Staying in a hotel where the bedroom was once the drying room for Ceylon’s finest has got to be everyone’s cup of tea.
The Heritance Tea Factory is a fabulous example of transforming an unused historical building into modern and slick accommodation.
Driving up to the Hethersett Estate is magical in itself as the carpet of green landscape unravels and reveals the huge 19th century beauty which dominates the skyline.
It’s an ideal setting for a hotel, with the high ceilings and windows lending itself well. Architect Nihal Bodhinayake oversaw the transformation which took place in 1996, and in 2001 it won the UNESCO Asia Pacific Heritage Awards.
Built originally in 1879 by English tea planter William Flowerdew, the Hethersett estate was named after his home town in England, and a light railway was added to make the transportation of tea to the main town of Nuwara Eliya easier.
The hotel has been adapted to sustain the environment with green energy used and the local community taken under the wing to provide work and organic vegetables to feed the guests.
Driving up to the hotel there is a rose garden, putting green and ornamental clipped hedges with a former planter’s bungalow turned into a micro tea factory producing the drinks for everyone to enjoy throughout the day.
There’s a nod to the past everywhere, from the reception desk laid out on spiked cogwheels to huge wooden drying fans, with the basement still home to the original generating plant and a well-stocked spa.
An ancient elevator whisks the guests up to the 57 well-appointed rooms and suites on the former drying floors and girders have been painted green and red to highlight, rather than hide, and exposed pipes now yellow and silver carry water or electricity lines.
The Aitken Spence hotel is renowned for its food which is high quality and local, with excellent choices of Sri Lanka’s finest dishes served in the Kenmare Restaurant.
For a special occasion the TCK 6685 dining experience is in a converted railway carriage and the dishes served are prepared with love by the resident chefs.
When the weather is good, an outdoor bonfire with all the usual suspects like marshmallows on sticks are the order of the day and the Hethersett Bar is the place for a scrumptious afternoon tea.
There’s plenty to do from trying your hand at tea plucking to visiting Horton Plains National Park which is a unique ecosystem with rich biodiversity to walking the Pekoe Trail, a 300 kilometre long walk taking in some of the tea area dubbed “Little England’s” finest landscape.
Nearby is the popular town of Ella, known for its wonderful Nine Arch Bridge, majestic Little Adam’s Peak and the mighty Ravana waterfall.
History lovers are in for a treat making their way along the Ramayana Trail, which is steeped in ancient mythology and allows the adventurer to make their way through charming mountain villages where local folklore intertwines with the epic narrative of the Ramayana with hidden caves, cascading waterfalls and serene temples.
There’s also the Hakgala botanical gardens, Lake Gregory, Victoria Park and the Seetha Amman temple to discover if the lure of the former tea plantation doesn’t dominate the stay.
The Details
Heritance Tea Factory, Kandapola, Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka.
Tel: + 940525555000
Website: www.heritancehotels.com
Email: hntinfo@heritancehotels.com
Heritance Tea Factory is located 2½ miles away from the Kandy, the hill capital. The hotel offers a discounted transfer for guest wanting to see the Kandy perahara. They also offer an airport transfer service and Nuwara Eliya City is 14 kilometres away.
Type of Hotel: 4-Star Hotel
Number of Rooms: 57 rooms and suites, including complimentary Wi-Fi.
Price Band: For latest offers for overseas and Sri Lankan visitors, check out the hotel’s website.
Insider Tip: Enjoy freshly picked tea from the hotel’s own plantation, it’s fabulous as there is nothing better on a fine day than to sit outside and admire the fabulous view while sipping tea!
Reviewer’s Rating: 10/10
Author Bio:
Rebecca Hay is an experienced travel writer and member of The British Guild of Travel Writers. Follow her adventures with her family on Twitter and Instagram @emojiadventurer and on Facebook via EmojiAdventurers2.
Photographs courtesy of Heritance Tea Factory
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