Due to the excellent reviews of the guests of Polwatte Eco Lodges, the owner Nihal Ellegala was awarded with the certificate of excellence by Mart Charron, President of TripAdvisor for Business for 2014. Polwatte Eco Lodges is a Jungle Resort situated just 19km away from Kandy with 7 lodges on a 13 acre property giving ample freedom and privacy to the guests.
The Lodges are run by a family with strong ties with the village and the villagers themselves. True sustainable tourism is practiced here where Solar power is widely used rain-water is harvested, almost all employees are selected from the village and all guests are encouraged to plant a tree before leaving. The lodges are clean and
offer magnificent views from the spacious balconies. The facilities exceed the expectation of an Eco lodge – there are tea/coffee-making facilities and hot/cold water, all done in true eco-style while most lodges have a room telephone and a safety deposit box. The space between the lodges is large providing privacy to the guests. With its green surrounding, it is a haven for birds (60 species 15 endemics) and wild animals (barking deer, wild boar, porcupine, giant squirrel, flying squirrel and monkeys) along with the owner’s dogs, cats and chicken for those who love pets.
There are 7 Eco lodges, a dormitory and a camping site. Traditional cooking methods (the hearth and clay pots) are used to cook, which results on their rice & curry being called the best in Sri Lanka. A demonstration kitchen allows guests the opportunity to cook on their own. The entire staff is friendly, eager to help and makes one feel at home.
Being 700 meters above sea level and covered with trees, Polwaththa Eco Lodges can boats of a perfect climate, which leaves out the need for air-conditioning and instead offer clean and fresh air. There is plenty of opportunities for cultural interaction with the community where the village-walk and river-bath conducted by local villagers being the best.
Source : http://www.dailynews.lk/?q=features/polwatta-eco-lodges-awarded-certificate-excellence