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For families there’s a suite-like room that
can accommodate up to six people. At the
time of research, a swimming pool and two
more rooms were under construction. At cur-
rent rates this is one of the best deals in the
Hill Country.oWaterfall Homestay g UESTHOUSE $$
(map p184; %567 6933; http://www.waterfalls-guest
house-ella.com; s/d incl breakfast Rs 5000/6000;
hclosed 10-19 Apr & first 3 days of every other month;
W) Delightfully secluded four-room homestay
run by an Australian couple with a flair for
art and design. The building melds into the
hillside and offers views over the Rawana
Falls, which seem to be perfectly framed by
the trees surrounding the guesthouse. Each
flamboyantly decorated room is different
from the last and all the furnishings are of a
high standard.
Memorable meals are served on the ter-
race. It’s 1.5km from town; walk along the
train tracks or up the dirt road, or a Rs 200
three-wheeler ride.Zion View g UESTHOUSE $$
(map p180; %072 785 5713; http://www.ella-guest
house-srilanka.com; r incl breakfast US$80-95; W)
This is a first-rate little boutique guesthouse.
Rooms have enormous glass-panel windows
and Mediterranean-style terraces strewn with
hammocks and easy chairs. Eating break-
fast on the sunny terrace with views down
through the Ella Gap is as good as Ella mo-
ments get. Owner Sena, who trained in Swit-
zerland, and his charming wife Rashinika will
go out of their way to help.
The in-house restaurant (open to outside
guests) serves a delicious rice and curry (Rs
850 to 1150). If you’re travelling with young
kids, then this is a good bet as they have all
the gear, a big play area, as well as a playmate
for your little ’un. There’s also a nice little
Ayurveda centre. They were about to finish
work on some large family apartments at the
time of research.Dream Café Guest House HOTEl $$
(map p180; %222 8950; http://www.dreamcafeandguest
houseella.com; main Rd; d Rs 5500; W) Locat-
ed above the busy restaurant of the same
name, this hotel’s rooms are immaculate
and ideal for families. Each room is more of
a mini-apartment split into two bedrooms:
one with a double bed and one with a couple
of sofa beds. Children under 12 years are ac-
commodated for free in their parent’s room
and those aged between 12 and 20 years cost
Rs 1000.View Point Villa C OT TA gE $$
(map p184; %077 357 3851; http://www.viewpoint-villa-
ella.com; 8 mile Post, Passara Rd; cottages Rs 3500-
9200; W) View Point, a delightfully isolated
8km from Ella, has bright villas that com-
bine soaring ceilings with a tacky overdose –
we suggest beheading the pink teddy bears
found in each bed. Afterwards, clean yourself
of your crime in the shower (read: space sta-
tion), which comes with built-in lights, radio,
massage functions, seats and even water!
A three-wheeler from Ella should cost
between Rs 400 and 500. Motorcycles can be
rented for Rs 1000 per day for off-the-beaten-
path exploring.Green Hill g UESTHOUSE $$
(map p180; %205 0022; off Passara Rd; s/d Rs
4000/5850; W) This guesthouse is a short
walk from the town centre down a quiet
country lane. The rooms are a little over-
priced based on quality alone, but when
you’re on the terrace, relaxing on a bean bag
and enjoying the view you probably won’t
care about such things. There is positive feed-
back about the food in the guestbook.Hill Top Guest House g UESTHOUSE $$
(map p180; %222 8780; r incl breakfast Rs 4500-
5600; W) Sprucely maintained rooms, views
of Ella Gap to die for, and a welcoming family
add up to one of Ella’s best. The house is sur-
rounded by verdant gardens, giving a sense of
privacy. Good Sri Lankan meals are available.98 Acres Resort RESORT $$$
(map p184; %205 0050; http://www.resort98acres.
com; Uva greenland Tea Estate; s US$170-200, d
US$180-210, incl breakfast; Ws) Set in tea gar-
dens a short way out of town, the 12 stilted
cottages here have fabulous views towards
Little Adam’s Peak. Rooms are of the earthy,
rustic-luxury type and the tea-bush-hemmed
swimming pool is a huge bonus. Service can
be a little curt and it’s perhaps not quite as
special as the price tag indicates. There’s an
in-house spa and Ayurveda centre.5 ating & DrinkingE
Ella’s guesthouses are great places to try ex-
cellent home-cooked food, perhaps some of
the best eating you’ll discover in all of Sri
Lanka. All the guesthouses and hotels serve
meals; they ask for around four hours’ no-
tice. Especially good is the food at Rawana
Holiday Resort (p181), Zion View, Waterfall
Homestay and Ella Flower Garden Resort
(p181) – in some guesthouse restaurants you
can even join the chef in the kitchen for a