Ceylon Tea Trails - Relais and Chateaux - All Inclusive

Our trip to Ceylon Tea Trails, especially our bungalow Tientsin, left a huge mark on my soul. It was one of the best journeys of my life. I could speak endlessly about the beauty of nature, the uniqueness of the place, the service, the food and the variety of activities. Everything feels truly effortless, though few will understand how much work, dedication and precision stand behind it. Tientsin never feels like a hotel. It feels like a home: warm, caring and attentive, yet completely free and relaxed. Guests can also visit other Bungalows for lunch or activities, experience the atmosphere of each house and enjoy different surroundings and the warmth of the staff. Our stay was very varied. We walked through the tea plantations, both independently and with a guide, enjoying the views and the kindness of local people. I have rarely, if ever, met so many kind, cheerful and warm people. Special thanks to our guide Danushka. We walked 14 km through the plantations with him easily and learned so much. I also want to thank Wasantha and Danushka for the excellent walking routes and navigation signs. Every detail is clear and thoughtful, and it is obvious how much work went into them. We also kayaked on the lake with Wasantha, who was incredibly kind and attentive, accompanied us throughout and took wonderful photos. I would also like to thank Mr. Priya, the amazing chef Akila, our wonderful driver Nishantha, as well as Robert, Prathap and Aruna. They all made our stay unforgettable. There were many others whose names I unfortunately cannot remember, but there was not a single moment we did not enjoy. A very special thank you to the wonderful Mr. Nirosh. With him, I felt not only in the care of a true professional, but also a kind friend. We talked a lot, he shared interesting information, and his combination of professional precision and genuine warmth is truly rare. I will miss this wonderful place and these lovely people very much, and I dream of returning again.

Could not imagine a tiniest thing

Honestly, this place is astonishing. Kind caring people, amazing food, wonderful location and just a really magical and special place. I cannot recommend it enough if you are looking for some peace and quiet and a chance to explore the higher regions of Sri Lanka.

Nothing apart from the rain but that's not the fault of Ceylon Tea Trails.

We stayed at Castlereagh Bungalow, which we thought was probably the nicest / cutest of the few we saw. The view of the lake was magnificent and the property was well decorated and set up. The rooms were spacious and with nice views (either garden with a terrace, or lake but no terrace). Food was good quality and it was nice that there were no set meal times, we could have them whenever we wanted. We also liked the intimate atmosphere of the bungalow, with only a few guests at a time. We did the complimentary Tea Factory tour which was very interesting. There are a few more optional experiences. In general, enjoyed our stay at Tea Trails, it was very relaxing.

The main thing we didn’t like was that at every meal, we got asked several times if we wanted more food or drinks, even after politely saying no and explaining we are full. Maybe it’s a cultural thing which we are not accustomed to, but it felt uncomfortably pushy and we didn’t experience this at other properties we stayed at in Sri Lanka. Also our food preferences were gotten wrong a few times; this would be more understandable at a big and busy place, but there were only a few guests at a time here.

- The tea trail setting is undeniably beautiful. - If you enjoy old school colonialism these bungalows may be the answer as they were a step back in time.

- Dishonest, aggressive and pushy reservations team, constantly pressuring complete payments for activities/tours months before the trip and without consideration of the weather. - Signature "tea in bed" experience was not mentioned at all and only mentioned on the last day by a new butler (the other was on holiday) and which we had to decline due to early departure (we stayed 3 nights). My friend who stayed in another bungalow same period was also not offered this experience (and she was the only guest in her bungalow). - Food: Hit or miss, and underwhelming compared to other Sri Lankan hotels we visited. The afternoon tea was particularly disappointing we did not even bother after the first day. - While friendly on the surface, interactions felt superficial and service lacked thoughtfulness. One of them was very passive aggressive, he kept reminding and recapping what he had done for us during our stay (for tips I imagine). - Due to the location, all estates suffered from excessive humidity. Linens and furniture felt damp throughout our stay. Dehumidifiers would greatly improve comfort. - The aggressive payment policies and unfulfilled signature experiences left us feeling more like transactions than welcomed guests.