Santani Wellness Resort and Spa

The Mountain View Chalets consist of sixteen stand-alone bedrooms each extending to a balcony at approximately 500 square feet. These stylish, elevated room face onto the surrounding jungle valley and the stunning mountains beyond, and can accommodate two people. Each room features up-cycled rubber wood lounge chairs, recycled teakwood safari chairs on the balcony, extra-large pillows, 100% cotton, high thread count sheets, coffee and tea making facilities, a personal safe and two closets.

The four Garden View Chalets are designed for families with children (12+) and are located away from the main area of the resort. These chalets are situated in an area with a small paddy field on one side and a tea plantation on the other. Two chalets are connected to each other through a common open area and one of these two chalets is specifically designed for children between 12–15 with no balconies and other safety specifications. All chalets have a glass wall that provides unhindered views of the lush vegetation surrounding the area. These chalets do not have the mountain vistas, but provide a cosy, secluded feel among thick vegetation and are ideal for groups and families. The chalets can be also be sold individually as well. Similar to our other chalets, these rooms also do not have televisions. While digital detox is a key component of the Santani experience, in-room WiFi is offered on demand. The walking distance from these chalets to the main lounge and restaurant is about 10 minutes but Tuk Tuks are available to shuttle guests to and from the chalets and main facilities. 

Santani exists for the singular purpose of nourishing your soul. When it comes to actual nutrition, they believe in balance rather than extremes, and in the value of pleasure in your lives. Whether you like juicing, vegetarian, vegan and raw foods or you prefer heartier traditional fare, Santani is about freedom. So the choice is yours to make among the nutritious and delicious food served in the elevated restaurant with capacity for 60 guests, and at the open-air main pavilion lounge with its biodynamic wine & fresh juice bar. In place of a printed menu for everyone, Santani’s experienced, internationally trained chefs prepare your dishes according to a custom meal plan created in co-ordination with the Head of Wellness and Santani’s in-house Ayurvedic doctor based upon your health goals and physical condition.

Although the spa treatments and wellness packages are completely optional, Santani is a dedicated wellness retreat. The tri-level spa is the largest of its kind in Sri Lanka, and has the islands first complete hydrotherapy facility with salt baths, sauna and steam. Practice yoga morning and evening on the designated yoga pavilion and focus on restoring the body’s natural balance during meditation. All in all, spend your time at Santani treating yourself to what you deserve.

Set in the beautiful hills, there are countless walks that guests can venture on, including but not limited to:

• Hulu River Walk: 4km, 2 hours
• Hanging Bridge: 7km, 3 hours
• Bulathaththa Village Walk: 8km, 3.5 hours
• Narampanawa Temple Walk: 10km, 4 hours

Within one hours drive guests can be in the historical city of Kandy, which is full of exciting spots of historical and cultural interest. These include The Temple of the Tooth, Peradeniya Botanical Gardens, and Victoria Golf Course.

The meaningful focus on wellness and sincere efforts to help guests connect and stay connected with their minds, bodies and spirit can be traced back to the founders of Santani themselves. As the co-founder Vickum Nawagamuwage explains, all those who came together to create Santani, and all it encompasses, had done so as a result of growing career pressure and ‘success stress’. Santani is about finding emotional and mental balance in the fast-paced world we are living in. In the lush acres of an old tea plantation, guests are encouraged to reach inwards, explore the natural callings of your body, and the natural calls of the wildlife abundant around you. Only with this reconnection to the natural movements of your body, and natural movements of the earth can we live sustainably, and that is exactly what those at Santani are pioneering.

The architectural design of Santani is focused around the idea of minimal distractions, both for guests and for the mountains and wildlife all around. The hotel’s location was chosen for the purity of its natural setting, encouraging relaxation but also sparking human reconnection to nature. Minimalism plays a big part here, both in design and ethos. A stay at Santani encompasses sustainable living and meaningful wellness from beginning to end. Almost 80% of the wood used for both structural and interior elements of the hotel is recycled and all ingredients are locally sourced or grown on site.

Santani has been designed in such a way to ensure that neither air conditioning or heating are needed, this reduces the hotel’s energy consumption by 70%. The entire hotel was designed to have as little impact on the wilderness surrounding it, which is why most of the buildings are constructed on stilts – also allowing for natural thermal flows to cool the rooms. Built underground, the spa and wellness centre is provided with natural cooling.