+
Ceylon Tea Trails Fact Sheet
Escape to the magical heart of Ceylon Tea
Ceylon Tea Trails is the world’s first tea bungalow resort, perched at an altitude of 1250 metres in Sri Lanka’s panoramic Ceylon tea region, bordering the UNESCO World Heritage Central Highlands. Tea Trails is the first Relais & Chateaux resort in Sri Lanka.
This award-winning boutique resort comprises of five restored colonial era tea planters’ bungalows, offering period furnishings, exquisite butler service & gourmet cuisine. Bungalows vary from 4 to 6 rooms & suites; 27 rooms in all. Book an individual room or a group could reserve a complete bungalow.
Each of the five bungalows is unique - lakeside Castlereagh. Summerville & Dunkeld, Norwood with panoramic views and Tientsin, the most traditional colonial. We encourage you to visit the other bungalows to enjoy a meal or partake of our famous cream tea.
Rates are fully inclusive. Everything is included – gourmet meals, wines, spirits, laundry, Wi-Fi and the signature “Tea Experience" tea fields & factory tour with our Tea Planter in Residence. A minimum 2 nights’ stay is requested.
How to get to Tea Trails
Ceylon Tea Trails is situated south of Hatton in the Dickoya and Bogawantalawa region of the hill country in south-central Sri Lanka. Most guests come by private car as part of a bigger exploration around Sri Lanka. The nearest major town is Hatton, which is 20 minutes away from the nearest bungalow, Summerville, and 45 minutes from the farthest, Tientsin. There is a railway station in Hatton with services to Colombo, Kandy and Nuwara Eliya & Ella. The train journey is very picturesque. Rapid floatplane or helicopter transfers are also available. Please refer to the Resplendent Transfers brochure for full details.
For directions, please click here.
Distances
Colombo Airport 160 km 4.5 hours, Colombo 130 km 4 hours, Nuwara Eliya 48 km 1.50 hours, Kandy 68 km 2.5 hours.
Rates include
English or Sri Lankan breakfast, 3-course lunch or Sri Lankan rice & curry (gourmet packed lunch if on excursion), Traditional afternoon cream tea (scones, clotted cream, jams, cakes, sandwiches), pre-dinner cocktails, 4-course gourmet dinner, selection of wines, premium spirits & liqueurs, beer, juices and soft drinks, "Tea Experience" tea fields & factory tour with our Tea Planter in Residence, bungalow amenities including laundry, Wi-Fi, all taxes and service charge.
Child policy
Children are welcome but in keeping with the peaceful ambiance and tranquil setting that is at the heart of Ceylon Tea Trails, we ask that parents exercise judgment when booking with young children. We would encourage children with a mild temperament, so as not to disturb other guests’ enjoyment.
PAYMENT & CANCELLATION TERMS
Click Here
Check-in time - 14:00
Check-out time - 11:00
Bungalow Information
Ceylon Tea Trails encompasses five historic tea-planter bungalows, spaced between 4km and 15km apart, each with its own setting and charm. Three of our bungalows enjoy a lakeside perch (Summerville; Dunkeld; Castlereagh); Norwood and Tientsin are nestled amid the emerald valleys, with mountain and tea-estate views.
Our room types span four categories
- 40sq m Luxury Rooms, featuring antique furniture, a king-size bed and an elegant ensuite bathroom with a bathtub and shower.
- 50sq m Garden Suite Rooms, which benefit from a four-poster bed and a private garden; the 70sq m Master Suite, with a spacious living room and an ensuite bathroom with twin sinks, a bathtub and walk–in shower.
- The Owner’s Cottage at Dunkeld Bungalow, a 120sq m expanse set in its own one-bedroom bungalow, encompassing a living room, master bedroom and a spacious terrace with a private, heated hot tub.
Norwood Bungalow
Set in the heart of a tea estate, with panoramic views of the mountains and tea pickers at work, Norwood has an incredibly open, liberating feel. The swimming pool is backdropped by two towering bamboo bushes, which have thrived here for more than 80 years. The Jacuzzi spies on the tea plantation and a little road that cuts through the greenery, used by brightly coloured tuk-tuks and tea-pickers carrying their distinctive hooped baskets. Norwood is home to a garden-surveying veranda and our biggest bungalow
dining room, equipped with snug seating areas and a regal dining table. A gilded gramophone adds vintage charm and beautiful sepia photographs of tea pickers, Kandyan children and the planters’ social clubs decorate the walls. There’s also a cosy sitting room with a fireplace and ruby-red sofas.
