Aerial view of the curved timber roundhouse and infinity pool set in jungle and plantation — Trebartha East, near Ahangama, Sri Lanka

Trebartha East The Roundhouse

Ahangama, Southern Province · Sri Lanka

Availability

Year-round

Per unit

4 rooms · 2–3 guests

Region

Southern Province

Price range

$$$

Price range

$$$

Per unit

2–3 guests

Type

Boutique hotel

Aerial view looking down on the infinity pool and timber roofs surrounded by greenery
Two-storey timber suite raised on stilts among the trees at golden hour
King room with a canopy bed and timber ceiling bathed in warm sunset light
The roundhouse amid jungle and plantation under an orange sunset sky, seen from the air
Bright king room with a canopy bed, two armchairs and floor-to-ceiling timber windows
Overhead view of the infinity pool, lawns and garden paths of the roundhouse
Infinity pool beside a timber pergola dining terrace overlooking the jungle
Sun loungers and parasols lining the infinity pool above the forest
Curved timber facade and walkway of the roundhouse above a garden lawn
Infinity pool framed by hanging greenery with a dining table at golden hour
Curved timber walkway lit by a lantern winding past dense greenery at dusk
Timber bathroom with a stone vanity and a door opening to a private balcony
Dark timber bathroom with a towel ladder and walk-in shower
Timber suite with wide eaves and glass walls seen from below against a blue sky
Open-sided lounge with a grey sofa and timber ceiling opening onto the deck and view
Breakfast laid on a timber table overlooking the plantation and jungle
Breakfast spread on a balcony table above a canopy of palms
Colourful lunch dishes on a table with the infinity pool and jungle beyond
Twin room with two timber canopy beds against dark timber walls
King room with a draped canopy bed and a lounge chair by windows onto the hills at sunset
Private table for two set on the lawn under trees at sunset
Lounge with armchairs and a tall shelf of books and local objects in golden light
The timber roundhouse lit up under a starry night sky

Trebartha East The Roundhouse

Ahangama, Southern Province

Boutique hotel · $$$

4 rooms · Year-round

  • Solar array covering around 62.5% of annual energy
  • 5-hectare cinnamon plantation revived over five years
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Welcome to Trebartha East The Roundhouse

The 4-bedroom roundhouse, by Sri Lankan architect Prof. Dr. Narein Perera, is built from timber sourced through the Sri Lankan State Timber Corporation, its columns scorched on-site to weather without chemical preservation. A 20 kWp solar array covers around 62.5% of annual energy demand. Winner of the 2023 Monsoon Architecture Award and the 2024-25 Green Solutions Awards.

4 rooms in a single circular building, each named after the structural timber used to build it. Kumbuk and Jak (40 m², king), Hora (70 m² duplex, king upstairs plus a study with daybed, extra bed on request), Teak (34 m², twin). All rooms come with an ensuite rainfall shower, air conditioning, fan, in-room safe and locally sourced toiletries. Bookable individually or together as a private 4-room villa.
The all-day kitchen serves a menu inspired by Sri Lankan cooking, from locally sourced and estate-grown ingredients. The treatment room offers massages and beauty treatments. Guests can tour the working cinnamon plantation and walk a 1-km garden path through indigenous fruit trees. The curved infinity pool is tiled in recycled glass and treated with minimal chlorination.

The property sits atop a 5-hectare cinnamon plantation revived from a decade of jungle, with 360° views over rice paddies, jungle and the Indian Ocean. Ahangama town, the surfing hub of Sri Lanka's south coast, is 10 minutes by car below. Galle Fort is about 30 minutes west.

Solar poweredSustainable architectureFarm-to-table kitchen

Accommodation

4 rooms

Capacity

2–3 guests per unit

Availability

Year-round

Price range

$$$

Amenities

Pool · Spa · Restaurant · Wi-Fi

Included

Breakfast included · Cinnamon plantation tour · 1-km plantation garden path

Good to know

  • Children aged 12 and over welcome, babies under 12 months with a cot on request. When rented exclusively as a private villa, children of all ages are welcome.

  • The Hora suite can sleep three with an extra bed in the study on request.

  • Split levels with an open-air spiral staircase, not suitable for guests with reduced mobility.

Why it's a Positive Escape

4 rooms in a circular timber pavilion above a cinnamon plantation near Ahangama.

Energy

  • Solar array (~20 kWp) covering ~62.5% of annual demand

    off-site array on the estate, grid-tied with a 40 kVA generator back-up. Energy intensity 108 to 113 kWh/m²/year

  • Forest-canopy skylights

    skylights mimic light filtering through a forest canopy, so the central volume needs less artificial light during the day

Water

  • On-site water sourcing

    the property runs on its own water supply

  • Refillable in-room water containers

    no single-use plastic bottles served in the rooms

Food

  • Locally sourced kitchen, some estate-grown

    estate cinnamon is served in dishes and packed as a parting gift. Other ingredients sourced locally

Waste

  • Refillable toiletries and locally made bath products

    in-room amenities from refillable containers

  • Minimal-chlorination pool with recycled-glass tiles

    the 18-metre infinity pool uses minimal chemical treatment, tiled in recycled glass

Transport

  • Low-carbon access route

    Ahangama railway station is 10 minutes by car on the coastal line from Colombo. The hotel arranges train transfers as an alternative to the road route from the airport

Materials & Construction

  • Timber through the Sri Lankan State Timber Corporation

    the country's regulated channel for protected hardwood.

  • Scorched timber columns

    scorched on-site to weather without chemical preservation.

  • Monsoon Architecture Award 2023

    awarded by the Indian Institute of Architects Kerala chapter for sustainable tropical buildings

Wildlife

  • Plantation reclaimed from jungle and replanted

    jungle had reclaimed the 5-hectare estate for around a decade. A five-year replanting programme added thousands of cinnamon seedlings (18,000 in the latest cycle, per the property) plus indigenous fruit trees along a 1-km path

Community

  • Local hires

    staff are local hires. The plantation programme provides stable, well-paid employment to neighbouring villages

  • Sri Lankan artisans and artists

    bespoke timber furniture from Colombo, rattan and rugs by local artisans, art from Sri Lankan studios

Transparency

  • Independent technical factsheet on Construction21

    publicly available third-party brief on solar capacity, share of renewables, energy intensity, materials sourcing and construction circularity.

  • Green Solutions Awards 2024-25

    international juried award for sustainable buildings, run by the Construction21 network

Getting there

Train station · 8 km

Ahangama railway station

10 minutes by car. Coastal line from Colombo and Galle. Hotel arranges transfers, a lower-carbon route from the capital.

Airport · 150 km

Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB)

Around 2h30 by road via the Southern Expressway. Hotel arranges private car transfer.

Photos · © Trebartha East

Last verified: August 2026

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