27-06-2025
Ceylon Tea Trails hotel review: a bucolic bolt hole in remote Sri Lankan countryside
Sri Lanka's Central Highlands are a rolling, rippling mass of lush landscapes. Swathes of tea plantation stretch across the waistband of the country, shrouded in steamy trails of mist. It's here, buried deep within these endless acres of foliage that you'll discover Ceylon Tea Trails, the first hotel in the Resplendent Ceylon collection: a clutch of homegrown hotels owned by the Fernando family, founders of Dilmah Tea (one of the country's foremost tea brands). A quintet of colonial-era bungalows studded across the tea estates have been carefully transformed into heritage hideaways set deep within nature, ideal for slowing down and sinking into time-honoured Sri Lankan traditions. This serene retreat is best for honeymooners or loved-up couples looking to unwind.
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Score 7/10Five historic tea-planter bungalows dating back as far as 1888 have been restored and remodelled into luxe lodges, scattered across 2,000 acres of tea country. Spread apart across sprawling estates (as far as 10 miles from each other), you'll find three of the lodges perched on the banks and hills of Castlereagh Reservoir, with a further two overlooking swooping Bogawantalawa valley. More private home than hotel, each lodge has a team of personal butlers to attend to your every whim and fancy, be it delivering freshly brewed tea and biscuits to your bedroom at any hour, or laundering your clothes after long romps across the estate. There are shared sitting rooms for spreading across squashy sofas, and a formal restaurant is eschewed in favour of relaxed indoor-outdoor dining areas.
Colonial accents reign supreme in the five or so suites contained within each bungalow: think graceful four-posters swathed in linen and rattan furnishings. Mod-cons such as TVs and air conditioning are missing, but there's plenty of old-school charm to make up for it, from vintage black-and-white portraits to terraces that lead onto tranquil private gardens. Spacious bathrooms feature clawfoot bath tubs, double vanities and marble checkered floors.
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Score 7/10Mornings begin with a pot of brew brought to your bedroom — a colonial tradition named 'bed tea' — before languid breakfasts of egg hoppers and omelettes nibbled on the verandah. Set menus for lunch and dinner are devised each day by the chef (the only choice you'll have to make is between the Western and Sri Lankan menu), with four-course suppers encompassing tea-infused dishes and warming curries. Afternoon tea is a carefully observed ritual, where you can tuck into homemade scones with lashings of rhubarb jam and clotted cream. Stays are fully inclusive of all meals, snacks and tipples, so it's impossible to go hungry; in lieu of minibars in the bedrooms, pour yourself a drink in the drawing room, and simply request something to nibble whenever you're peckish, and the team will appear with homemade cakes and sandwiches.
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Score 8/10There's no central hub here: instead, the lodges function almost entirely as singular properties, with separate pools and sitting areas to lounge across. Days are mostly spent outside: there's endless acreage of tea country to explore, and it's worth heading out into the tangle with one of the hotel's expert guides, who can navigate the best routes for striking views over Castlereagh Reservoir. Winding pathways snake across miles and miles of plantation, framed by mango and eucalyptus trees, centuries-old granite, and bushes blossoming with all kinds of tropical flora. Along your route, it's worth scoping out the other lodges that form Ceylon Tea Trails, followed by tea tastings and picnic lunches in the treetops.
For an immersive deep dive into Sri Lankan tea culture, a visit to Dunkeld Tea Factory is a must: it's here that you'll be able to witness some of the behind-the-scenes action that's part of Dilmah Tea's production. Kayaking across Castlereagh Reservoir, sunrise hikes to Adam's Peak,and expeditions further afield to Kandy and Ella can all be arranged. There's no spa or gym here, but sun-soaked afternoons are spent by the pool and heated whirlpool.
Score 7/10Found in Sri Lanka's Central Highlands, Ceylon Tea Trails is as remote as can be: it's a 4-5 hour drive from Colombo Airport (traffic dependent), or a scenic 30 minute flight by seaplane, where you'll land directly on Castlereagh Reservoir. Kandy, Ella, and Nuwara Eliya stretch out in various directions: the journey time is around 2-3 hours to each of these towns. Thanks to the rugged roads and winding pathways, mobility isn't the easiest here, but there's plenty of opportunity to roam far and wide within the plantations.
Price B&B doubles £531Restaurant n/aFamily-friendly YAccessible N
Gina Jackson was a guest of Ceylon Tea Trails (
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