98 Acres Resort and Spa, Ella

98 Acres Resort and Spa is a luxury hotel built on a working 98-acre tea estate in Ella, positioned on the Ella Gap overlooking the escarpment that drops to the southern plains. Thatched chalets are cantilevered into the tea plantation with unobstructed views. On a clear day the views reach all the way to the southern lakes. The hilltop infinity pool sits above the mist. Bar 98 serves tea cocktails as the valley below disappears into cloud each afternoon. Multiple restaurants. Spa. Walking trails through the working tea fields. The location keeps temperatures consistently cool and the air clean.

‍

What Makes 98 Acres Different

The position is singular. Cantilevered into a working tea estate on an escarpment means the views are available from inside the chalets, from the pool, from the restaurant, from the bar. The tea estate is not a backdrop. It is the setting. Watching cloud roll across a tea plantation from an infinity pool is not something you can do most places. The architecture works with this by opening towards the view rather than turning away. Bar 98 is positioned specifically for the afternoon cloud ritual, which happens reliably every day.

‍

What to Expect

Thatched chalets cantilevered into a 98-acre working tea estate. Hilltop infinity pool above the Ella Gap. Multiple restaurants and Bar 98. Spa. Walking trails through the tea fields. Cool mountain air. Views extending to the southern lakes on clear days. The daily afternoon cloud descent that transforms the landscape.

‍

Experiences Not to Miss

A guided tea estate walk explaining cultivation and harvest. A drink at Bar 98 as afternoon cloud rolls up from the valley. Breakfast on your chalet terrace at dawn over the tea fields. A spa treatment in the quiet afternoon. Sunset from the infinity pool. A walk to Nine Arches Bridge or Little Adam's Peak, both accessible from the hotel.

‍

When to Go and How to Combine It

September through April for the clearest weather. May to June brings more cloud and rain. Ella is 2 hours from Kandy by train (scenic route) or by car, and connects to the south coast 2 hours south. Most guests stay 2 to 3 nights.

‍

FAQ

What is the Nine Arches Bridge?‍

A colonial-era railway viaduct built entirely from stone and brick, set in jungle between Ella and Demodara. A train passes through it several times daily. It is one of Sri Lanka's most photographed structures and is walkable from the hotel.

Can I take a train to Ella?

‍Yes. The train from Kandy to Ella is considered one of the most scenic train journeys in the world, passing through tea plantations and mountain forest. The journey takes approximately 7 hours. The resort arranges pickup from Ella station.

Is Bar 98 open to non-guests?

‍Bar 98's non-guest policy depends on capacity and season. Contact the resort directly to confirm before planning a visit.

What altitude is Ella?

‍Ella sits at approximately 1,000 metres, which is why the air is cooler and cleaner than lower elevations.

Is one night enough?

‍Two nights minimum is recommended. One night barely covers arrival and departure. Two nights allows a proper tea estate walk, a sunset and a morning in the pool.

What is special about the Ella Gap?

‍The Ella Gap is a natural break in the central mountain range where weather moves dramatically through the valley. The view from this escarpment is one of the most striking in Sri Lanka, and the cloud that fills it each afternoon changes the landscape completely.