CASTLEREAGH:
Here are some general pictures of Castlereagh …
Castlereagh 1 (View from across the reservoir)
Castlereagh 2 (View along the front; almost all of those windows are rooms overlooking the reservoir)
Castlereagh 3 (View from front door across the pool and Gardens)
Castlereagh 4 (View from porch over reservoir)
Castlereagh 5 (Porch)
Castlereagh 6 (Main hallway, down which all rooms are located)
Castlereagh 7 (Living Room 1)
Castlereagh 8 (Living Room 2)
Castlereagh 9 (Parlor 1)
Castlereagh 10 (Parlor 2)
Castlereagh 11 (Dining Room)
Castelreagh was, as you can imagine, almost completely booked for the entirety of our stay with Tea Trails. We were only able to see one room, Alston, which is a Garden Suite and the first door on the left as one walks down the hallway.
My first thought was that anyone walking to his/her room would HAVE to walk by Alston; also, it’s left wall as one looks at the bed is the wall that would “look out” over the Living Room. I’m sure most guests at Tea Trails are quiet and respectful, but this would seem to be the least privately located room in Castlereagh (along with the first room on the right, which I believe is either Jamieson or Tate – the other immediately following the first on the right).
Alston (Garden Suite)
Alston 1
Alston 2
Alston 3
Alston 4
Alston 5
There is no Master Suite at Castlereagh, only Garden Suites and Luxury Rooms, with 5 in total. While I desperately wish we would have been able to see many more rooms, I’m hoping we FT’ers can improve the exposure of this bungalow, so others may be most informed on which room works best for them. I imagine others will chime in shortly to provide their thoughts and advice.
For us, one of the best elements of Castlereagh is that 3 rooms (Palmer, Jamieson and Tate) have views over the reservoir. Of these, without seeing them I would choose Palmer, as it provides both those views as well as garden access. Plus, with it being at the very end of the hall, it does mildly cut down on traffic.
Castlereagh PROS
- Views over Castlereagh Reservoir
- Rooms that overlook the reservoir
- Wonderful outdoor spaces, including two separate Gazebos (labeled “Summer Houses” on the website)
- Covered outdoor dining
- Brighter interior than other Bungalows (especially Summerville and Tientsin)
Castlereagh CONS
- Outdoor dining set to the side, not facing the lake
- No Master Suite
- Only two interior options for areas to relax
- Very noisy surroundings (caveat: both
behuman and I experienced this – him while staying in Castlereagh. I believe there were some Hindu celebrations ongoing in early December, where the nearby little villages would take turns daily having celebrations with LOUD music. We could faintly hear the music across the water in Summerville, but I was informed it would start early in the morning, and then continue off and on throughout the day. I would DEFINITELY inquire about this before booking, and am hoping it is confined to a few weeks late in the year. Otherwise I would lose my mind, as I intensely crave peace and quiet).
Up next ... Tientsin