Norwood Room Categories
01 Master Suite
03 Garden Suites
02 Luxury Rooms
- Panoramic views of the mountains and tea fields
- Big Public Spaces, perfect for gatherings
- Recommended for any guests with mobility issues
Hazel Master Suite
62 sq.m - King bed, separate living room, bath and walk-in rain shower, view of private garden and tea fields.
Irvine Garden Suite
45 sq.m - King bed, bath and walk-in rain shower, view to private garden.
Andrews Garden Suite
46 sq.m - King bed, bath with walk-in rain shower, view to private garden.
Trevaldwyn Garden Suite
39 sq.m - King bed, bath and walk-in rain shower, view to private garden.
Jeffery Luxury Room
31 sq.m - Twin beds, bath with walk-in rain shower, garden view, direct garden access.
Wyatt Luxury Room
30 sq.m - King bed, bath and walk-in rain shower, garden view, direct garden access.
Address
P. O Box 5, Hatton. Phone +94 51 738 8400,
Fax +94 51 224 0008 [email protected]
Tientsin Bungalow
Our oldest bungalow, Tientsin, is beloved for its spellbinding gardens, which unfurl like a series of emerald saris, embellished with jewel-bright flowers and frondy palms. Amid this hushed expanse, lichen-clad statues, chirruping birds, a lily pond, tucked-away stone benches and a tennis court await. There’s also an outdoor swimming pool and a heated Jacuzzi overlooking the vast skies and vivid scenery. The bungalow is named after Tientsin village in China, where the original tea seedlings came from. Dating back to 1888, Tientsin boasts the loftiest elevation, at 1,402m above sea level, in the heart of the tea country. Retaining the historic character of its colonial past, the bungalow is decorated with toffee-coloured wood panelling, parquet floors, antique furniture and striking photographs of early tea pickers. Tables are set out on the monochrome-tiled veranda, which overlooks the gardens; inside, a central corridor divides the six bedrooms and inviting communal spaces, including a dining room, a billiards room and a snug library, decorated with patterned rugs, Chinese vases, comfy sofas, soft-grey furnishings, and cosy nooks galore.
Tientsin Room Categories
01 Master Suite
03 Garden Suites
02 Luxury Rooms
- Spellbinding gardens
- Tennis court
- Pool
- Heated Jacuzzi
Irvine Stewart Master Suite
91 sq.m – king bed, separate living room, bath, walk in rain shower, view across valley & tea fields
Bretherton Garden Suite
45 sq.m – king bed, bath with walk-in rain shower, private verandah with garden view
Moir Garden Suite
43 sq.m – king bed, bath with walk-in rain shower, private verandah with garden view
Fraser Garden Suite
36 sq.m – king bed, bath with walk-in rain shower, private verandah with garden view
Bremer Luxury Room
44 sq.m – king bed, bath with walk-in rain shower, garden view
Meares Luxury Room
40 sq.m - twin beds, bath with walk-in rain shower, garden view
Address
P. O Box 5, Hatton. Phone +94 51 738 8403
Fax +94 51 224 0008 [email protected]
Castlereagh Bungalow
With its pretty, pinky-peach facade and view-toting summerhouses, Castlereagh has a romantic, feminine charm all of its own. The bungalow is set in a peaceful wooded glade on the banks of Lake Castlereagh, drawing cooling breezes from the water. The original bungalow belonging to Castlereagh Estate was built in the 1870s; following a devastating fire that wrecked the residence in 1915, the current building was added in 1925. Enjoying a prime perch 1,120m above sea level, Castlereagh is home to five bedrooms, a library decorated with colour-pop patterned furnishings in bright, berry hues, and an elegant dining room. The spacious veranda looks out onto a sweeping, immaculate lawn, where a turquoise pool beckons, shaded by giant trees, and a heated Jacuzzi is hidden away amid the abundant tangle of greenery. Castlereagh Room Categories
4 Garden Suites
1 Luxury Room
- Beautiful Garden Views
- Close proximity to Dunkeld + Summerville across the lake
- Lake Views
- Direct dock access for boat + kayak accessibility
Baker Garden Suite
45 sq.m – king bed, bath and walk-in rain shower, view of tea fields & mountains, private verandah & garden.
