Tucked into the hills above Ella, the 98-acre tea estate that gives this well-known property its name has a history stretching back to Sri Lanka's colonial era — long before it became one of the hill country's most photographed places to stay.
From Southerland Tea Estate to 98 Acres
The land was originally known as the Southerland Tea Estate, owned and managed by a British planter during Sri Lanka's colonial period, part of the broader expansion of tea cultivation across the island's hill country in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The estate later passed to the UHE Group, which renamed it Uva Greenlands and continued producing high-quality Uva-region tea. Eventually, the land's scenic setting — with sweeping views toward Little Adam's Peak and the Ella Gap — led to its transformation into what's now known simply as 98 Acres, taking its name directly from the size of the estate itself.
Built From Reclaimed Materials
What sets the property apart from most hill country accommodation is its construction philosophy. Much of the resort was built using recycled and upcycled materials sourced from the surrounding area — illuk straw for thatched roofing to help maintain naturally cool interiors, discarded railway sleepers repurposed into decks and walls, and furniture crafted by local artisans from widely available timber. The result is a design that leans into rustic, eco-conscious construction rather than imported luxury finishes, a style that's become something of a hallmark for higher-end hill country retreats in Sri Lanka more broadly.
The Setting
The estate sits within walking distance of several of Ella's best-known attractions — Little Adam's Peak is roughly a 15-25 minute walk away, and the Nine Arch Bridge is similarly close on foot. Ella Rock and Ravana Falls are a short distance further, making the estate a genuinely convenient base for exploring the town's main hiking trails without needing transport for every outing.
Tea Country Views
Panoramic views over the surrounding tea plantations and misty peaks are the estate's signature feature, and the working tea estate setting offers a quieter, more immersive alternative to visiting a commercial tea factory tour — a genuine sense of what Ceylon tea country actually looks and feels like day to day.
A Broader Pattern in Sri Lanka's Hill Country
98 Acres reflects a wider trend across Sri Lanka's tea country, where former colonial-era plantations — many originally built and managed under British ownership — have been repurposed into boutique accommodation, tea tourism experiences, or working estates open to visitors. It's a pattern worth keeping in mind if you're exploring Ella, Nuwara Eliya, or Kandy's surrounding hills, where similar transformations have taken place at estates like Pedro and Mackwoods Labookellie, covered in our guide to places to visit in Nuwara Eliya.
Getting There
The estate sits in the hills above Ella town, close to the Demodara Railway Loop and within easy reach of Ella's main hiking trailheads. A self-drive rental makes it simple to combine a stay in this part of the hill country with the rest of Ella's attractions, or to continue on toward Nuwara Eliya and Horton Plains. See our full Ella town guide for how to plan the rest of your visit.
Planning a hill country road trip through Ella?
Book Your Self-Drive Rental with iWay →Final Thoughts
The story behind 98 Acres — from a British-run colonial tea estate to an eco-conscious retreat built from reclaimed materials — captures something of Sri Lanka's hill country more broadly: land shaped by the tea trade, now finding new life through tourism that still keeps one foot in its plantation roots. Whether or not you stay there, the surrounding tea hills and views toward Little Adam's Peak are worth the detour on any Ella itinerary.
