In the same way we all once flocked to Bali, the current South Asian travel destination du jour is Sri Lanka. As the 25^th largest island in the world, nestled in the Indian Ocean between the Maldives and India, the country has long welcomed tourism – but that doesn’t mean it’s always been easy. A 26-year civil war between the government and the Tamil Tigers, which ended in 2009, raised safety concerns, while the pandemic induced high levels of unemployment and pay cuts, resulting in anxiety and economic stress throughout Sri Lanka. With both having now, thankfully, eased, a slow-burning tourism renaissance has been simmering away for some years and 2024 officially saw the tide turn. Two years on, anyone who is anyone wants to see Sri Lanka. 

Case in point: 2025 saw a 38 per cent increase in visitors year-on-year and, more recently, February 2026 saw a new record for arrivals. Colombo Bandaranaike International Airport – the largest of Sri Lanka’s four airports and the main gateway from the western world – recorded 279,328 tourist arrivals, marking the highest ever number of visitors received in a single calendar month and a 16.2 per cent increase year-on-year. I, coincidentally, was among them. 

Fishing for my suitcase among a flurry of hikers’ backpacks and surfboards at the airport, Sri Lanka’s two biggest draws quickly become evident: the coast and the hills. The well-trodden tourist route, which curves around Sri Lanka’s southern coastline, through its most famous national park, Yala, and up to the mountains in Ella and Kandy, can be traversed in either direction. But, of course, the biggest question for the well-heeled traveller is where to stay. 

Uga Prāva

For a country with a booming tourism industry, its luxury footprint remains minimal. The likes of Four Seasons, St Regis and Park Hyatt are yet to open in Sri Lanka, while outposts from Shangri-La, Anantara, Hilton and JW Marriott remain limited to one locale. It leaves little opportunity for brand-loyal travellers to tour Sri Lanka cocooned in the comfort blanket of their favourite hotel group – which is where Uga steps in. 

The Sri Lankan hotel group launched its flagship hotel, Ulagalla, in the island’s central region of Anuradhapura in 2010, reimagining a 150-year-old village chieftain’s mansion dating back to the Dutch colonial period into a five-star stay. Burrowed in the epicentre of Sri Lanka’s Cultural Triangle, with nearby attractions including the sacred city of Anuradhapura, Sigiriya Rock Fortress, Dambulla Cave Temple, and Ritigala Monastery, it was emblematic of the luxury hotel chain’s mission to celebrate Sri Lanka’s diverse landscape and history. 

The portfolio soon expanded to Uga Jungle Beach in famed diving spot Trincomalee, Uga Bay in the coastal resort of Pasikuda, Yala’s Uga Chena Huts in Sri Lanka’s premier safari park, Uga Riva, a heritage-style manor house hotel in Negombo, and as of last year, the new Uga Halloowella in the tea plantation hills of Hatton and Uga Prāva in Tangalle on the far south coast. With all hotels within a four-hour drive of each other, Uga aims to make it easy to see the best of Sri Lanka from its properties – which I put to the test with a visit to its two newest hotels. 

The string of surfing destinations and laidback coastal towns that fringe Sri Lanka’s southern coast include Weligama, Mirissa, Hiriketiya and Tangalle. The latter provides the perfect prelude to Yala National Park – which, reached within two hours by car, is the natural next step on the popular anti-clockwise route around the island – and welcomed its first Uga hotel in July 2025. It marked the brand’s first foray into southern coastal resorts (its only rival in the area is Anantara) and is perched on a vast headland wedged between two of the area’s best beaches. 

You’ll arrive at Uga Prāva via a rabbit warren of yoga retreat and beach bar-lined streets, but opposed to the backpackers’ paradises of Mirissa and Hiriketiya, Tangalle feels calmer and slower – just how you’d imagined Sri Lanka’s sleepy, untouched fishing villages. For its seventh opening, Uga eschewed the historic sites that dominate its portfolio for an uber-modern and contemporary property – a risk that, in my humble opinion at least, has paid dividends. 

Home to one of the best infinity pools on the south coast, if not Sri Lanka, this is the ultimate setting to enjoy languid lounging under the Sri Lankan sky or witness fiery sunsets – both of which are set to the soothing soundtrack of waves crashing below. The hotel takes its names from the Sanskrit words prāva (crimson/red) and prāvala (coral) and, from this viewpoint, it’s clear to see why.

The main property is so embedded into the cliff that only the first floor living space can be seen with the naked eye, spanning three floors and seven suites, ranging from Hermits, which feature jacuzzis on the decking, to the huge Horizon suites, with a sheltered outdoor patio, a master bedroom with floor-to-ceiling windows and a full en suite. All boast ocean views framed by the landscaped garden below, and are decked out in a sleek palette of dusky blues complemented by soft linens, woven rattan and natural stone textures inspired by the coral reefs they overlook. Nods to the coast and ocean life are peppered throughout the hotel, ranging from artworks of local coral species to large scale murals of reef plants brightening up bare white walls. 

Uga Prāva

Another aspect of the hotel which takes inspiration from its surroundings is, of course, the food. Served in the open-air top floor restaurant adjacent to the infinity pool – and complete with its own glass air-conditioned cube for those who can’t handle the humidity (aka, me) – guests are asked to pre-order all meals to ensure freshness, quality and reduce waste. So, what can you expect? Tuna and lagoon prawns – a prized, wild-caught delicacy from Sri Lanka’s brackish waters, known for their firm texture, sweet taste, and superior quality – are mainstays on Uga Prāva’s menu, and are transformed into delectable plates of tropical tuna tartare and Tangalle prawn roll. Fine dining fare takes centre stage in the evenings, with five course menus ranging from freshly caught mahi-mahi carpaccio with pol sambol, to prawn curry thermidor with string hopper biryani. 

