Kandy, Sri Lanka
Aarunya Nature Resort
Highland plantation villas
Highland plantation villas
Stand-alone villas scatter across a hillside spice estate, built around the dawn light rising over the Knuckles mountains.
What it’s good at
Notable
Cantilevered hillside villas preserve every tree, framing the Knuckles range with open bathrooms.
Notable
On-call butler service via villa iPad, with floating breakfasts delivered to plunge pools.
Notable
Ayurvedic doctor consultations, herbal baths, and an open-air pavilion for hillside yoga.
What they say
Michelin Selected
Michelin
A former tea and spice plantation, the nine-acre hillside estate now holds eight villas worked into the terrain without a single tree felled, using local materials and craftspeople at every stage.
Tucked away
A place apart: the property is the destination.
Walking trails wind through Alawatugoda's hillside spice gardens, and central Kandy is a forty-minute drive south.
1 of 5
The rooms
Each villa opens onto its own plunge pool and deep outdoor tub, looking straight across the forest canopy.
The pool
Bring a swimsuit.
The central infinity pool stretches forty feet along the ridge, looking out across the Knuckles Mountain Range.
The spa
Open-sided pavilions sit among garden foliage for Balinese bodywork and Ayurvedic rituals scented with spices from the estate.
At the table
A thatched mud house serves garden-to-table Sri Lankan feasts to live music, and breakfasts are set beside the pool.
How it began
Architect Nath Rankothge and his family returned to Sri Lanka to develop the former plantation, opening the retreat in 2018.
Kandy
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Our shorthand
How we rate hotels.
The medals
Gold
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Silver
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
Bronze
They did this well. You’ll notice.
Listed
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Design
Built around a vision. Even the door handles have a designer.
Luxe
Cared for at every turn. The bath is drawn before you ask.
Local
It could only be here. You wake up knowing where you are.
Social
Where the city goes out. The bar is full and the night is young.
Heritage
A building with a story. Once a palace, a monastery, a station.
Wellness
You leave feeling new. Rest, sweat, soak and sleep like a stone.
Classic
The city grew up with it. Same rituals, same regulars, same bar.
Resort
A world of its own. Something to do from breakfast to nightcap.
The scene
Lively
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Central
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Secluded
A place apart: the property is the destination.