Ulagalla by UgaEscapes Review

We have been travelling together for over a decade. We, as a couple, are passionate about life, love, and travelling.

Do you remember the surprise trip that Nadika planned for Sanjanee? It was a four-day long trip at Sigiriya, but we stayed at different properties. The first property that we headed to was Ulagalla Anuradhapura.

For starters, Ulagalla by Uga Escapes is a boutique property with a stroke of conventional elegance and nobility. Since the whole trip was a surprise planned by Nadika, Sanjanee had no clue about the different properties that he had chosen.

Hotel surroundings

‘Together is our favourite place to be.’

Once we reached Sigiriya region, we turned to an unfamiliar road, which took the DuoEscapes couple to the mesmerizing Ulagalla property.

Before we start Ulagalla by UgaEscapes Review, take a quick look at the USPs:

• Each of the villas are of 1850 sq. ft. which is massive! Additionally, there are 25 private villas with its very own private pool.
• The property offers seclusion and complete privacy.
• Fun experiences are offered at the property. This includes archery, horse riding, kite making, and village cycle tours.
• Strategic location! You can reach the UNESCO world heritage sites easily.
• Spectacular hospitality and beautifully designed villas.
• Romantic dining experiences are available. All you need to do is contact the staff and they will make it happen!

Note: It also happens to be one of our favourite properties in all of Sri Lanka!

Plunge Pool of our villa

Are you excited? We had a gala time while writing this review, so we are sure you are going to enjoy reading this too.

A Unique Way To Welcome – TOTALLY UNEXPECTED

Once you turn to the road and reach the property, it gives you an ‘ancient’ feeling.

The staff has taken special care of providing neatness to the guests. Everything was sparkling clean and the staff was as warm as melting butter.

As we parked the car, the staff welcomed us with warmth. They escorted us to a small hut where they had kept small lamps.

‘Is that the lobby area?’

‘Are we at the right place?’

‘Are they kidnapping us?’

Well, our mind was full of queries, but we were not ready for the most unique experience of our life. The guests enter the small hut to light the lamp. That’s a tradition and it makes the guests feel welcome.

Unique Experience at the Welcome

Hold that thought! We also got the opportunity to ring the bell at this small Godly space. This was just to get the blessings from the Almighty!

Well, the unique welcome was certainly a great start. Sanjanee was proud of Nadika’s choice!

We were overwhelmed by the warm welcome, but that was not the only unique experience. Every step you take in the property will be like a breath of fresh air. You will be coming across a number of new experiences every step of the way.

‘Walawwa’ Turned Into A Magnificent Space: Ulagalla by UgaEscapes Review

Since this is one of our favourite properties in Sri Lanka, the post is going to be long, informative, and fun to read. Keep reading!

Once we lit up the lamps and got the blessings from the Almighty, we headed to the lobby. It was a ‘Walawwa’ which has now turned into an Ancient-looking lobby. Everything in the hotel is Ancient-looking, but the luxury is optimum.

What a brilliant renovation! They have turned the main building (two-storied) into a lobby and restaurant area. The ground floor is reserved for lobby area and the upper floor has a gorgeous restaurant.

There is an indoor space and open verandah in the lobby. Guests will find some in-house games here to keep the kids and young teenagers interested!

Once we reached here, we were given the welcome drinks at the open verandah. The serving style was fun! The staff asked us to guess the ingredients in the welcome drinks. This was a fun way to break the ice and also make us comfortable for the rest of the stay! Once this was done, they explained to us the history of the property.

They have basically transformed the Ancient Walawwa into a luxurious property. But, the Ancient look has been preserved.

The fun does not stop here! The staff took a picture of us (the couple), but we were unaware of the intent of why they took the picture.

Heading To Our Villa in a Golf Cart

Our Villa with Plunge Pool

When we sat in the golf cart, we realized that Ulagalla is akin to a mini village. You get to experience a whole new world inside. The golf cart took us to our villa and Sanjanee was already thrilled with the experience.

There are many spots for taking pictures along the way. We also witnessed the paddy area en route our villa. All in all, it was a fun journey towards the villa.

