Hive Ella - Hostel

Thanks Gihan for making this place feel like home. Had a great time here.

Loved our stay here! Gihan was so helpful and organised lots of social activities so it was really easy to meet people. The breakfast every morning was so big and tasty and the cooking class was really good too. Would 100% stay here again

the location is great, a couple minutes from the centre. the common area of the hostel is also nice, a lot of space to hang out. the staff is amazing, very nice and helpful.

the dorms could be a little cleaner. also, if you read other reviews you get the impression that it’s the most social hostel in ella. it definitely is social, but nothing special. they organised a group dinner meaning going to the same restaurant. after that maybe a little hangout at the bonfire but nothing special. they also said they would organise a cooking class but later on cancelled it because there weren’t enough people. it definitely is not their fault, as i said the staff is great, it just isn’t what we were expecting.

Very nice vibe, lovely host and staff.

This place is brilliant. Gihan has created a perfect escape from what can otherwise be quite a hectic experience, and I loved it. I ended up staying way longer than I originally planned because it was comfortable and I felt welcome and safe. It’s a really social place, without being overwhelmingly ‘party’ focused, and the people I met there were fantastic. The activities are great (we did a cooking class, music bingo and a bonfire with marshmallows while I was there), and Gihan is always available to help sort out laundry, transport etc. It’s a genuinely rare and wonderful place. Oh, and please give pets to Jo and Marie, the super sweet dogs who live at the hostel!

I’m only sad that I had to move dorms, but that’s my own poor planning! And the stairs up to the hostel are quite a challenge (but worth it).

Very good hostel. You have everything you need, always free tea and coffee that you can make yourself and super good breakfast. Very good location and still a lot of peace and quiet to come down. If you're looking for a hostel where you can relax but still be close to the action and want to meet people, this is the place for you.

The hostel nicely located close to the Main Street and has a nice Mountain View. The host Gihan is great, very friendly and he will make you feel at home. He is always responsive and happy to organise social activities with the guests creating a nice environment. Totally recommended.

Hive Ella Hostel has an amazing vibe and is great for meeting people. The communal areas are welcoming and lively.

The private room was very hot without air conditioning.

Super kind people, friendly and always organizing something on the nights for the costumers. Highly recommended ! 🙂

The view from the balcony was amazing. The room was spacious and the bed was comfortable. The design is simple but it's all you need. Breakfasts were awesome, tasty and big, made of local ingredients. We even got the breakfast on our last day even we had to get up very early for the train. The atmosphere created by the owner and his friend was one of a kind, making everyone feel like at home. You can attend games, plays, parties, cooking classes and family dinners in or out together in the town. The hostel is very well located in the centre of Ella while a bit separated from the main street which will let you embrace nature around it in a bit more calmer way.

There were ants in the bathroom and in the cabinet which I found out on the last day and mentioned to the owner. He promised to manage this and I'm sure he's committed to his guests' wellbeing in general. It wasn't nice to see them but during my whole stay in Sri Lanka I had random 'animals' in my apartments so I consider them somehow part of the experience. The hostel is located on a small hill and can be reached via semi-forest stairs - it was not an issue to me but it's worth mentioning in advance if you have a big baggage or trouble with movement in any way. I would recommend taking your own flashlight as well even there are lights on the way, it makes the way up more comfortable + you will surely need it in general as power outages happen not that rarely (it's not on the owner's side, it's just happening on the whole island).