An ancient rest for travelers, an ‘Ambalama‘ was usually built under the patronage of village or regional elite and maintained by the Sril lankan villages. A pot of drinking water was on hand to quench the thirst of a tired traveler – a concept based on the Buddhist philosophy of `Dhana’, the act of giving.

Age-old literature characterizes the Ambalama additionally as a meeting place for the king’s court to consider matters of state, as well as a place to collect a levy or to mete out justice.  It was a place to spin a yarn, recite a verse, and narrate a story or just gossip.  One could hold a meeting or consultation, or just partake of a meal in enjoyable surroundings.

We formed this resort as an ancient Ambalama – an ancient name meaning ‘rest pavilion providing shelter for travelers’, with added touches of modernity. Ambalama Leisure Lounge is one of the finestboutique hotels in Sri Lanka, taking the boutique concept to a whole new level on this wonderful island. The concept of Ambalama is to have an Eco-Tourism location that combines nature with a bit of history, culture and tradition thrown in, within hours drive from Colombo, catering to both Sri Lankan and overseas traveler.

Ambalama is located 29 Km from the capital city Colombo along a main high way The Colombo – Ratnapura. While Ratnapura is known for its Gems, This road is also an alternate route to Nuwara Eliya, the main city in the central highlands that produces the best Sri Lankan Tea.

Amabalama provides ample space to enjoy a drink, a hot cup of tea or coffee or a cool beer while appreciating the scenic beauty of the surrounding. It spans over a 6 acres of land consisting of natural vegetation and representing the environment in that ecological zone, the flood planes of the Kelani River. It is truly eco-friendly and we are doing our best to keep to our motto, ‘Where you meet nature‘.