Entering Our Massive and Ultimately Gorgeous Private Pool Villa: Ulagalla by UgaEscapes Review

Let’s make one thing crystal clear: the pool villa is on an elevated area.

Two cycles were parked outside the villa. These are free for use throughout the stay. You can cycle around with your love and enjoy the views.

The hotel staff gave us a little tour of the villa. A small staircase led us to the villa which took us to a deck made out of the branches of the tree. What a lovely feature! There are two seating arrangements on this deck for extra relaxation.

Deck for extra relaxation

Then, we went inside the villa. The first thing we noticed was the wooden floor and how massive the space is. Just so you know, this is one of the property which houses a separate washing sink.

The villa is divided in two sections. The left side has the living area which houses all the luxurious and basic amenities. It consists of television, couch, dining table, coffee making machine, and more. The villa is covered with a crystal clear glass that allows you to see the lush greenery around you.

Sitting area of the Villa

There is a passage where there is extra space for seating and luggage storage. Then, you will find a wardrobe space to keep your clothes. As you move ahead, there is a bathroom that gives you a glass view. There is no bathtub, but the bathroom fittings are modern and ultra-luxurious.

Our Villa #7 had a spectacular bedroom. The right side of the passage takes you to the romantic bedroom. Two sides were covered with glass which gave us a spectacular view of the greenery. It felt like we are sleeping amidst a jungle.

There is another entrance from the bedroom through which you can enter the backyard. The backyard has a lovely swimming pool. You can watch the greenery from your pool! Although the plunge pool is not as big, but it offers privacy and a lovely view. There are sun beds and an umbrella where you can relax and catch a drink.

Exploring The Massive Property

Apart from spending time in the luxurious villa, we went to the property’s kitchen garden.

Thanks to the bicycle, we were able to cycle around and chit-chat. The gardener explained us the fruits and vegetables they grow here.

Selfie with the Gardener

The backside area of the property has an open area. The grass-ground is perfect for taking Instagram-worthy pictures. We also cycled till the village nearby. The USP of the village is the greenery and the water ponds. What a gorgeous view it was!

Cycling was fun

The hotel has also built a deck through which you can observe different parts of the property and the village. There is a massive water tank near the property. You can see all of these views from the deck.

Ulagalla had the a-la-carte and set menus for the guests. Since we went for the half-board-basis, we had dinner and breakfast.

Let’s say this: the food and its presentation was spot-on. We would like to mention that during breakfast, the staff ensured that we get as much food as we desired! Since we are big foodies, we could order our favourite things in as much quantity as we like. Hospitality and food at Ulagalla are stellar!

A Never-Ending List of Activities

Almost all the villas have a private pool. Apart from this, the hotel also has a main pool. It is quite big and overlooks lush greenery. Ulagalla By Uga Escapes did not fail to impress us!

Main pool of the Hotel

There are a list of activities that you can indulge in. These include horse riding, archery, special dining experiences, dipping into the pool, and village walks.

Overall, guests will have plenty of things to do apart from dipping into their own private pool.

A Warm Way To End The Trip

We were already overjoyed with the whole experience, but there was something special that the staff did during checkout.

The picture they had taken during check in was now a part of a beautiful frame. We melted like butter because it was a very kind and sweet gesture.

Our stay ended with a beautiful gift from Ulagalla. To sum it up, the staff is wonderful and the villas are clean and gorgeous. There is no shortage of activities and the food was lip smacking.

Would we recommend the property to couples and families? Absolutely! The answer is a resounding YES!

So, book your tour and surprise your love

At the end of the day, a happy wife equals to a happy life.

Stay tuned for more adventures of us and Read our previous adventures here.

Points to Note: Ulagalla by UgaEscapes Review

• Price: Rs.30,000 (USD 160) booked through directly contacting on half board double basis
• Visited in December 2017
• One of the two best all time hotels that we have visited in Sri Lanka
• Highly recommended for couples and honeymooners
• We stayed at Villa No.7, which is perfectly hidden from the surroundings

Tags: Duo Escapes, Uga escapes, Ulagalla

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