air conditioning, reduce energy usage. As well as this, the hotel has an electric car charging point and an electric vehicle, which runs on electricity provided by the solar panels, reducing the hotel’s carbon footprint.
‘Ocean, mountain, and garden views all await you at the luxurious Ravana Garden. Enjoy the Spa with the sound of waves behind you.’
Gift: An outdoor cooking session and ancient ‘Madal’ fishing experience.
Overview
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Highlights
From $153 USD per night (incl. all 3 meals, drinks & snacks)
Suites with ocean & garden views
Private candle-lit dinner, under the stars
Watch the sunset from the rooftop bar
Take a dip in the warm Sri Lankan coast
Outdoor wood fire cooking sessions
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Top Tip
‘Try the private breakfast experience, nearby the Kalamatiya Bird Sanctuary’
Eco Activities
Witness the incredible natural surroundings with a cycling tour through the village and paddy fields. If you’re lucky, you’ll witness beautiful peacocks, wild rabbits & a mongoose
Visit the Kalamatiya Bird Sanctuary with a boat ride. One of the largest bird sanctuaries in Sri Lanka guests can witness the vibrant selection of tropical birds
For a challenging excursion hike the Ussangoda Mountain, steeped in local legend and mysticism. Guests can enjoy the natural beauty of Ussangoda National Park, and breathtaking views over Sri Lanka’s Southern coast
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Rooms
There are 8 different types of suites out of the 9. There are 6 suites on the ground floor which have a private garden. There are 3 with private pools with themes: Ancient pool, waterfall experience and secret hideaway.
Spacious open-air bathrooms
The secret hideaway for newlyweds
Adjacent gardens with fragrant herbs
Digital detox, with no TVs
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Meet your Host
Meet Rasika and his lovely wife Dulangi, the founders of Ravana Garden in Sri Lanka. Rasika has been a tea taster and recipe creator for the last 25 years.
Passionate about sustainability since he was young, he was inspired by visiting the forests in Sri Lanka, his eco-hotel is a dream come true.
‘We didn’t cut a single tree in the construction of the hotel, we didn’t use any heavy machinery. You can see from some of the pictures that the rooftop bar has a tree coming right through it’.
Discover more with ‘Behind the Green’ here.
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Need to Know
In keeping with ‘sustainable luxury’ there is naturally no air conditioning in the rooms, instead, there are fans, humidifiers & coolers which can be provided upon request
Don’t expect a TV in the rooms. One of the main objectives of the hotel is to reconnect guests with nature & each other. There are plenty of activities to enjoy, including a Spa, Library and Pool
You’ll need to be open-minded if you’re a big meat eater. The hotel does not serve unsustainable foods such as Lamb, Pork, Beef & farmed Salmon. Instead, there are fresh vegetables and plenty of local sustainably sourced fish
Show me the TripAdvisor Reviews.
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Location
Ravana Garden is located in Ambalantota in the Hambantota district of Sri Lanka. Fortunately, this hotel sits in the dry zone of Sri Lanka, so guests can visit at any time of year.
How To Get There
Sri Lankan Airlines goes direct from London to Bandaranaike international airport (CMB) circa 10-hour flight. From (CMB) Ravana Garden can arrange private transfers on request. It will take about 2 hours and 30 minutes’ drive on via south expressway to reach Ravana Garden from this airport. The nearest airport is Mattala International Airport, it is about a 50-minute drive from the hotel. There’s an option to take a Cinnamon Air domestic flight from CMB to Mattala international airport, where a private transfer can also be arranged by Ravana Garden.
Gallery
Leaf Rating
3-leaf status
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EnergyThe majority of the power usage at Ravana Garden is powered by clean solar panels, with plans to be 100% energy sustainable. Measures such as LED lighting, not having TVs or...
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WaterRainwater is harvested for use in irrigating the garden, which features indigenous species and vegetables that require less water than most, so this system is very effective for conserving...Read More >>
water. As well as rainwater, grey water from the guests’ showers is also used in the garden.