Beyond the hotel, I recommend a saunter into Tangalle town and an afternoon at Silent Beach, both just a 10-minute walk from the hotel. Tapping into the local staff’s know-how, hotel excursions range from surf lessons at nearby Unakuruwa and kayaking through a lotus-dotted lake, to embarking on a bird safari along the Kalametiya Lagoon. The latter is a government-protected wetland which shelters more than 150 different species – from stately herons to vibrant kingfishers – which you can spot in their natural habitat while gliding along the mirror-like waters on a private boat. 

Uga Halloowella

A few days later, having made pitstops at Yala and Ella, I’m winding through the verdant hills of Hatton on my approach to Uga Halloowella – approximately five hours from Tangalle. A world away from the contemporary style of Prāva, Halloowella is a charming colonial-era bungalow that also opened last year, having been restored to its former glory by Uga and renowned Sri Lankan architect Channa Daswatte. Impeccable service and a warm welcome are central to Uga’s ethos; at Prāva, I was welcomed via a Buddhist-inspired candle ceremony, while I was heralded at Halloowella with a necklace of tea leaves and a bindi ritual, nodding to the local Tamil culture. 

Nestled within the cool climes and quiet highlands of Hatton’s 252-acre tea estate, and boasting breathtaking views over Castlereagh Reservoir, Halloowella sits 1,444m above sea level on the sprawling former estate of Major Elton Lane, a First World War RAF pilot. Fortunately for guests, great care has been taken to preserve many of the bungalow’s period features, from the roaring fireplaces, chandeliers and the wood-panelled lounge to the intricately-carved stones forming the garden’s stairway, which all make you feel like you’ve stepped into a bygone era. 

Similarly to Tangalle, keys are limited to just six bedrooms at Halloowella – a conscious decision to ensure every stay feels personal and unique. Inside my Pekoe Suite, named after the nearby Pekoe Trail (more on that later), the space features a large four-poster bed dressed in vintage florals, lithographs and watercolour paintings of Hatton’s hills, all drenched in light from the Victorian-style lattice windows. En suites are striking, with monochrome tiles underfoot and gilded accents throughout, anchored by an antique double vanity and clawfoot bathtub. Plus, all suites come with their own slice of the property’s manicured garden, complete with iron bistro furniture and accessed via terrace doors. If maximalism is your vibe, this is one to pin to the moodboard. 

Uga Halloowella

The trend continues in the stately lounge – where guests are encouraged to enjoy aperitifs in front of the fire with board games – and in the dining room, where a hand-painted large-scale mural of the hill’s unique plants wraps around all four walls. Many meals can be enjoyed on the blossoming terrace, providing a vantage point for incredible views of the Castlereigh Reservoir. Descend the steps to be greeted with yet another gorgeous Uga pool, featuring a central jacuzzi and plenty of sunbeds on the decking to take in those unrivalled highland vistas.

Breakfast, as at Prāva, is an all-out affair, featuring multiple courses and a choice of menus that nod either to the East or West – or a combination of the two. Misty mornings are kickstarted with truffle scrambled eggs or local potato rosti with smoked salmon and avocado, before sundowners by the fireplace and evening plates of citrus butter-seared scallops and Ceylon tea and herb-crusted lamb loin. 

Talking of tea, Uga Halloowella celebrates its renowned historic plantations with a number of memorable experiences. Hatton is one of a handful of tea plantations (all named after British places, such as neighbouring Norwood and Edinburgh) steeped in the history of the colonial era when, in the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries, British planters settled in the area to cultivate tea. 

Today, the clutch of working tea plantations and the small villages that service them form part of a vibrant cultural tapestry that blends indigenous traditions with colonial influences, but also continues to supply the world with its lauded Ceylon tea. As the world’s only tea which is still hand-plucked – a tradition and method which guarantees quality – you can get the full experience thanks to Halloowella’s partnership with the nearby Hatton Estate. 

While winding through the lush plantations, witness first-hand the various teas – from the coveted silver tips, priced at hundreds of pounds per kilo, to classic green and black tea – meet the women who work in the fields, and learn the secret to crafting the perfect cup of tea, before savouring several freshly brewed Ceylon variations in an interactive tasting session. Upon your return to Halloowella, the experience is complemented by an impressive Sri Lankan afternoon tea, which puts a cultural spin on the British tradition and serves unique morsels of quail egg hopper with caramelised onion chutney and lobster rolls alongside an extensive selection of local teas. 

Uga Halloowella

Hatton is steeped in history but many travellers skip this section of Sri Lanka’s central province in order to make a direct beeline for Kandy – but the opening of the Pekoe Trail has put this destination firmly on the map. Opened in 2023, the 300km hiking route from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya has elevated the area’s tourism appeal and is split into 22 stages, with sections six to 10 easily accessible from Halloowella. The hotel organises a local guide to assist guests hiking stages seven and eight (a total of 12 miles); a morning which winds through the heart of several tea plantations, rural villages and grants panoramic views of Adam’s Peak in the distance. This is an absolute must while you’re at Halloowella, and was one of the highlights of my trip.  

It’s rare to stay at two hotels from the same brand and have such vastly different experiences – and it’s a clever technique to draw guests to come back for more and explore Uga’s other properties. With the imminent opening of the brand’s ninth property, Uga Ghiri, in Ella next month, this boutique hotel group shows no slowing down – and long may its extension across Sri Lanka continue. 

Uga Prāva, from £395 per night on a half-board basis; Uga Halloowella, from £901 per night on an all-inclusive basis. Visit ugaresorts.com.

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