This peaceful hotel is the perfect base to explore Sri Lanka’s tea plantations

A beautifully restored colonial bungalow is now a five-star hotel, with a beautiful English country garden, far-reaching valley views, an infinity-edged pool and exceptional dining

Location

Set 1,444m above sea level in Sri Lanka’s Hill Country at the centre of the iconic Norwood tea plantation near Hatton, the hotel is a four-and-a-half-hour drive, or a 30-minute water plane ride with Cinnamon Air from central Colombo.

Surrounded by vivid green tea plantations, misty pine valleys and overlooking the vast Castlereagh Reservoir, the location is idyllic and blissfully quiet.

Nearby sites of note include the Norwood tea estate, the towns of Hatton and Dickoya, a few waterfalls and Adam’s Peak for hiking. Plenty of walking trails await, including stages of the newly minted Pekoe Trail, which weaves 300km through hills, forests and valleys.

The vibe

Decoration of the restored property has kept early 20th-century charm (Emilee Tombs/The Independent)

This beautifully restored property opened in January 2025, yet staying here feels like stepping back in time. Once the estate of Major Elton Lane, a tea plantation owner and First World War fighter pilot for the British Royal Air Force, the former private residence drips with old-world elegance, from the hand-painted tropical wallpaper in the dining room to the mahogany-panelled lounge, with vintage floral sofas and two enormous fireplaces.

Service

The service here has no stiff upper lip; it is the warmest we encountered in all of Sri Lanka. Staff simply couldn’t do enough for us, yet they gave us space to relax and enjoy the property as if it were home. The all-inclusive offering includes laundry, with up to six pieces per suite per day.

Bed and bath

The six rooms and suites are painted in pastel shades of pink, blue and green, with floral soft furnishings, fringed curtains, dark wood floors and cream-painted pitched wooden ceilings with chandeliers and fans. Antique dark wood furniture and thoughtfully arranged seating areas let guests sit back and take in the divine views.

All room categories include butler service, toiletries, a hair dryer, bathrobes and bath slippers, wifi, air conditioning and a ceiling fan, a safe, king-size beds, a flat-screen TV, tea and coffee making facilities, and luxurious marble-tiled bathrooms. Some of the larger suites have ornate clawfoot baths and wood-burning stoves.

Food and drink

The restaurant showcases the area's rich heritage. Sri Lankan curry is always on offer at breakfast, lunch, and dinner, along with fusion dishes such as poached eggs served with an English muffin, seeni sambol, spinach, curried crab cake, turmeric hollandaise sauce, and curry leaves. Other breakfast delights include egg hoppers (thin, fermented rice flour pancakes shaped around a bowl) and Western dishes such as smoothie bowls.

The dining room at Uga Halloowella (Uga Halloowella)

Lunch can be ordered or prepared as sandwiches for a day trip. In the evening, guests can order a la carte with Western fish and meat options as well as the “Sri Lankan Discovery” menu, which might include Negombo pork curry with milk rice or hoppers with East Coast sour fish curry.

The all-inclusive offering includes select wines, beer and spirits, plus tea and coffee service, and high tea (also included) should not be missed. Delicate parcels of curry and spiced meats are served in a bamboo bento box alongside fluffy cakes, miniature hoppers and sweets.

Facilities

There is no spa, but guests can book pampering massages and other treatments and have them in the garden spa room with stunning views of the valley.

The infinity pool looking out over the hills (Uga Halloowella)

Each guest also gets to experience a tea factory tour and tasting experience, included in the price of their stay. Hotel staff can arrange local visits to tea plantations and hikes, and the resident naturalist can give a special presentation featuring rare trail-camera footage of elusive wildlife such as palm civets, barking deer, leopards, porcupines, and more. Bikes are available to borrow, but note that the area is very hilly.

Accessibility

Rooms are all on one level and very spacious for wheelchair users but are not specifically adapted. The pool is accessible via a set of garden steps.

Pet policy

No pets allowed.

Family friendly?

There is little to keep tiny people entertained besides the pool and whirlpool spa; however, cots are available on request, and staff are extremely warm and accommodating to little people.