Haritha Villas and Spa

The unique factor of this stay was the personal butler; an individual asigned to a single room for the duration of the booking. This meant that we had Nilanka supporting our honeymoon stay. All staff-facing from check in to check out (which is done at your room) is through your butler. This affords privacy and means that customers can fully unwind. The rooms are cleaned well and create a peaceful atmosphere in the jungle. We felt so looked after during our stay. The yoga was a nice way to unwind and the gym is well equipped. Be prepared for some encounters with wildlift from birds, reptiles and monkeys. Given the cost of board, we decided to stay on site to enjoy the facilities rather than venure to Galle Fort as was suggested. Great couple retreat with lovely food on offer. With preparation, we were able to order some off-the-menu items such as deviled cashews, black pepper pork and short eats.

I honestly don’t know how to write a review that adequately captures how special our stay at Haritha was. We arrived with very high expectations after reading the many glowing reviews on TripAdvisor, and somehow the reality still exceeded every possible expectation. I have never felt so genuinely looked after at a resort

From the moment we arrived, the level of care and attention to detail was exceptional. Our butler, Thilina, and Axel, the General Manager, personally welcomed us and took the time to show us around the property and explain everything. Throughout our stay, Thilina was absolutely incredible. He very quickly learned our preferences and would anticipate what we wanted before we even asked. For example, I like my food spicier than my partner, and he simply remembered this, spoke with the chef and made sure it was prepared accordingly every day. He somehow manages to be present exactly when needed while still making you feel completely undisturbed.

That feeling extends throughout the entire resort. The service is not simply professional but you can see that everyone genuinely takes enormous pride in what they do. From the gardeners and housekeeping team to the spa therapists, chefs, butlers and everyone else at Haritha, every single person was warm, friendly and incredibly attentive. It is genuinely difficult to single people out because the entire team is so good, but I will try some

“Nilanka from Sri Lanka” was always smiling and such a good energy, while the head gardener gave us a tour of the gardens beaming with pride. His enthusiasm was infectious, and it was wonderful to see how much love goes into maintaining the grounds, learn of the Ayurvedic plants on property and the chef/tea garden. He even offered to send us home with some lemongrass and tea from the garden. The beautiful gardens really reflect that care and I hope that he is encouraged to expand more in his work.

Chef Amila also deserves a special mention. He also did our cooking class with us and was fantastic. Not only was the food delicious, but you could immediately see how proud he is of his work and the food he creates. The cooking class was one of our favourite experiences, and being able to eat what we had prepared afterwards made it even more memorable and something to take home

The GM, Axel, also deserves a special mention. He is clearly running a tight ship and is constantly present around the property, checking in with guests, asking for feedback and simply making conversation. You can see the impact of that leadership in the consistency and attention to detail throughout the resort.

The villas themselves are beautiful and everything you could want. The design, privacy and quality are exactly what you would expect from a luxury property, but everything is also exceptionally well maintained. The linen, towels, furniture and amenities all feel genuinely premium. The privacy is particularly wonderful. You can spend hours in your villa and feel completely alone if that is what you want. Nobody disturbs you unless you want them to.

Housekeeping was another lovely example of how seamlessly everything works. Our morning cleaning and evening turndown were arranged around our schedule by our butler, so we never actually saw the housekeeping team. We simply returned to a spotless room every time. The little turndown touches, including candles being lit on our terrace and treats left in the room, were such a lovely way to end the day.

AND THE FOOD The food is outstanding. Everything is fresh, beautifully presented and incredibly well cooked and flavoured. The chefs should be extremely proud of what they produce. It is a real asset to the resort. We were on half board, which gave us an excellent breakfast and an amazing dinner every day, with the flexibility to choose our own dining times rather than being restricted to set meal times and to choose dining in the villa or restaurant

The spa was another highlight. The Ayurvedic doctor took the time to explain our treatments thoroughly before we started, which really added to the feeling of care and trust. We also had a followup with her every day after our treatments, which made the whole experience feel much more personal than simply booking a massage at a hotel. She also joined us to coach morning yoga, which was a lovely touch. Our therapists were excellent, and I was particularly impressed that mine had 29 years of experience. Having the same therapist throughout the stay also made the experience feel much more personal and consistent. The spa is simply stunning and the jungle setting is unreal.

One of the things I appreciated most about Haritha is that you genuinely don’t have to think about anything. Your butler takes care of everything, learns your preferences, anticipates what you might want and quietly makes it happen. It allows you to completely switch off and simply enjoy being there.

We knew Haritha was going to be an expensive treat for us, and there is no denying that the food and beverage prices are quite high. The quality absolutely goes a long way towards explaining them, but they are worth keeping in mind if you are like us. We also noticed that the loungers can get quite wet during the heavy tropical rain. The team proactively covers them, but perhaps more substantial waterproof coverings would help during the particularly intense storms so that they can be enjoyed as soon as the sun reappears.

Those are honestly the only “points” I could think of.

We left already trying to work out how we could budget to come back, ideally for even longer next time so that we can experience even more of the spa programme. That probably says everything.

11/10. Haritha exceeded every expectation we had, even after reading all the glowing reviews beforehand. We came for a luxury holiday and left feeling genuinely cared for. I think we may have become addicted. You will certainly see us back asap