Luxury Hotel · Sri Lanka
Santani Wellness Kandy
Tailor-made, always
Every trip built from scratch around your dates, pace and preferences.
Your own specialist
One named person and a 24-hour number while you travel.
Hundreds of five-star reviews
Rated Excellent on Trustpilot across ten years of LGBTQ+ luxury travel.
At a glance
Santani Wellness Resort sits on a former tea estate in the central hills of Sri Lanka, around 1.5 hours from Kandy, on 48 acres overlooking the Hunnasgiriya and Knuckles Mountain ranges.
The architecture is built around silence and connection with the landscape, with no televisions in any room and full glass walls in every chalet facing the mountains. Each stay is structured around a personalized program, assessed on arrival by the Head of Wellness and a team of Ayurvedic doctors, covering everything from treatment schedules to what appears on the plate.
The food, the treatments and the architecture all serve the same purpose here, which is not something that can be said of most hotels that offer wellness as an add-on.
Highlights
- Adults-only wellness resort on a 48-acre former tea estate, 1.5 hours from Kandy, overlooking the Knuckles Mountain Range UNESCO World Heritage Site
- 21 chalets with full glass walls and unobstructed mountain or garden views
- Personalised wellness programmes built around Ayurvedic assessment, including detox, yoga, meditation and stress management
- 6,000-square-foot spa with thermal saltwater pool, sauna, steam room and treatment rooms overlooking the landscape
Accommodation
Mountain View Chalets
Overlooking the Hunnasgiriya and Knuckles Mountain ranges, with a full glass wall framing the landscape directly. All have king-size beds, private bathrooms, free Wi-Fi, minibars and air conditioning, with no televisions in any room.
These are the most sought-after rooms at the resort and the natural choice for guests prioritising the setting.
Garden View Chalets
These chalets are family-friendly for children aged 12 and up and are located away from the main resort area. They are situated near a serene lake and a tea plantation, a leisurely 10-minute walk from the main lounge and restaurant, with convenient Tuk Tuk shuttles available for transport.
Further information
Food & Drink
Dining at Santani follows the Rasa Haya concept, a personalised Ayurvedic nutrition approach built around individual constitution and wellness goals.
There are no printed menus. The kitchen proposes a menu to each guest each day based on dietary preferences and health objectives, using fresh organic vegetables grown on site alongside locally sourced ingredients.
All meals are prepared with attention to digestive balance and nourishment. Full-board rates are available and all room categories can be booked on a full-board basis.
Spa Treatments
The spa is built into the hillside and covers 6,000 square feet, with treatment rooms overlooking the surrounding landscape, a thermal saltwater pool, sauna and steam room.
Treatments include Ayurvedic therapies, body treatments, meditation, breathwork and complementary therapies, all delivered within a structured wellness programme.
Wellness Programmes
Santani offers a variety of wellness programs, a permanent yoga teacher, two Ayurvedic doctors are on rotation at the resort throughout the year.
The resort also runs a Visiting Masters programme, regularly hosting guest therapists and healers from around the world including Reiki masters, osteopaths, psychological coaches and senior yoga teachers. Morning and evening yoga sessions are held daily at the meditation pavilion.
Personalised wellness programmes are available across several formats including detox, Ayurveda, yoga immersion, stress management and weight management, each assessed and structured on arrival based on individual goals.
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka is a tear-shaped island sitting off the southern tip of India in the Indian Ocean, separated from the mainland by the Palk Strait. It is small enough to cross by road in a few hours, yet varied enough to feel like several different countries within a single trip. The island has a population of around twenty-two million and a history of continuous civilization stretching back over two thousand years.
Our Experts
Sri Lanka is truly one of the most special places I've been lucky enough to visit. There's so much heritage and culture to discover on this small island nation - and the vistas are absolutely breathtaking.
Sri Lanka is the ideal place to pair with a trip to the Maldives, offering a dose of cultural stimulation following a sumptuous Maldivian escape. There's also a bounty of luxury properties in Sri Lanka.
Stellar service. Stellar products. Stellar people and it gets so much better when you pick up the phone and call.
Anthony S.
