Set at Eluwankulama on the fringes of Wilpattu National Park—Sri Lanka’s largest and one of its wildest protected areas—Taru Villas Villu is built around the idea that true luxury lies in simplicity. Its low-slung, naturally toned buildings are designed to blend into the surrounding scrub jungle and open plains rather than dominate them. Built using sustainable methods and materials sourced close to home, accommodation is limited to just seven chalets in total: Premier Chalets with private plunge pools, and slightly more snug Superior Rooms.
Wilpattu takes its name from the villus, or natural lakes, that punctuate its dry-zone forest, and is renowned for some of the best leopard sightings in Sri Lanka alongside sizeable elephant populations and rich birdlife. Game drives head into the park in search of both, while excursions to the nearby coast open up the possibility of seasonal whale watching.
Evenings are spent at the property’s intimate on-site restaurant or unwinding at Whispers of Wellbeing, its signature spa programme, where treatments are offered in spaces that open directly onto the wilderness. As a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, Taru Villas Villu pairs wilderness immersion with a level of design and service rarely found this deep into the wild.