Ceylon Tea Trails, Hill Country

Elegant in its English style, this hotel is a collection of luxurious tea-planter bungalows, scattered among the working tea fields that blanket undulating hills around the Castlereagh Reservoir. Deeply embedded in the colonial heritage, Ceylon Tea Trails is where butler service and traditional afternoon tea meet spectacular infinity pools.

We visited Sri Lanka for the first time during the dreadful times of the civil war. The hotels were vacant, and the ancient ruins of Polonnaruwa were as far north as we could go. Back then, we focused on the Cultural Triangle and could not fit much else in our itinerary — but the Tea Country was already on our radar.

So this time round, we set our eyes south of Kandy, with the aim of visiting the land of tea plantations — and we knew we had to stay at a hotel close to the action. The Ceylon Tea Trails were perfect to introduce us to the region.

Colonial heritage

The Ceylon Tea Trails comprises five bungalows, scattered widely around the Castlereagh Reservoir, and surrounded by working tea plantations.

They are, in fact, former tea planters’ houses, with heritage harking back to the days when the British Empire claimed the “teardrop island” as its own, and when the backbreaking work collecting fresh buds and leaves was the first link in the chain of the tea trade that put the hot brew in the china sets of the society in London.

Today, the bungalows have been carefully restored in a distinctive style that combines the old and the new. Authentic period furnishings, timbered ceilings, claw-foot baths, a paneled library, and bay windows call to the colonial history of the place.

Modern vibes

A stay at the Ceylon Tea Trails is a rendezvous with the past, but the tea planters of yesteryear never had it as good as the guests checking in to the hotel today. From spectacular infinity swimming pools outdoors, fed by mountain spring water and refreshingly cool, to sublime spa treatments in the privacy of our room and the aromatherapy baths, the place offers luxuries that are very much of the 21st century.

Each property is fully staffed, including the butler and chef, who personally approached us every morning to discuss the meals. The menu can include international or Sri Lankan meals. There is a formal dining room, but we always preferred the intimate cushioned teak seating on the alfresco terraces, especially at the Dunkeld Bungalow, swept by the cool breeze coming from the lake.

Long Walks

Ample space, beautiful furnishings, and the quiet privacy of each house make it great to rest and relax, but it is worth leaving once in a while, as the area is perfect for hiking.

The five Ceylon Tea Trails bungalows are distributed over a wide area, and located between 2 and 15 km from each other — and a walk between them is an attraction in itself. We stayed at two of these houses: Dunkeld and Castlereagh, but visited some others too.

One day we came down to the shore of the lake and took a relaxing boat ride to visit the Summerville Bungalow. We also visited Norwood by walking from Dunkeld. Along the way, there are some truly beautiful spots for admiring the view over the lake and tea fields. And the locals, tending to the fields, would wave as we walked by, welcoming us to their beautiful country.

The traditional way of picking the tea leaves is a symbol of the unchanged nature of this area, and a reminder of its heritage and remoteness — not just geographically but temporally. In some important ways, the Tea Country has managed to fence itself off from the signs of encroaching modernity.

in our opinion

Sri Lanka's Tea Country wows with spectacular landscapes and history — and the Ceylon Tea Trails hotel is the perfect place in which to discover its rich heritage.

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What we love

• The landscapes surrounding the hotel are stunning, with wonderful views all around. The highlands, covered with lush tea plantations and overlooked by the mist-shrouded mountains, are as beautiful a setting as it gets.
• One of the best things about the Ceylon Tea Trails is its staff. The bungalows are small and intimate, and the personnel very quickly made us feel like part of the family. The service is five stars — and the butlers are among Sri Lanka’s finest.
• All meals, most drinks, and laundry are included in the daily room rate. The food is excellent and can be tailored to the guests' tastes. Also, you can arrange a meal or the afternoon tea at any of the five bungalows, not necessarily the one you are staying at.
• Speaking of which, the afternoon tea was our favorite part of the day. Nowhere did it taste as good as on the alfresco verandas of the Ceylon Tea Trails.
• The colonial ambiance is present at all bungalows, but each has a slightly different style. The atmosphere is tranquil and relaxed.
• The hotel was created by the company that brings Dilmah Tea to the world. The celebrated brand is served and presented to the guests as gifts. The hotel also offers a complimentary guided walk through the tea estates and a visit to the working Norwood Tea Factory.
• This is the first hotel in Sri Lanka hallmarked by Relais & Chateaux, but today there are more. It’s a good idea to combine in one trip other sister properties of Resplendent Ceylon for a complete Sri Lanka experience: Wild Coast Tented Lodge near Yala National Park and Cape Weligama near Galle, don't miss our reviews!

What you should know

• It's a remote place, and the road southwest from Colombo very quickly encounters the challenging geography of the island. Though paved, it often meanders and winds its way up and down various hills and mountains, so getting to the hotel can take as many as five hours. There are options to travel via air, either by a small airplane or a helicopter.
• Ceylon Tea Trails is a good place from which to organize an excursion to Adam's Peak, Sri Lanka's most celebrated mountain.
• Which bungalow? Castlereagh is surrounded by pretty English gardens and located on the lake's edge. Summerville is the quietest and enjoys good lake views. The elegantly-appointed Norwood is next to the Norwood Tea Factory, and higher on the hills, though higher still is the classic Tientsin. Dunkeld is the newest—and offers truly amazing views of the lake, especially from the beautifully-appointed infinity pool.
• Almost by definition, this place is quiet and tranquil — so you won't find nightlife here.