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WasteAll of the waste at Ravana Garden is separated and recycled wherever possible, with organic waste always composted. There is also minimum usage of single-use plastics, with alternative...Read More >>
products being found, including: water filters in rooms instead of plastic bottles, bamboo toothbrushes instead of plastic ones and re-usable bags. This policy is something that they try to encourage their local suppliers to practice as well. Ravana Garden also tries to minimize paper usage during operations: tablets used instead of hard copies of menus, phone directories etc. E-bills strongly encouraged (paper bills only printed upon request); and business e-cards are used instead of printed ones. Finally, the kitchen does not offer buffet-style meals as they are proven to create huge amounts of waste.
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ConservationTurtles have been known to visit beaches in the area, so there are no beach-facing lights which could confuse newly hatched babies finding the ocean. The hotel alerts guests to be aware...Read More >>
of eggs that might be buried in the sand. As well as this, certain areas around the property have been left untouched in order to encourage wildlife to inhabit the area, which includes wild rabbits and a variety of birds that visit the birdbaths here.
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FoodThe restaurant does not offer guests the top unsustainable foods including as lamb, beef and pork or food that includes MSG or is processed in anyway, so meals are healthy and natural. Ingredients are sourced from...Read More >>
their on-site vegetable gardens or from local suppliers, finding organic ingredients where possible.
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Engage GuestsRavana Garden offers a huge variety of eco-activities for guests, which most are free of charge, including sea-bathing, a village tour, a Ussangoda Mountain trail and ancient fishing. There are...Read More >>
also outdoor cookery classes and guests can tour the organic gardens, to learn how they could potentially adopt a more conscious lifestyle when they return home.
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ArchitectureDuring construction, special attention was given to conserving indigenous plant life. The construction of Ravana Garden was carefully planned to not be disruptive to the natural environment (not a single tree was felled during construction)...Read More >>
The original design had to be changed several times in order to save every single tree on the property. As well as this, construction was undertaken with mostly manual labour, in order to be less disruptive than using machines. Sustainable materials were used throughout, such as ‘pun’ roof sealing, which is made of woven reeds and rattan, sourced locally. Finally, the design means that there is plenty of natural lighting and ventilation in order to reduce energy consumption, as there is no air conditioning in guest rooms.
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HousekeepingThe toiletries offered at Ravana Garden are natural and biodegradable, given to guests in refillable ceramic containers to avoid single-use plastics. As well as this, the cleaning products...Read More >>
used in the hotel are biodegradable, sourced from Amami, the same company as the toiletries.
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Kiwano BonusRavana Garden is located in a rural farming and fishing village where the local people don’t have many opportunities, so community engagement is very important. Originally when the hotel was...Read More >>
built, the aim was for 25% of the staff to be from the local village, now it is over 35%. All of these staff members are given extensive training, including the practices of sustainability. There is also a Workplace Wellness Policy and Programme, to make sure that the staff are well taken care of. This programme includes high-quality meals, medical insurance and a very spacious staff accommodation with all necessary facilities.
Reviews
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"An authentic, peaceful, and memorable stay."In this unspoilt, authentic corner of Sri Lanka, the staff made our week-long stay at Ravana Garden truly memorable. This is a simple but impeccably run beachfront property, operated on sustainable principles on an isolated beach, where you more likely to see fishermen pulling in their catch and families enjoying the sunset than other tourists.
caldascm, TripAdvisor, June 2019
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"Forging a pioneering path in Sustainable luxury!"
I stayed 2 nights here with my teenage son and we were extremely well looked after. The hotel is in a beautiful beachfront location. The white, airy rooms have a ‘modern seaside’ vibe; go for sea view if you can or otherwise the view over the green paddy fields behind the hotel are lovely.
Alice, TripAdvisor, August 2019
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"Hope to visit that place again."
Best place ever they organised a fantastic dinner for us the, amazing atmosphere, kind staff, best chef who makes the most delicious food in Sri Lanka, and wonderful owners.
Mayada, Facebook Review, June 2019
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"It was worth every penny."
One of the best beachfront resorts in Sri Lanka for the environment conscious travellers. A lot of planning has gone into being in sync with the natural surroundings and the nature in this beautiful property located in deep South of Sri Lanka.
Nalin, Google Reviews, July 2019
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"The staff are very accommodating and so pleasant."
Our stay here was simply lovely and very relaxing. Incredibly beautiful location with friendly staff. The hotel is set in the most beautiful surroundings with well-maintained gardens and large pool area.
Sayendrika, Facebook Reviews, June 2019
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