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As we stopped at Tientsin on our way from Summerville to Amanwella – quite a long journey – we did not have much time to explore about or see many rooms.

However, we were able to quickly see two: Moir (Garden Suite) and Irvine Stewart (Master Suite).

Of the three properties with Master Suites, Tientsin is the one I feel, not only do you not need it, one should make it a point NOT to book. Even though it is gorgeous, and absolutely MASSIVE, it is on the front (porch) side of Tientsin, which means any time people are dining there’s potential to hear conversations and noise. But more importantly, it faces the same direction as the village nearby, which could prove REALLY noisy (see: reports of New Year’s Eve revelry in the village).


Tientsin has, by FAR, the best grounds of any of the Bungalows (even with the future inclusion of Dunkeld, I imagine it will remain the one to beat). My pictures above are just the beginning, and it truly is beautiful. But it has two rather substantial drawback, for me.

The first is the proximity of the local village, as pictured above. The second is the distance from the other bungalows -- I believe it took us, at the minimum, 50 minutes to travel from Summerville to Tientsin. Even from the Tea Factory, I bet it's a 35-40 minute drive (if not longer). However, there is an upside to this, for those of us continuing our journey's southward: namely, if you wrap up your Tea Trails visit with a stay in Norwood, you'll be saving yourself a decent bit of time on what will be a long car-ride.

Tientsin PROS
- Phenomenal Gardens with secluded spots to enjoy some tea outdoors – without a doubt the best of all the bungalows
- Many outdoor amenities (e.g. Tennis Court, Pool, Croquet, etc)
- Covered outdoor dining (though not as well covered as Castlereagh and Summerville)
- A bit of a “darker” interior, like Summerville, which can be a bit dramatic and mood-setting if one is in a colder, rainy mood
- Location gives one a head-start when heading to Southern Sri Lanka (e.g. Amanwella, or the new Tea Trails boutique beach hotel coming in the net year in Tangalle), as well as Adam’s Peak

Tientsin CONS
- Village beneath it can be quite noisy, making this the least quiet of the bunch
- Location entail
- Not much in the way of interior spaces to lounge
- Master Suite, though very nice, is in a sub-optimal location
- Location is far removed from the other bungalows, the tea factory, and reservoir

Up next ... Tea Trails in Closing