Originally Posted by
cakegirl
I am trying to select our room at Ceylon Tea Trails. Which of the four properties is the best overall, and which rooms are the best?
We are a couple in out late 30's.
Also, has anyone done the Adam's Peak excursion (in the off season) from Tea Trails?
I am the right person to answer your questions, just been at Tea Trails for the last four days
and was as a returning guest again impressed by their service which is at Aman levels if not above.
First of all I recommend that you arrive by train to Hatton from where they wil offer you a transfer for LKR 2500. Sri Lankan Railways has a new private sector product called Expo Rail. You can book tickets online and the train is leaving Colombo Fort station at 05:55 AM
. The advantage is that you will be at Tea Trails for lunch. You can also board that train in Perardenya if staying in Kandy.
The four bungalows are quite different.
Castlereagh has five rooms, three of them garden suites. Alston is to avoid, no view. Palmer is best. The garden and the lakeview are lovely and the common parts very classic.
Summerville is also on the lake and all four rooms look nice and have views. The combined sitting / dining room is a little bit too modern for me with large bay windows.
Norwood is the logistic center of Tea Trails and on a plateau with good views. The style of the house does appeal a little bit less to me.
Tientsin is the most historic bungalow with a scaringly dark dining room which I love. Avoid the suite as it is towards the entranceway. Moir has the best location.
You will be like at a private home and the chefs will discuss your preferences. The inclusive wine choice is excellent but a little bit limited and they are about to set up a more extensive wine list which will be charged at reasonable prices.
The thing to do at Tea Trails is obviously walking, they have well marked path and yes I have been on Adams Peak for the second time. Left 8:30 AM for Dalhousie and paid LKR 10 000 for a luxury four wheel drive vehicle. The climb takes anything between 2,5 and 3,5 hours and is strenuous during the last 30 minutes. Tea Trails wil provide you with a packed lunch. The way down is worse and after four days I can still not walk normally
.
Avoid the boat trips between Castlereagh and Summerville, the well paid boatmen are extorting in a very unpleasnat way a tip and their boats ar leech infested.
Tea Trails has a new operations manager, Chaminda Fonseka, who is brillant and himself a reason to go there. Tea Trails is a proud Relais & Châteaux, the best hotel association in the world.
Be aware that tea plantations have Hindu staff and these people are very very noisy. So you might be disturbed by loud Bollywood music at very strange times as early as 5 AM, but the noise is manageable. Another problem is the burning and the associated smoke, which is a common problem around Asia.
After Tea Trails I would recommend taking the scenic road over the range to Tangalle where you might stay at Amanwella which is in full renovation and promises to be reallly top notch.