Manaram Guest Inn Ella

We had what I think was the smallest room, with a small double bed. It was compact but had everything we needed. The hosts were lovely and breakfast was included. The place is nicely located just outside the city centre. I’d recommend it if you like meeting locals and want to avoid the busy centre with its happy hours and loud music.

A lovely place run by lovely people, far enough from Ella centre to get away from the unpleasant bustle. It’s on the way to Litlle Adams Peak, and they serve breakfast. Right next door there’s a small, cheap cafe with tasty food called "Litlles But Cafe".

Being close to the Little Adams peak trail was the one good thing about the location. For Ella, the hotel is a long way from the centre. Tuk-tuks rarely go to that area, so getting into town is difficult. After bargaining, rides were around 400 rs. on average, with the cheapest at 250 rs. We asked the owner to call a tuk-tuk for us, as we’d done at many other places, but he said he couldn’t. The room was too small for two people, even though we’d booked the bigger double room. It had a small double bed, a chair, a table, and a drying rack, with no space left for anything else. It might suit one person, but with our backpacks it was far too cramped for a couple. The bathroom was very dirty: hair in the sink, dead and live insects on the shower floor, used soap and a shaving razor in the soap tray. There’s no divider between the shower, toilet, and sink, which is fine, but the whole room felt unclean. The owner was a nice old man, but we felt like a burden. He wanted us back by 10 pm so he could close the house. When he asked what time we’d be up for breakfast, we said 7:30, and he told us to be ready at 8. He’d said breakfast could be ready from 7 am, so I can’t understand why he wanted us to change our schedule over a 30-minute delay. I’ve read the other reviews and honestly wonder if we stayed at the same inn. This place might work for a solo backpacker who just wants somewhere to sleep, have breakfast, and head out. I hope some of these things change before the next guests arrive.

The owners were lovely, and the place is close to the Little Adams Peak trailhead, which is handy for a sunrise hike. The rooms were clean and roomy, too.