Sol Sanctuary | Villa aligned with the stars in Sri Lanka

© Sol Sanctuary

Sol Sanctuary by Aarunya: a manifesto of spiritual architecture at the top of Sri Lanka – Under the shifting mists of the central highlands of Sri Lanka, where tea plantations meet spice forests and the sacred lines of the sky, Aarunya Nature Resort reveals a creation that transcends mere luxury: Sol Sanctuary, a villa sculpted from stone and light, designed as a sanctuary to live in, to feel, to contemplate.

Here, the experience goes beyond that of accommodation. It becomes a dialogue between nature, memory, and architecture. From the first light, a new energy spreads in this cocoon of silence. The visitor is invited to slow down, to listen, to see differently. Sol Sanctuary is not a decor, but an inner world that opens outward. A rare architectural gesture, both humble and sacred.

A ritual space, aligned with the stars

Born from a collaboration between architect Nath Rankothge, his environmentalist father Lal Rankothge, and their uncle K. R. G. Wijesundara, philanthropist and visionary, Sol Sanctuary is part of a deep family heritage, driven by a philosophy of returning to the roots. Designed on an east-west axis, the villa opens to the sunrise, in the very sense of its name in Sanskrit: “the first rays.” It is no coincidence that light is omnipresent here: it penetrates through the circular oculi of the ceiling, glides along the curved walls, and reflects in the crescent-shaped pool like an offering made to the stars.

© Sol Sanctuary

Entirely made by local artisans, its circular stone dome structure respects the ancestral principles of Sri Lankan sacred geometry. The materials are not chosen to impress, but to soothe: river stone, local wood, natural pigments, fresh water. Each element is there to invite letting go. The villa acts as an intimate cathedral of rest, designed to suspend the passage of time.

“Sol Sanctuary is an architecture of silence. Each volume, each texture, each orientation has been designed to make one forget the concept of time.”

Nath Rankothge, architect and creator of the place

The interior design advocates the truth of materials. Water flows along curved walls, showers open to the canopy, sinks are hand-carved from volcanic rocks, and terraces invite contemplation of the Knuckles mountain range, a UNESCO World Heritage site. One lives here to the rhythm of the mists, the sounds of the forest, and the movements of the sky.

© Sol Sanctuary

Isolated villa, rare experience

Composed of two bedrooms — a master suite and a convertible double room — the villa caters to couples seeking alignment, families looking for disconnection, or solitary travelers aspiring for a true reset. Each room offers a direct opening to the landscape, without artifice or mental partition. The furniture, minimal and noble, follows the curve of the walls, and the light curtains let in the dancing shadows of the trees.

The service, of absolute discretion, is provided by a dedicated butler who shapes each moment according to the visitor’s desires. Here, customization does not rhyme with ostentation, but with listening. From preparing a herb-infused bath from the Estate to the sunrise ceremony with Ayurvedic infusion, each gesture becomes a care, each detail an attention.

An architectural narrative, carried by the land

Sol Sanctuary is not an isolated project. It is the epilogue of a collection of nine villas, all built according to the same philosophy of slowness and humility: imposing nothing on the landscape, fading before nature. Sky Pavilion, Sky Tented Villas, Sky Habitat… each typology pays homage to an architectural or landscape culture of Sri Lanka. Some evoke the ambalamas, ancient shelters for travelers, while others are suspended like floating cabins in the foliage.

The materials come from the region, the artisans are from the village, the villas are never standardized. Each building embraces the terrain, contours around trees, respects the curve of the hills. The entire estate is designed as a permaculture garden in balance, and each element — wood, stone, bamboo, water — resonates with the sounds of the forest. Aarunya is a whole. A whole that breathes.

Aarogya: a medicine of the place

The Aarogya Wellness & Spa center, the living core of the estate, offers transformation stays of four nights or more. The protocols begin with a consultation with an Ayurvedic doctor, continue with customized doshic meals, and are embodied in simple gestures: yoga at dawn, herb baths under a nutmeg tree, aquatic movements in the heart of the forest.

Everything is designed so that healing is not a treatment, but an immersion: in the earth, in the plant, in forgotten rhythms. The brand new stone bathhouse embodies this approach: basins carved from granite, scents of oils extracted from avocados, cinnamon, lemongrass grown on-site, rituals inspired by village traditions, silence as a companion of care.

A cuisine of awakening and terroir

At Aarunya, each meal is an exploration of the place, a conversation with the earth. The chef relies on the organic agricultural production of the estate and complements the menus with the day’s harvest. The dishes are light, colorful, rooted. Three places tell this connection to taste and soil: Aahaara, a signature table in raw earth for refined local cuisine; The Verandah, perched at the top of the estate, blending international cuisine and garden spices; and Aahaasa Tea Pavilion, in the heart of the plantation, dedicated to rare teas and dinners under the stars.

Each moment can become a ceremony: brunch on a terrace enveloped in mist, floating breakfast, dinner in the glow of fireflies with insect songs and oil lamps.

A territory to explore, a model to pass on

Aarunya embodies a new form of conscious hospitality. The estate hosts academics and naturalists, supports reforestation and regenerative agriculture projects, and introduces children from neighboring villages to biodiversity through immersive workshops. The experience thus goes beyond mere stay. It is a participation, even silent, in a collective work of protection and regeneration of life.

In autumn 2025, the opening of the Nature Pavilion — built from bamboo and local wood — will further strengthen this scientific and educational vocation. The ambition: to make Aarunya the first Sri Lankan model of biodynamic hospitality. The place will also host writing retreats, seminars on permaculture, and training in responsible ecotourism.

“This is not a hotel. It is a place of passage between earth and ether. A place to breathe differently.”

K. R. G. Wijesundara

Practical information

Rates: starting from 500 USD for the Sky Habitat villas, and 1,250 USD for Sol Sanctuary (taxes and services included)

Access: 1.5 hours by road from Kandy

Website: www.aarunyaresort.com

In Brief:

Sol Sanctuary by Aarunya is an ultra high-end wellness villa nestled in the heights of Sri Lanka. Aligned with the stars, built of raw stone and bathed in silence, it combines spirituality, sacred design, and immersion in a preserved ecosystem.

Tags: Aarunya, ecological architecture, gastronomy, Kandy, Knuckles mountain, nature resort, wellness retreat, Sol Sanctuary, Sri Lanka, sustainable travel, luxury villa, spiritual journey, wellness retreat