Santani Wellness Resort & Spa

Name: Santani Wellness Resort & Spa
Rating: 5.0

A sanctuary in the hills

Introduction
Rooms
Facilities
Reviews

Surrounded by unspoiled mountain scenery, this boutique resort is a haven of tranquillity and home to Sri Lanka’s first destination spa.

Santani Wellness Resort & Spa has been a name to know since it opened in 2016, and not just because of its away-from-it-all setting on a former tea plantation or its award-winning minimalist architecture. At its heart is a holistic approach to health and wellbeing that finds its purest expression in the superb spa, which seems to grow out of the hillside, and which has one floor devoted to hydrotherapy – a rarity in Sri Lanka. We particularly love the view from the glass-sided sauna and the tempting range of wellness packages designed to tackle everything from stress to sleeplessness.

Why we love Santani Wellness Resort & Spa

A supremely tranquil hilltop setting, with rice fields and tea estates all around, and stunning mountain panoramas
The award-winning spa is in a league of its own, with imaginative wellness programs and excellent hydrotherapy facilities
The healthy, personalised gourmet meals are some of the most delicious you’re likely to find at an all-inclusive resort
It’s a stylish place to pause for a few days on a longer tour or a memorable option for a honeymoon

Based on {{tripAdvisor.tripAdvisorSummary.num_reviews}} reviews

Our rating 5 stars

Best time to go Feb - Aug

Location Kandy & Nuwara Eliya

Avg Flight time Colombo 10½ hours

Setting In a tranquil hilly area surrounded by rice fields and tea estates, a 60-minute drive from Kandy

Transfers Approx. 4.5 hours from the airport

Interests All Inclusive, Honeymoon, Wellness, Boutique, Spa

View gallery

Rooms

There are 20 rooms in individual chalets whose design is a stylish modern update on traditional Sri Lankan shelters for pilgrims. The resort’s focus on uncluttered simplicity is reflected in the minimalist decoration: neutral colours, recycled teak and rubberwood furniture – and no television. The 16 Mountain View chalets have balconies that open straight out from the room, so there’s nothing between you, the gentle breezes and the sunrise. It’s a magical place to sit and soak in the breathtaking sights, sounds and smells. In the four Garden View Chalets, paddy fields take the place of mountains, and terraces replace balconies, making them suitable for families with older children. For honeymooners, waking up to dreamy views in the netting-draped four-poster of a Mountain View Chalet is the definition of romantic.

Mountain View Chalet

Chic, minimalist standalone structures in an elevated position, with spectacular views from the private balcony.

ceiling fan
rain shower
Wi-Fi on request
balcony
minibar
tea/coffee-making facilities
46m²

Garden View Chalet

In a secluded setting surrounded by lush vegetation, 10 minutes walk – or a short hop in a complimentary tuk-tuk – from the main areas.

ceiling fan
rain shower
Wi-Fi on request
balcony
minibar
tea/coffee-making facilities
46m²

* Denotes local charge

Facilities

Restaurants & bars
Board
Spas & wellness
Sustainability

View images

Santani prides itself on its personalised approach, and that applies in the restaurant, too, so you can be sure that everything will be tailored to your tastes and supremely healthy as well.

Restaurant
The food served in the resort’s restaurant-with-a-view is tailored to individual guests’ requirements and based on the concept of the six tastes – so that the flavours at breakfast, lunch and dinner balance out across the day. The result is delicious, life-enhancing modern dishes that are as pleasing to the eye as to the palette, whether they’re low carbohydrate, ayurvedic vegetarian, detox or something customised just for you.

Bar
There’s a peaceful main lounge, set in a large open-air pavilion, where guests can unwind with a glass of biodynamic wine or freshly squeezed juice from the low-key bar.

Our pick

There is only one restaurant, but the ingenuity of the kitchen and the sheer beauty of the setting makes each meal a sensory event.

What's included

All inclusive • Breakfast, lunch and dinner • Non-alcoholic drinks • Group yoga sessions • Access to hydrotherapy suite.

View images

Tucked artfully into the hillside, the serene spa at Santani is a destination in its own right, with four treatment rooms that open on to paddy fields and the only comprehensive hydrotherapy suite in Sri Lanka. Relax in the steam room, the sauna with mountain views and the open-air thermal soak pool, book a treatment or two, or sign up for a customised health package that brings together the best aspects of traditional ayurvedic techniques with the latest scientific discoveries.

Group yoga and meditation classes are conducted by master practitioners every morning and evening in the yoga shala.

There’s a suitably life-affirming selection of activities, from a fairly gentle walk through the 48-acre grounds with the resident naturalist to more energetic hikes through mountains and cloud forest.

The clever design takes advantage of local air flows, avoiding the need for energy-guzzling heating and air conditioning. Most of the exquisite dishes and drinks in the restaurant and bar are made from locally grown and organic ingredients. More than three-quarters of the wood used to make the furniture and the buildings themselves is recycled. All of the shared spaces are deliberately Wi-Fi free, providing a digital detox for guests and cutting electricity consumption.

Guest reviews

Average Rating

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