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Happy Laugh Hostel is an extremely uncommon place; located high upon an unspoilt hillside in Ella amongst tea plantations in an extremely scenic spot, you will think you are in paradise until you turn a corner and see the building of the hostel, which resembles a squat. An unfinished building, too many concrete walls, and the capacity to host more than a hundred people make it quite unwelcoming and unattractive. However, prices are about half of the next cheapest accommodation in Ella.
The Location
The hostel is located in the eastern part of Ella, up on a hilltop not far away from Little Adam's Peak. It is a good spot for sightseeing; the infamous Ella railway bridge as well as the local tea factory are only a short stroll away, while it is in a convenient location for those wanting to reach the top of Little Adam's Hill as well. Whether you are arriving by bus or by train, you will have to walk uphills for about twenty-five minutes to reach the hostel. However, it is an extremely pleasant walk, so unless you have lots of luggage, you will probably not regret not taking a tuk tuk.
Rooms and Bathrooms
The hostel offers about eight different rooms for backpackers, which are all bursting to the seams with beds. However, what is interesting is that a lot of these are double beds for single use. The rooms feel extremely crammed and have hardly any place to put down your backpack. Lockers are available outside the rooms, but most of them don't work. The smell inside indicates mould and many of the rooms don't have a window, which makes the place even more depressing. There are only three bathrooms, which are definitely not enough for the amount of people staying. The furniture inside is broken and there is no place to hang either your clothes or toiletries, and as the space is tiny they will definitely get wet. Moreover, no hot water is available.
Common Spaces
The hostel definitely does not lack hangout spaces. As you first enter, you will see a huge concrete platform with palm-leaf umbrellas -- this is where most people like to hang out and where the free buffet breakfast is served in the mornings. This is definitely one of the highlights of the place -- besides the usual toast, jam, tea and banana, you can also serve yourself to a full Sri Lankan breakfast with rice and curry. However, there is another common space inside the hostel as well -- it looks like a massive squat with broken furniture, old tents, mattresses scattered around the floor and some old stuffed toys. This space is used for parties and concerts every once in a while. There is no official kitchen, but if you bring your own food, the staff will probably let you use their facilities. In the evenings, a warm dinner is cooked, which is a welcome option given the isolated location of the hostel.
Summary
Some people will love Happy Laughs, while other people will hate it. Those who will love it will appreciate the extremely cheap price in an expensive location like Ella, the good location, the amazing breakfast, and that fact that you will never feel alone here. However, those who will hate it will hate the way it destroys the beautiful surroundings with its ugly concrete surfaces and will also not appreciate the dilapidated state of the hostel.
Photos taken by the Hostelz.com reviewer — Genuine photos you can trust.
JudyM
Hostelz.com Staff Reviewer
Published on Apr 28, 2019
Location and Contact
Location
• Chambers Ella is only located 3.3km away from Ella's train station (where most of the travelers arrive from after enjoying the scenic train ride from Kandy) and 2.8km from Ella's main bus station. A tuk tuk will cost you around 250/300 rupees. • From Colombo's Airport: • By Bus or Taxi from Colombo Airport to Colombo Fort, Then #Train from Colombo Fort to Ella, Then #Tuk Tuk from Ella Train Station to Happy Laugh at 4th mail post Yahalawelle passra Road Ella (Cost: 200/250 Rupees) • From Ella's Train Station: • By Tuk Tuk from Ella Train Station to Happy Laugh at 4th mail post Yahalawelle passra Road Ella (Cost: 200/250 Rupees)