Alston Garden Suite
46 sq.m – king bed, bath and walk-in rain shower, view of tea fields, private verandah and garden.
Palmer Garden Suite
36 sq.m – king bed, bath and walk-in rain shower, view of tea fields and lake, private garden.
Jamieson Garden Suite
40 sq.m – king bed, bath and walk-in rain shower, view of lake & tea fields, private garden.
Tate Luxury Room
41 sq.m – twin beds, bath and walk-in rain shower, view of lake & tea fields.
Address
P. O Box 5, Hatton. Phone +94 51 738 8401,
Fax +94 51 224 0008 [email protected]
Summerville Bungalow
Summerville puts a more modern spin on Ceylon Tea Trails’ signature hospitality. Built in 1923, at an altitude of 1,219m, the bungalow boasts sweeping views of Lake Castlereagh and the humped mountain ridges beyond, bristling with trees and vegetation. From the view-toting veranda, guests can watch the clouds roll in and admire the manicured lawn and bloominglovely gardens, where flowers grow in colourful abundance. You’re likely to see chipmunks and Indian mongooses scampering past. There’s a croquet lawn and an infinity pool that appears to merge with the tranquil lake below. Summerville has five elegant bedrooms and a cosy open-plan living and dining area, decorated with dark-blue sofas, patterned cushions and a candle-topped dining table.
Summerville Room Categories
01 Master Suite
03 Garden Suites
01 Luxury Room
- Direct Dock access for float plane + boat accessibility
- Cozy & intimate, perfect for families
- Lake and mountain views
Shuttleworth Master Suite
70 sq.m – King bed, separate living room, bath & walk in rain shower, private garden.
Garnet Garden Suite
45 sq.m – King bed, bath with walk-in rain shower, view of reservoir from private garden.
Goddard Garden Suite
47 sq.m – King bed, bath with walk-in rain shower, view of private garden.
Cosby Garden Suite
45 sq.m – King bed, bath & walk in rain shower, view of lake from private garden.
Middleton Luxury Room
38 sq.m – Twin beds, bath with walk-in rain shower, garden view.
Address
P. O Box 5, Hatton. Phone +94 51 738 8402,
Fax +94 51 224 0008 [email protected]
Dunkeld Bungalow
Overlooking Lake Castlereagh and fringed by greenery, delightful Dunkeld is the closest bungalow to the Dunkeld Tea Factory. One of Dunkeld’s most obvious highlights is its curved infinity pool, with a heated Jacuzzi as its striking centrepiece, both surveying the quiet reservoir below. Originally built in 1925, and perched at an altitude of 1,230m, Dunkeld has five bedrooms, a library with toffee-coloured leather chairs and teak wood accents, elegant living and dining rooms and a billiards room.
Dunkeld Room Categories
01 Owners Cottage
01 Master Suite
02 Garden Suites
01 Luxury Room
- Stunning view of lake + tea country
- Close proximity to Dunkeld Tea Factory Experience
- Owners cottage
- Helipad access
Taylor Owners Cottage
145 sq.m – standalone bungalow with lake views, heated outdoor Jacuzzi, master bedroom with king bed, living room and verandah.
Greig Master Suite
81 sq.m – king bed, separate living room, bath, walk in shower, view across lake.
Anderson Garden Suite
48 sq.m – king bed, bath, walk in shower, private verandah, garden and mountain view
Clark Garden Suite
48 sq.m – king bed, bath, walk in shower, private verandah, garden and mountain view
Allen Luxury Room
48 sq.m – twin beds, bath, walk in shower, garden and mountain view
Address
P. O Box 5, Hatton. Phone +94 51 228 8840
Fax +94 51 224 0008 [email protected]
Accommodation details
Luxury Room
Luxury Rooms average 40 square metres and offer an impeccably appointed bedroom with king or twin beds and elegant bathroom with twin vanities, a bath & walk-in rain shower.
|
|
Garden Suite
Garden Suites average 50 square metres and offer a gracefully furnished bedroom with four poster king bed, luxurious bathroom with twin vanities, a bath, walk in rain shower and private garden.
|
|
Master Suite
Averaging 70 square metres, beautifully appointed bedroom with four poster king bed, separate living room, lavish bathroom with twin vanities, a bath, walk in rain shower and private garden.
