Uga Halloowella has been recognised as Runner-Up in the ‘Food Hero’ category at the National Geographic Traveller Hotel Awards 2025, placing it among the world’s top 30 hotels. The Hatton-based boutique property earned praise for its culinary excellence, celebrating Sri Lankan heritage through innovative dishes crafted with local ingredients and meticulous attention to detail.
Uga Halloowella, the boutique hill-country retreat under the Uga Resorts portfolio, has earned a place among the world’s most celebrated properties after being named Runner-Up in the ‘Food Hero’ category at the National Geographic Traveller Hotel Awards 2025. Recognised as one of the top 30 hotels in the world, the honour places the Hatton-based property on a global stage and reaffirms its reputation as a sanctuary where food, culture and place come together with exceptional precision. For Uga Halloowella, the accolade is more than an award; it is a validation of a culinary philosophy deeply rooted in Sri Lanka’s landscapes and traditions, one that continues to inspire travellers seeking experiences infused with authenticity and artistry.
The National Geographic Traveller Hotel Awards are among the most respected honours in global hospitality, celebrating new and renovated properties that stretch the boundaries of design, creativity and guest engagement. Each year, a panel of distinguished travel writers evaluates hotels across continents, selecting those that embody bold innovation, immersive storytelling and an unwavering commitment to excellence. In being named Runner-Up for the Food Hero category, Uga Halloowella joins an elite circle of hotels that have redefined how cuisine can shape guest journeys and elevate the meaning of travel itself.
For Uga Halloowella and its parent brand Uga Resorts, the award reflects years of thoughtful planning, meticulous curation and a sustained dedication to elevating Sri Lanka’s culinary identity. Marcelline Paul, Executive Vice President for Sales and Marketing at Uga Resorts, described the recognition as a profound moment for the team. He noted that the accolade affirms the resort’s mission to spotlight local ingredients and celebrate the stories and communities behind them. “We are deeply honoured to receive such a recognition from National Geographic Traveller. An acknowledgement of this magnitude among the world’s best for our culinary vision is a true reflection of our team’s passion and dedication,” he said. “At Uga Halloowella, every dish is a celebration of local ingredients, traditions and the intricate connection between food and locality, which is a testament to the team’s attention to detail and hospitality.”
Food at Uga Halloowella is not a mere complement to the stay. It is a central narrative thread woven through every guest experience, offering a journey across the fertile highlands of Hatton and the wider culinary traditions of Sri Lanka’s hill country. The resort’s chefs draw inspiration from the region’s lush landscapes, cool climate and rich agricultural heritage, incorporating seasonal produce drawn from local growers wherever possible. This connection to place is core to the hotel’s ethos, ensuring that each dish not only delights the palate but reflects the stories of the land and the people who cultivate it.
The menu at Uga Halloowella is known for its thoughtful fusion of Sri Lankan flavours with refined global techniques, resulting in dishes that are both elegant and approachable. One of the most celebrated offerings is the Ceylon tea and herb-crusted lamb loin, served with pea purée, roasted root vegetables, potato pavé and port wine sauce. The dish encapsulates the philosophy of the resort’s culinary team: artistry grounded in simplicity, where the quality of each ingredient is allowed to shine. Layers of flavour, colour and texture pay homage to the island’s tea estates and cool-climate gardens, making it a favourite among both local and international guests.
Uga Halloowella is also renowned for its inventive take on breakfast staples, with the signature poached eggs standing out as a favourite. Served atop an English muffin layered with seeni sambol, spinach and a curried crab cake, and finished with turmeric hollandaise and crisp curry leaves, the dish balances comfort with creativity. It is a representation of how the hotel merges familiar forms with local accents, offering guests not just a meal but a memorable expression of hill-country hospitality.
The menu’s ‘Sri Lankan Discover’ section invites guests to immerse themselves more fully in the island’s diverse culinary roots. Items such as Negombo pork curry with milk rice or classic hoppers paired with East Coast sour fish curry serve as culinary windows into regional traditions, ingredients and histories. Each dish is crafted to tell a story, whether it is about coastal spice routes, village food rituals or the agricultural practices that have sustained generations. Presented with warmth and meticulous attention to detail, these dishes allow guests to experience the island’s culture through flavours that are both nuanced and deeply personal.
The recognition from National Geographic Traveller highlights the growing global appeal of Sri Lanka’s food culture and the increasing desire among travellers for experiences that feel grounded in authenticity rather than luxury for its own sake. Uga Halloowella, with its deep commitment to celebrating locality, has emerged as a model for how boutique hotels can craft experiences that blend heritage and sophistication while remaining connected to the land and community that shape them.
Uga Resorts has long cultivated a reputation for properties that merge luxury with Sri Lanka’s natural and cultural environments, but Halloowella’s approach to cuisine has distinguished it as a leader in experience-driven hospitality. The award places the property alongside some of the world’s most beloved hotels known for redefining gastronomy as a form of storytelling. It also reinforces the idea that the future of hospitality lies not only in design or amenities but in the ability to offer guests a sense of place through thoughtfully curated experiences.
For travellers seeking an escape that immerses them in the rhythms of the hill country, the accolade signals that Uga Halloowella is a destination worth seeking out. Its culinary offerings promise more than exceptional meals—they offer a chance to encounter the cultural and agricultural heart of Sri Lanka in ways that are both intimate and transformative. Whether it is through the taste of a crab-infused breakfast, the aroma of tea-infused lamb, or the comfort of a traditional hopper served with regional curry, guests discover that food here is a lens through which to understand heritage and landscape.
The recognition also symbolises a moment of pride for Sri Lanka itself, as the nation continues to rise as a culinary destination. Its ingredients—cinnamon, tea, coconut, spices, seafood and highland produce—have long been part of global food heritage, but properties like Uga Halloowella are helping recontextualise them for modern, experience-driven travellers. By presenting local dishes with refined technique and storytelling intention, the resort contributes to a broader conversation about the evolving identity of Sri Lankan cuisine on the world stage.
As Uga Halloowella celebrates its latest milestone, the accolade from National Geographic Traveller serves as a reminder of what thoughtful, place-rooted hospitality can achieve. The resort has carved out a distinctive position where culinary excellence aligns seamlessly with authenticity, heart and heritage. In an era when travellers crave deeper meaning in their journeys, Uga Halloowella stands as an inspiring example of how food can become a gateway to understanding a destination—not only through its flavours, but through the memories and connections it creates.
With its commitment to crafting dishes that honour local traditions while embracing culinary innovation, Uga Halloowella continues to redefine the hospitality landscape in Sri Lanka’s hill country. And now, with global recognition affirming its approach, the boutique hotel steps confidently into a future where its cuisine will continue to be celebrated as one of the island’s most compelling storytellers.