Super client centred service. From first contact I have had warm, efficient, friendly and flexible service.
John
I’m confident in giving Out Of Office a 5-star review! They are one of the leaders in this space without a doubt.
Tiberiu
Suggested tours
Sri Lanka Family Adventure
Tailor-made VacationA trip built around holding a family's attention: wild elephants, warm water, and just enough temples to keep things interesting. This itinerary is built for families who want genuine exploration and genuine downtime in equal measure, moving from a coconut plantation retreat through the temples and wildlife of the Cultural Triangle, to the beaches of Passikudah, the cultural heart of Kandy, and a working tea estate to close.
14 days tailor-made from $5,855 per person View trip
Sri Lanka Wildlife and Culture Tour
Tailor-made VacationSri Lanka is a land where nature flourishes in its most untamed form; a place where elephants roam freely, leopards prowl through dense jungles, and exotic birds fill the skies. This luxury journey takes you from the colonial elegance of Colombo to the wildlife-rich landscapes of Gal Oya and Yala, where safaris by land and water reveal the country's most elusive creatures.
12 days tailor-made from $6,600 per person View trip
Classic Sri Lanka
Tailor-made VacationSri Lanka fuses ancient cities, tea-covered highlands, and a historic coastline within a single trip. This itinerary moves from the sacred sites of the Cultural Triangle through the misty hill country around Ella to the beaches and colonial streets of Galle. A land of timeless beauty, Sri Lanka is the ideal destination for a gay adventure vacation, with its fusion of culture, landscapes, and wildlife.
10 days tailor-made from $6,655 per person View tripThe hard part is not finding a beautiful place. It is finding the right one for you.
Frequently asked questions
What does Out Of Office do?
Out Of Office is a luxury LGBTQ+ travel company specializing in tailor-made vacations and extraordinary journeys around the world. We create bespoke luxury vacations, LGBTQ+ honeymoons, safaris, cruises, beach escapes, private tours and group trips, with every itinerary designed around you. Our travel specialists combine global expertise, first-hand destination knowledge and trusted local partners to create seamless, highly personalized experiences.
Is Out Of Office a gay travel agency?
Out Of Office is an LGBTQ+ owned and run luxury travel specialist, with particular expertise in gay and LGBTQ+ travel. We understand the additional considerations that can come with traveling as an LGBTQ+ person or couple, from local laws and customs to finding genuinely welcoming hotels and experiences.
We welcome every traveler, including friends, families and allies. Many of our clients are not members of the LGBTQ+ community, but choose Out Of Office for our luxury travel expertise, personalized service and discretion.
Do you create tailor-made LGBTQ+ vacations?
Yes. Every tailor-made trip with Out Of Office is designed from scratch around your interests, travel style, budget and the way you want to experience a destination. We can arrange luxury hotels, private transfers, flights, guides, excursions, cruises and special experiences as part of one personalized itinerary. The journeys shown on our website are there to inspire you rather than restrict you; only clearly identified group departures operate as fixed itineraries.
How do you choose LGBTQ+ friendly hotels and destinations?
We combine first-hand destination knowledge with trusted local expertise to recommend luxury hotels, resorts and experiences where LGBTQ+ travelers can feel informed and welcome. We also consider the laws, customs and attitudes of each destination, because LGBTQ+ rights and experiences differ around the world. Our team regularly visit many of the properties we work with and where a destination requires greater awareness, we give you clear and considered advice so that you can make an informed decision about where and how you travel.
We plant trees for every booking
For every booking made with Out Of Office we commit to planting trees in your name to help reduce the impact of travel on future generations. You'll even get a link to see where your trees are planted in the world via our partner Ecologi.
We donate to Rainbow Railroad with every booking
Rainbow Railroad helps LGBTQ+ people escape state-sponsored violence and persecution. A donation goes with every trip we sell, funded by us and never added to your price.
Start Planning Your Trip
Tell us where you would love to go, when you are thinking of traveling and what kind of trip you have in mind. One of our LGBTQ+ travel specialists will create a tailor-made itinerary designed around your destination, style and preferences.
One named specialist, first inquiry to homecoming. No call center, and nothing is charged until you decide to book.