Ceylon Tea Trails 

Heritage charm meets boutique luxury

A breathtaking property with five renovated planters’ bungalows set throughout a working tea estate.

Made up of a collection of colonial tea planters’ bungalows linked by trails that weave through beautiful tea gardens, this unique property provides a slice of Sri Lankan tradition and heritage. As you make your way to your assigned bungalow, all of which are set deep in the spectacular Bogawantalawa Valley in the island’s Hill Country, you can’t help but feel you’ve arrived somewhere special. This is a place for guests seeking serenity and perhaps for those who also wish for a little light adventure, with scenic walks, hikes and mountain biking trails available right on the doorstep.

Why we love Ceylon Tea Trails

  • One of only three Relais & Châteaux hotels in Sri Lanka, this special property is among our favourite places to stay

  • You’ll be immersed in the world of tea, which crops up in everything from the gourmet meals to the in-room spa treatments

  • Each bungalow has a distinct character, with a mix of period style and modern luxuries such as infinity pools

  • The service is exceptional and starts from the moment the butler brings your morning cup of tea to your room

5 stars
Feb - Aug
Colombo 10½ hours
In a beautiful lakeside setting in Sri Lanka’s Ceylon tea region
Approx. 6 hours by road from Colombo airport
All Inclusive, Boutique

Rooms

Facilities

  • Restaurants & bars
  • Board
  • Spas & wellness
  • Activities
  • Diving & Watersports
  • Sustainability
  • Children
  • Good to Know

Each bungalow has its own dining room and lounge bar where a succession of gourmet meals, featuring seasonal local produce, is served during the day.

Restaurant
There’s nothing so ordinary as a menu to accompany the gourmet meals served in each bungalow’s formal dining room (or on the terrace). Instead, the chef will consult you each morning about the day’s possibilities, based on what you like and what’s in season.

Bar
Next to the fireplace in the living room, a butler’s table crammed with bottles serves as the bar – much as it probably did when the original occupants lived here.

The ‘Planters’ Lunch’ experience has all the elements of a memorable plush picnic, from the delicious food served in tiffin boxes to the views from the watch hut on the hillside above Dunkeld Bungalow and the (optional) scenic walk there and back.

What's included

All Inclusive • Morning tea • Cooked full English or Sri Lankan breakfast • 3-course lunch • 4-course gourmet dinner • Traditional afternoon cream tea • Soft drinks, tea & coffee • Selection of international wines & beer • Premium spirits • Tea Experience excursion • Wi-Fi.

At Ceylon Tea Trails, the spa comes to you, with various in-room options to choose from. The signature massage is a perfect tonic for aching muscles after an energetic hike, but for the ultimate indulgence opt for one of the luxury baths, scented with cinnamon, jasmine or – of course – green tea.

There is a tennis court (at the most far-flung bungalow), croquet lawns, and trails through the estate and beyond where you can walk and cycle under your own steam or with a guide or naturalist.

Walk or cycle through the tea plantations, learn the secrets of Sri Lankan cuisine with a lesson from the chef or take part in a private tea tasting ceremony from the resident tea planter. Go bird watching, take a trip into Kandy, or if you are feeling fit, climb Adam's Peak.

You can arrange to kayak on the lake or go white-water rafting on a river about 90 minutes away.

Much of the produce used in the kitchens comes from nearby estates, while the organic herbs are grown in the gardens. Making meals to order reduces food waste significantly, and any remaining leftovers are sent to local livestock farms. Ceylon Tea Trails is one of the supporters of the Peak Ridge Corridor, created to protect the area’s leopard populations. The property supports various community projects, including a crèche for the estate and factory workers and a local school.

Children are welcome, and there are family-friendly activities to keep them entertained such as junior chef classes.

Minimum stay: 2 nights.

Alcohol will not be served on full moon Poya days.

Only Summerville, Castlereagh and Dunkeld bungalows overlook Castlereagh Lake.

Tea tours do not run on Sundays or public holidays.

Guest reviews

{{tripAdvisor.tripAdvisorSummary.rating}}

Average Rating

Based on {{tripAdvisor.tripAdvisorSummary.num_reviews}} reviews

Excellent
 
{{tripAdvisor.tripAdvisorSummary.num_reviews_5}}
Very good
 
{{tripAdvisor.tripAdvisorSummary.num_reviews_4}}
Average
 
{{tripAdvisor.tripAdvisorSummary.num_reviews_3}}
Poor
 
{{tripAdvisor.tripAdvisorSummary.num_reviews_2}}
Terrible
 
{{tripAdvisor.tripAdvisorSummary.num_reviews_1}}

{{review.user_location}} {{review.date}}

These reviews are the subjective opinions of individual travellers and not of TripAdvisor LLC nor of its partners.

All Hotels in Kandy & Nuwara Eliya

hotel
  • Kandy & Nuwara Eliya
  • 4 Star

In a beautiful setting by a river on the edge of Kandy, this peaceful bolthole is a great base for exploring Sri Lanka’s second city.

From £1,405 p/p
hotel
  • Kandy & Nuwara Eliya
  • 4 Star

A heritage-rich hotel in the hills of Nuwara Eliya that first opened in the late 19th century where you’re given a royal welcome.

From £1,555 p/p
hotel
  • Kandy & Nuwara Eliya
  • 3 Star

Stay in an 1860s coffee planter’s manor perched on the forested hills above Kandy.

From £2,448 p/p
hotel
  • Kandy & Nuwara Eliya
  • 5 Star

Slip away to this under-the-radar pocket of Kandy, surrounded by tropical gardens where birds and butterflies flutter in the trees.

From £2,016 p/p
hotel
  • Kandy & Nuwara Eliya
  • 4 Star

Step into a world of private butlers and luxury accommodations for a memorable riverside stay.

From £1,978 p/p
hotel
  • Kandy & Nuwara Eliya

A magnificent hotel, mind-bogglingly built on a 60-degree slope in the Ella Gap.

From £1,585 p/p
hotel
  • Kandy & Nuwara Eliya
  • 4.5 Star

Beautifully restored tea factory in the Nuwara Eliya hills.

From £1,784 p/p
hotel
  • Kandy & Nuwara Eliya
  • 5 Star

Enjoy the best of both worlds in this serene hillside retreat a short drive from the heart of Kandy.

From £1,347 p/p
hotel
  • Kandy & Nuwara Eliya
  • 4 Star

Once a grand private home, this is a delightful base for discovering Sri Lanka’s ‘Little England’

From £1,619 p/p
hotel
  • Kandy & Nuwara Eliya
  • 4 Star

This award-winning boutique mountain resort has a beautiful tranquil setting on a historic tea plantation.

From £1,810 p/p
hotel
  • Kandy & Nuwara Eliya
  • 5 Star

Surrounded by unspoiled mountain scenery, this boutique resort is a haven of tranquillity and home to Sri Lanka’s first destination spa.

From £2,258 p/p