Aerial view of the pool, pavilion and sun-loungers in the forested estate — Living Heritage Koslanda, Uva highlands, Sri Lanka

Living Heritage Koslanda

Koslanda, Uva Province · Sri Lanka

Availability

Year-round

Per unit

9 suites · 2–4 guests

Region

Uva Province

Price range

$$

Price range

$$

Per unit

2–4 guests

Type

Boutique hotel

Forest Pavilion raised above the canopy at dusk, a couple on its deck
Aerial view of the pool, pavilion and sun-loungers set in the forested estate
Forest Pavilion deck with canvas chairs and curtains framing the surrounding mountains
Villa Suite bedroom with a four-poster bed under a timber-beamed ceiling
Aerial view of two treetop Forest Pavilions among the rainforest canopy
Interior of a Forest Pavilion with a canopied bed opening onto the mountains
Forest Pavilion bed under a mosquito net beside a balcony over the treetops
Forest Pavilion bathroom clad in dark timber with a stone basin
Villa Suite bedroom with a four-poster bed opening onto the garden
Villa Suite bathroom with a glass shower opening onto a walled garden
Private open-air courtyard of a Villa Suite with timber pillars and a stone water bowl
Aerial view of the lit pool at dusk under a rising moon, ringed by rainforest and hills
Ayurveda Pavilion treatment room open to the forest with curtained massage beds
Terracotta bathtub scattered with flower petals overlooking the rainforest
Aerial view of the pool and estate buildings set in the forest
Aerial view of the private waterfall dropping through the forested estate

Living Heritage Koslanda

Koslanda, Uva Province

Boutique hotel · $$

9 suites · Year-round

  • 32-hectare tea estate being replanted as native rainforest
  • Conservation partner of PLANT since 2023
  • Over 90% of staff hired locally, a third of them women
  • Organic garden supplies most of the kitchen, grown without pesticides
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Welcome to Living Heritage Koslanda

Architect Channa Daswatte designed the 9 rooms to traditional Sri Lankan building principles. The estate — virgin rainforest cleared for tea in the 1880s, then abandoned — is now being replanted with native species; since 2023 the property has been a conservation partner of PLANT, protecting over 16 hectares as a wildlife corridor.

Three room types sit at different heights on the hillside. The Villa Suites each have a private courtyard, private plunge pool and garden shower. The Pepper Garden Cottage stands among the spice vines, and the treetop Forest Pavilions are built on platforms that reach out over the canopy. Meals move between Sri Lankan and Western dishes, with most of the produce coming from the organic garden along with the estate's own pepper, coffee and turmeric. There is a pool overlooking the valley, a yoga pavilion, and an Ayurveda Pavilion in the forest below the pool that opened in 2026.

The estate lies in the highlands of Uva Province, near the village of Koslanda, on 32 hectares of forest and former tea slopes. A private waterfall runs through the grounds, and Diyaluma Falls, one of the island's tallest, is a short drive away. Lipton's tea estate, Ella and Little Adam's Peak are all within reach.

Organic gardenFarm-to-table kitchenPesticide-freeSustainable architecture

Accommodation

9 suites

Capacity

2–4 guests per unit

Availability

Year-round

Price range

$$

Amenities

Pool · Spa · Restaurant · Wi-Fi · No pets

Included

Breakfast included · Plant a native tree during your stay

Good to know

  • Children are welcome in the Villa Suites and Pepper Garden Cottage. The Forest Pavilions are for 2 adults only.

  • The hillside setting and raised platforms mean steps throughout, so it does not suit reduced mobility.

Why it's a Positive Escape

9 rooms on a hillside estate in Sri Lanka's Uva highlands, where former tea slopes are being replanted as native rainforest.

Wildlife

  • Native rainforest replanting

    the estate replants native species such as Kumbuk, Hora, Jack and Ebony, and guests are invited to plant a tree during their stay

  • PLANT conservation partnership

    conservation partner since 2023 of PLANT, a Sri Lankan reforestation charity, protecting over 16 hectares as a corridor for wildlife movement. Listed on PLANT's own project registry

Community

  • Over 90% of staff hired locally

    more than 90% of the team comes from the surrounding area

  • A third of the team are women

    over a third of staff are women, unusually high for Sri Lankan tourism, offering financial independence in remote villages

  • Schools tree-planting project

    local schoolchildren each raise and plant a native sapling from the estate nursery

Energy

  • No air conditioning

    rooms rely on ceiling fans and the cool climate of the hill country rather than air conditioning

Food

  • Organic garden supplies most meals

    the kitchen sources the majority of its produce from the on-site garden, along with the estate's own pepper, coffee and turmeric, grown without pesticides

  • Teaching villagers permaculture

    village farmers are taught permaculture principles through the garden

Materials & Construction

  • Vernacular building crafts revived

    built with traditional Sri Lankan materials and building methods that local craftsmen had to relearn, to a design by architect Channa Daswatte

Travel mindfully

  • Reaching the estate takes a long road transfer, around 4h45 from Colombo, with a meaningful carbon footprint. A longer stay amortises the cost of the journey.

  • Wild elephants pass through the estate in the drier months. Sightings are left to chance in their habitat, never staged or baited.

Getting there

Train station · 20 km

Haputale

The nearest station, on the scenic Kandy to Ella line. The property arranges transfers for the 45 minutes to 1h15 drive up to the estate.

Airport · 80 km

Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI)

The closest airport, around 1h40 by road, though it has limited flight options.

Airport · 190 km

Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB)

Sri Lanka's main international gateway, around 4h45 by road.

Photos · © Living Heritage Koslanda

Last verified: August 2026

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