilities. Staff couldn’t do enough for you and was very relaxed atmosphere

Just beautiful. Everything was amazing!

98 Acres is a wonderful retreat that is still close to the action. The structure of the detached villas was very peaceful, and the centralized dining was fantastic! We wish we could have stayed longer!

Best place on earth, amazing, from the location, the food, the service. Everything was perfect.

A really good hotel with stunning views of little adam's peak and ella rock. The hotel is one of the best in Ella. I've been to this hotel twice and both times it felt worth the price. The hotel is right beside adam's peak so its very convenient and takes no more than 20 to 30 min from your room door till the peak. Really good breakfast and dinner with lots of quality options (fruits for breakfast was delicious). Our room was clean, had a comfy bed and it was exactly what you would expect from a hotel with this kind of price. We booked a roll out bed type of room that you can roll the bed out into the balcony and have breakfast in the morning in the bed with stunning mountain views ( Roll Out Breakfast is extra charge even if you pay for breakfast when you book this room). Unfortunately it was raining and we couldn't roll the bed out all the way and have breakfast. Staff were very nice and always attended to our needs. We loved our stay and will come back again.

98 Acres was easily the best overall property of our Sri Lanka honeymoon.

Our heated infinity pool villa was pristine and incredibly private. The views over Ella are breathtaking. The floating breakfast arranged by our butler on our first morning was beautifully done and one of the most memorable moments of the trip.

The welcome ceremony with aarti and Gayatri Mantra chanting felt very personal. The honeymoon décor and Valentine’s Day setup added to the experience.

Service from Haridharan was consistently excellent. Every request was handled quickly and thoughtfully.

Food was good, though vegetarian variety was slightly less compared to some of the other resorts we stayed at. They were still willing to adjust dishes when we asked.

Overall, this was our number one stay because of the atmosphere, privacy, and level of care we experienced.

What a wonderful resort. Set on a beautiful hill atop a tropical oasis. Staff could not do enough to help and service was amazing. We enjoyed our walk to the peak as part of our stay and my wife really enjoyed her spa treatments.

We stayed for two nights and it’s an amazing place to stay. The staff are very friendly and nothing is too much trouble.

Nearby is the nine arch bridge which is a stunning place and a must do, also check the times of the train. The walk up Adam’s Peak, with amazing views.

Keep up the amazing job you all do and will visit again.

We wanted to commend the wonderful Gayasha, the naturalist who took us on a nature walk this morning around the extensive natural environment surrounding the hotel. So well informed, kind and enthusiastic. He is a real plus for us.
The room was wonderful. Great shower. Plenty of space.

The hotel staff were really sincere. Given the number of tourists they serve each year, their readiness to help, and readiness to smile, were always welcome.

The hotel is close to Ravana Pool club. Maybe owned by this resort, but certainly promoted by them at check in. For us, this was horrible. Like a Club 18-30 with a clubbing vibe. Loud pumping music with kebabs, burgers and pizza on offer.

Food was OK. Very orientated to a high turnover of international guests. So catering to most tastes, in a generic way.

Overall, the Sri Lankan naturalist, the staff, and the natural environment were great. We saw so much wildlife. The hoards of international tourists were not so comforting.

Overall, best for food, service, the scenery is spectacular, and the rooms are well-appointed.

Stunning Accommodation and Location. Staff were extremely helpful and friendly.
Nice Beach Club and lots of activities nearby. Beautiful spa. Very nice place to relax for a few days. Highly recommend.

Magnificent views over the tea plantation. Stayed in a deluxe suite with huge windows overlooking the mountains. Staff were all very welcoming and the food excellent. A truly magical experience

This is a beautiful and relaxed hotel set in the trees and tea plants of Sri Lanka just outside Ella. Excellent quality food - everything prepared freshly with great care. All the staff are so friendly and helpful, and it is a happy place to stay. Rooms are huge and fantastic views and the spa was great too. A highlight was the bird watching walk with Gayasha, the hotel naturalist, who is very passionate and knowledgable about the birds and local wildlife - such abundant bird life here and we saw lots very easily.