Tea Trails, Sri Lanka

Nestled in Sri Lanka’s ‘Golden Valley of Tea’ you’ll find four huge colonial bungalows set on a working tea estate perfect for quiet luxury living. Tea Trails is an ideal place to escape from your daily grind – 4,000 feet above sea level surrounded by manicured gardens, acres of tea plantations, lakes and rivers. Simply stunning.

Location

Just four hours drive from Colombo, this isolated boutique feels miles away from anything and super relaxing. Up in the mountains, you are at home in rolling green hills with high tea, and amazing service. Visit the tea factory, explore the hills on foot or bike, or try out white water rafting depending on how much adrenaline-pumped action you are looking for. Or simply relax by the pool with a good book while you take in this breathtaking scenery. Pastoral perfection.

Your room

Originally built for British tea estate managers, we love that each of the four classic bungalows have their own unique theme from the country cottage style of Summerville to the 1960’s feel of Norwood. Each house has between four and six rooms and is spread out on this expansive tea plantation. You can reach each house from the other with a short drive (5 – 30 minutues), the furthest one being in the next valley. Every house has a manager, chef, butler and houseboys to take care of the Suites and Luxury Rooms inside. You are literally waited on hand and foot. Take a tour through the valleys and around the lake, stopping at each house for a few nights, or simply relax and feel at home in one.

Why we like it

We love the feeling of stepping back in time at this colonial plantation. Sit at the old wooden writing desks to write your postcards, put your feet up on a regency stripe footstool or curl up by the log fire with a glass of mulled wine. Unlike hotels, the personalised service and design of the bungalows truly makes you feel like you’re living in the home of a tea planter 100 years ago…with a few modern perks, naturally.