A stunning piece of colonial architecture draped in 25 acres of lush greenery, and nestled in Ratnapura in close proximity to the Sri Pada mountain range, the Gileemale Retreat has been refurbished to cleverly combine the old classic charm with modern luxury. The more recent refurbishment had given this ancestral walawwa the ambience of an upmarket holiday home at a very minimalistic finish. Consists of two luxury suites on the upper floor, four standard bedrooms downstairs, Yoga and Relaxing Lounge in the open interior courtyard, a reading room, museum of antiques and plenty of relaxing areas decorated with archeological monuments and paintings, the property has been designed to evoke a sense of place for the guests.

The Gileemale Retreat is the brainchild of the sole owner of the Walawwa, Ishantha Avinda Dassanayake who is the 6th generation member of the lineage of Punchi Bandara. Ishantha has stamped his mark on his ancestral home with a history of 300 years with the vision to build a sustainable hospitality venture that rekindles the past glory of the Sabaragamuwa culture while giving back to the environment and village community.

Those seeking to unwind can undertake a wellness vacation at the Yoga Retreat and Ayurveda Spa to benefit from Sri Lanka’s indigenous treatments and wellness practices. Here, one can enjoy the array of authentic cuisine from the Sabaragamuwa region or detoxing juices and vegetarian dishes offered at the venue to treat the guests to a meal of natural goodness. The mansion also connects its visitors with a myriad of travel experiences steeped in the history and culture of the Sabaragamuwa Province as the famous Adam’s Peak, the historic Saman Devalaya, the Rankoth Viharaya known for its stone inscription, Bopath Ella and Udawalawa. While tea, rubber, cinnamon, bamboo estates and the herb/ organic garden surrounding the Gileemale Retreat take the guests through an incredible agro tourism experience, the abundant birdlife at the property makes this holiday home tailor-made for bird lovers and ornithologists. The lush natural habitat surrounding the retreat is home to 75 species of land birds out of which 15 are endemic to Sri Lanka.