A wild elephant has been filmed repeatedly roaming inside a five-star hotel in Sri Lanka.

The adult elephant wandered inside the Jetwing Yala hotel exploring the plush interiors and even breaking a floor lamp.

The elephant, Natta Kota, lives in the grounds of the hotel and has entered the hotel premises earlier as well.

Jetwing refers to Natta Kota , which means Short Tail, as “the hotel’s most loyal patron since 2013.”

The elephant would initially visit the hotel occasionally and go away on its own. But it gradually took up permanent residence at the hotel. The staff, who knew him to be a gentle behemoth, allowed him to stay in peace.

The hotel guests can usually spot him sleeping in the shade or and walking along the hotel's footpaths.

The hotel staff say Natta Kota sometimes gets mischievous and sneaks in to steal fruits and vegetables from the kitchen. They have now set up an electric fence in front of the kitchen door to bar his entry.

The gentle elephant has never hurt anyone but the hotel staff warns guests to keep distance.

Pointing out that he is a wild elephant, the hotel advises guests to avoid feeding him and refrain from using flash photography.

The videos seen here filmed by hotel staff were shot on various dates in 2019, with the most recent dating back to December 2.