|
|
Owner’s Cottage
A secluded standalone bungalow with lake views, heated outdoor hot tub, master bedroom with king bed, beautifully furnished living room, verandah with spectacular tea field and lake view.
|
|
Activities
Since the bungalows are on working tea estates, guests will see first-hand how the famous Ceylon tea is made: how the two leaves and a bud are harvested by hand in the fields and freshly processed in the nearby factories, in a traditional manufacturing process unchanged for a century. A complimentary daily tour is provided. We provide guides and equipment for white water rafting, kayaking, mountain biking, guided walks and other excursions. Activities and excursions can be booked during your stay with us but prior notice is recommended.
(see the Resplendent Experiences brochure for full details here)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the weather like?
As Tea Trails is at an elevation of 4000+ feet, the climate is cooler and less humid than in Colombo and on the coast. Typically, cool mornings, warm days and cool evenings. Daytime temperatures are comfortable in the low to mid 20’s Celsius and at night can drop to 10 Celsius hence the fireplaces in all bungalows. There is no air conditioning in the bedrooms.
What is the best season to visit?
Ceylon Tea Trails is a year-round destination. The driest part of the year is between December and May. June/July and October/November are wetter months due to the monsoon. However, the ambience of the bungalows is such that you'd think there's nothing better than curling up in front of a fire with a good book during a shower of rain.
What should we wear?
There is no particular dress code. Bring a light sweater for cool mornings and evenings, sturdy walking shoes to explore and in the monsoon months, a waterproof top.
What is the dress code for meals, especially for dinner?
There is no dress code for meals although many of our guest find it inviting to dress up to celebrate their vacation in style.
Do you provide gluten free meals?
Yes, we can tailor menus based on our guests dietary preferences and restrictions. We ask all our guests to provide us with this information in order to ensure they have a flawless dining experience.
Can I dine at Ceylon Tea Trails if I am not residing at the resort?
Our dining arrangements are dedicated to our in-house guests but we can make case by case arrangements with prior notice.
What is the recommended length of stay?
A minimum 2 night’s stay is required. To fully enjoy the unique Ceylon Tea Trails experience we recommend 3 or 4 nights.
Do Tea Trails suit honeymooners?
The atmosphere at Ceylon Tea Trails is perfect for honeymooners. The beautiful tranquil surroundings, wonderful walking trails, personalised services like breakfast in bed, romantic baths and in-room spa treatments provide a magical setting for the romantic in you.
Which bungalow is the best?
All bungalows have their own unique character and setting. We find that guests who visit other bungalows conclude that their own is the best as it becomes their “home”. Some points of difference:
- Around the Castlereagh lake where the seaplane lands is the Dilmah Dunkeld tea factory where the Tea Experience takes place.
- Guests arrive at Summerville which is the easiest to access from Hatton town (railway station and closest main town)
- From Summerville we offer a 10 minute boat ride across the water to Castlereagh and Dunkeld to save a longer road detour on estate roads.
- Summerville Castlereagh and Dunkeld have lakes views and are the most central
- Norwood and Tientsin guests drive direct to their bungalows
- Norwood is the “mother ship” as it is centrally located between all bungalows. It has lovely mountain views across the valley.
- Tientsin is further away but the most traditional in design, with beautiful gardens and mountain views.
Are we provided with mosquito nets and repellent?
All rooms are provided with mosquito nets and tea infused mosquito repellents.
What kinds of transport arrangements are available from the airport / Colombo?
Most guests come by private car either as part of a bigger exploration around Sri Lanka or arranged by Ceylon Tea Trails. The journey time is 4.5 hours from Colombo, 2.5 hours from Kandy or 1.45 hours from Nuwara Eliya. We will be happy to arrange any transfers for you. We also have both Sea Plane and Helicopter transfer options available. Most guest find the Sea Plane option to be the preferred and convenient way to transfer to and from Ceylon Tea Trails.
What is the closest railway station and how do I arrange vehicle transfers from there?
Hatton railway station is the closest railway station to Ceylon Tea Trails and our reservations team will be happy to assist you in arranging transfers from the station to the resort.
Do you have accommodation for drivers?
We have secured accommodation for drivers in the area, 6-8km away from the bungalows. We provide this service complimentary, however meals would be charged by the lodging place.