Boutique hotel · Resplendent Ceylon (Relais & Chateaux) · Hatton

Ceylon Tea Trails

5 bungalows on working tea estates around Castlereagh lake and the Bogawantalawa valley, south of Hatton, at about 1,250 m

About Ceylon Tea Trails

Rooms: 5 types
Dining: 4 places
Wellness: Spa
Swimming: Pool

5 restored tea planters' bungalows, Castlereagh, Summerville, Dunkeld, Norwood and Tientsin, set 1.5 to 16 km apart across nearly 3,500 acres of working tea around Castlereagh lake.

There are 27 rooms and suites in all, 4 to 6 to a bungalow, and each bungalow has its own pool, lounge, chef and butlers; a whole bungalow can be taken privately.

It was the first Relais & Chateaux property in Sri Lanka, is owned by Resplendent Ceylon, and guests tour the Dunkeld Tea Factory with the estate's tea planter.

Rooms and suites

Luxury Room
40 sq mKing or twin bedsUp to 3BathtubRain showerFireplace
40 sq m, king or twin beds, fireplace and writing desk, bathroom with twin basins, freestanding bath and walk-in rain shower; up to 3.
Garden Suite
50 sq mKing bedUp to 3BathtubVerandaGardenFireplace
50 sq m, king bed, veranda onto a private garden, some with a fireplace, freestanding bath; up to 3.
Master Suite
70 sq mFour-poster king bedUp to 4GardenLiving roomFireplace
70 sq m, four-poster king bed, separate living room with an open fireplace, private garden; up to 4 with extra beds.
Estate Suite
121.5 sq m2 bedroomsUp to 6Garden
121.5 sq m, 2 bedrooms joined by a private corridor and living area, with a private garden; up to 6.
Owner's Cottage
120 sq mFour-poster king or twin bedsUp to 4Hot tubGardenLiving room
120 sq m detached cottage above Dunkeld: four-poster king bed, living room, twin bathtubs and a heated jacuzzi in its private garden; up to 4.

Dining

Bungalow dining roomsNo fixed menus or meal times; each bungalow's chef agrees every meal with the guest in advance, using produce from the estate gardens and nearby villages.
Planter's Tiffin LunchA picnic lunch served in tiffin boxes somewhere scenic on the estate.
Barbecue lunchCooked outdoors at a private spot in the tea, with a butler.
High teaServed on the lawns and in the summerhouses.

Wellness

Spa treatments and tea-based rituals, with massage also given in the room.

Amenities

Pools and spa

A pool at every bungalow; the Dunkeld, Summerville and Castlereagh pools face the lakeJacuzzis at Norwood, Dunkeld and CastlereaghSpa treatments and in-room massage

More dining

A chef at each bungalow, menus agreed daily with the guestBarbecue lunch in the teaBreakfast on a lake cruise

Activities

Dunkeld Tea Factory tour with the tea planterKayaking on Castlereagh lakeLake cruiseGuided walks and cycling with a naturalistTennisCroquetBilliards at NorwoodSummerhouses in the gardens

For families

Children welcomeCots and extra beds on requestChildren's activitiesChildren's menus and early dinners

Services

Butler serviceLaundry includedFree transfers between bungalowsFree lodging for private drivers 6 to 8 km awayAir transfer to the lake on the estateFree Wi-Fi

Good to know

Guests may ask for a particular bungalow, subject to availability, and may split a stay between bungalows.
The Owner's Cottage stands alone above Dunkeld; meals are taken at the main bungalow or on its veranda.
About 3.5 hours by road from Colombo and 2.5 hours from Kandy; air transfers land on the lake.
Pack layers: mornings and evenings are cool and rain is common.