Uga Jungle Beach - Trincomalee

I loved everything about Uga Jungle Beach Resort, essentially sustainable luxurious accommodation at its very best. Its beautiful wooden gate opened to a jungle paradise with every detail crafted to complement its beautiful location. Warm welcome from Mr Dhammika and the team. Delicious fresh juice…after the long drive down…yes please! Enjoyed the wonderful architecture like the suspended first floor front desk and the exquisitely crafted exposed beam chalets with huge beds and the cosiest beddings. My jungle room set up enabled me enjoy secluded relaxation or hear birds chirping and roaring ocean waves as needed. My room was well maintained so always felt as great in it as outside. Option of air conditioning and fan and having an additional rainfall shower were great treats to enjoy after outdoor activities. Spa treatments were lovely, perfectly set against the soothing sound of a mini waterfall. Having a private beach and bar meant enjoying the ocean and safe walks at any time. Exceptional food by Chef Prabatha was customised to my individual palate. Deliciousness delivered in every bite of local seafood curries to tailored healthy juices Offers different dining areas but the best is treetop dinner in a swing chair. Ms Gothami kicked service up a notch by showing how to rep Sri Lankan style in a Sare, while Jagath, Mandawa and Dananjaya spoilt me with everything I wanted at the bar at any time. As a solo female traveller, the hotel was amazing for getting me the best local guide, Pasan, who is a naturist. We went on three tours - temple, bike and mangroves - His passion and knowledge of Sri Lanka. rich history, unique flora and fauna made each tour a lifetime experience. Soaked in the history of rice paddies and most beautiful sunset cycling, marvelled at the cultural significance of temples, and enjoyed the most mindful boat ride ever. Pasan knew the best areas for local spices, gem watching and fishing.

One of a kind! Food was a major highlight: best breakfast with many options, dinner by the beach was wonderful too. Beach is calm and completely empty apart from hotel (beach is not as nice as neighboring Nilaveli but is still great). Lush green and open-air spaces make it super nice. Most friendly and attentive service. Room was excellently designed, spacious and very comfortable. It’s a relatively large place but never feels crowded.

The setting is beautiful, with jungle, lagoon and beach just steps away from any of the apartments. This means you get to see lots of animals including iguanas, crabs and toads. The pool is lovely and 4ft deep at all points meaning you don't have to worry about sudden drops. It was quite cold but that was a relief from the warm weather. There were plenty of sun loungers and plenty in the shade. The staff could not have been more helpful. From booking excursions to going in person to buy us some train tickets, nothing was too much trouble. Particular mention to Faiz in the restaurant and Imran on the front desk. They are wonderful ambassadors for the hotel. The room was lovely - spacious and clean. The outdoor shower was a treat. We had daily replacements of water, 2 large bottles, and one fit in the mini bar easily allowing for cold water. The WiFi was strong enough for my other half to stream a football match! And spread all over including the beach. The beach was amazing - felt private and there were plenty of sun loungers at all times. The beach bar was so handy for drinks. Breakfast was amazing, lots of choice from sweet, savoury and Sri Lankan. I struggled to choose each day. The fresh juices and pastries were also really delicious. The dinner foods let it down ever so slightly. The food was delicious and high quality but after 5 nights I was a little bored of the menu. However, there is a restaurant dinner menu, beach bar dinner and lunch menu and a BBQ menu to choose from so maybe I'm just being picky. It would be nice to have specials maybe. I had a massage that was excellent. We went whale watching which you could do straight from the hotel beach which is a real bonus, no schlepping around the island before sunrise! I would have liked to have done yoga but the yoga master only comes for a minimum of 2 people, fyi. I can't recommend this hotel enough. It was a pure luxury retreat with the surroundings and service to match.

Rooms are big and comfy. The beach is lovely, and beach furniture is comfortable. Breakfasts are excellent, a wide variety of interesting choices cooked to order. Staff are excellent. A couple of things were disappointing, but I liked that on checkout they specifically asked what could be done to improve our experience and seemed genuine about addressing these. Overall, this was a lot more expensive than other (4/5 star hotels) we stayed at on our trip so I had very high expectations, and to be honest, didn't feel it was worth the price difference. It has more of a corporate feel than the other hotels we stayed in, which felt more charming and individual.

The hotel was in a good location with a private beach. The decor was nice, rooms were very spacious and modern. We always had services available to us. The choice of breakfast was excellent and the variety on offer was very diverse. The staff were excellent in attending to any queries. The lifeguard on the beach was also very friendly and provided good recommendations. We enjoyed it so much that we might try one of their other locations on our next visit.