Staying at Ceylon Tea Trails, set on the shores of Castlereagh Reservoir, is like being seamlessly transported to another world. High in the hills of Sri Lanka’s famed tea fields the five colonial inspired bungalows of Ceylon Tea Trails offer an impeccable all-inclusive experience.
We left Gal Oya National Park early in the morning travelling by car to Nanu Oya where we caught the train to Hatton station. Prior to catching the train we had some time to kill so we grabbed lunch at The Grand Hotel. It was sprinkling as we ate but it made for the perfect ambiance as we enjoyed our first of many cups of tea on their covered porch. From there we caught the train to Hatton and met our guide and driver for the last of the twenty minute drive to Ceylon Tea Trails.
Ceylon Tea Trails is composed of five separate bungalows dotted along the hills overlooking the Castlereagh Reservoir. Each has its own unique personality and design flair but they are overwhelmingly colonial in style. Think dark wood furniture, four poster beds and claw foot tubs. We chose to stay at Dunkeld which is the newest addition to the Tea Trails portfolio and as a result has the most wonderful infinity pool with integrated hot tub. Despite it being the newest bungalow it has all of the charm and warmth of the older buildings.
When we were looking to go the hotel was just in the beginning stages of renovating Tienstin, which is the highest bungalow in elevation. It however, lacks a view over the reservoir but is said to have impressive gardens. If you’re planning on visiting the Tea Trails have a look at the description of each of the bungalows and a peek at the photos to see which one appeals to you. Each bungalow has a pool and a lovely sweeping verandah. Ours at Dunkeld offered gorgeous views of the terraced gardens, pool, tea fields and then down to the water. We woke up early our first morning and were rewarded with the most magical sunrise. The photos don’t do it justice.
Every bungalow is staffed by its own personal team including a butler and chef. They work tirelessly to ensure your stay is as comfortable as possible. Despite there being a large number of staff present they somehow never feel suffocating or intrusive. Included in the room rates are all three meals, a hugely decadent afternoon tea service and all house wines and spirits. Pre-dinner cocktails served from the living room bar cart were especially fun and felt like something from another era. The chef goes out of his way to ensure that the food is tailored to dietary restrictions and food preferences; the meals were an absolute delight!
You would be perfectly within your right to laze by the pool eating scones, drinking tea and perfectly crafted cocktails but one thing not to miss is a visit to the fully functional tea factory on the property. The factory manager walks you through the whole process of tea making. Each step from selecting the leaves, sorting, drying and then how the its purchased and distributed nationally and internationally is reviewed. The factory also houses a gift shop with tea and novelty items like vintage Sri Lankan tourism posters.
We also went on a night drive through the tea fields looking for leopards. We weren’t lucky enough to see one but we did see several fishing cats while we were out exploring. The hotel also offers excursions to Adam’s Peak, Horton’s Plains or you can stay and hike the tea trails or kayak on the reservoir.
We spent three nights enjoying the peace and gorging ourselves before catching our flight to the Maldives. The Ceylon Tea Trails are a slice of old world heaven and certainly part of why we loved our whirlwind tour of Sri Lanka.
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