Santani Wellness Kandy

Nestled serenely into unspoilt hills and rainforest you will find Santani Wellness Kandy, Sri Lanka’s first destination spa.

Santani means ‘in harmony with’ in Sanskrit, and is a fitting name for a minimalist luxury resort that blurs the lines between inside and out to bring you closer to nature and make the most of the misty mountain vistas, pristine forest and paddy fields.

Providing the best of Sri Lankan luxury and rejuvenation, it’s no surprise that this award-winning resort has featured on Condé Nast Traveller's 2017 Hot List and was also voted one of Tatler's Best Spas in the World.

This secluded spa resort is the perfect place to undertake a much-needed digital detox, something that we could all probably benefit from in the screen-centric modern age. All communal areas are Wifi-free, so there’s no temptation to scroll through social media or check your emails, allowing you to immerse yourself in the stunning environment and focus on making your mind as still as the serene pools found around the property (which include a thermal salt pool in the spa featuring a partial wall to allow you to marvel at the surrounding natural splendour as you unwind).

The main infinity pool also has more than its fair share of stunning views and is the perfect spot to enjoy the spectacular sunset that transforms the surface of the pool, turning it shades of pink, purple and inky blue.

As you would expect, relaxation and wellness is taken very seriously at Santani Wellness Kandy. Being the first destination spa in the country and housing Sri Lanka’s first hydrotherapy facilities, Santani has set the standard for Sri Lankan wellness retreats.

The delightful hillside spa is set across three levels and features Ayurvedic techniques, a steam room, cedarwood sauna, open-air treatment rooms and, of course, cutting-edge hydrotherapy treatments. The hotel offers a variety of customised health, wellness and dining programmes to ensure that you get the most out of your stay, and there is a focus on 'lasting wellness', encouraging you to continue living healthily long after you return home.

Glass walls all around hotel pair with sumptuous indoor-outdoor lounge spaces to ensure that you spend your stay feeling completely at one with nature.

Santani strives to alleviate any effects that the hotel may have on its natural surroundings by sourcing 80 per cent of its produce locally and running a replanting program that has already grown over 1,000 plants on-site including organic fruit, veg, coffee, tea and herbs and spices. Children aged 12 and over are welcome at the hotel, but it’s best suited to older teenagers who appreciate that silence is golden and are able to fully participate in the hotel’s wellness programmes.