Heritance Tea Factory

Panorama of tea hills surrounding Tea Factory hotel in Sri Lanka

Despite not being a huge resort type hotel the Heritance Tea Factory hotel is a destination by itself. The fabulous setting at an altitude comparable with Alpine resorts, the most pleasant weather we encounter in Sri Lanka and a general feeling of serenity that the hotel somehow exudes, all combined to make our one night stay there possibly the most memorable of all during our time on the island.

Staff Service
Service during our stay at the Heritance Tea Factory hotel was excellent in all respects. We were warmly welcomed with a cup of lovely locally grown tea and given a third eye. Check in and out went smoothly and service was prompt every time we required something.
Hotel Location and Ambiance

Hotel room at Heritance Tea Factory, Sri Lanka

The hotel bills itself as being "a short drive away from the town of Nuwara Eliya". This is actually a rather optimistic statement as the of 14 kilometers, partly dirt road, route to the town is not one you want to be making often. The architectural attraction of this hotel of course, is that its building used to be a tea factory in the middle part of last century. Tea factories by definition are not beautiful or extraordinary buildings but somehow the conversion works and the result is a pleasing hotel with industrial decorative touches. The spectacular setting on top of a cloudy green hill affords excellent views of the surrounding tea estate.
Room

As proudly stated at least three times by the hotel manager on duty we were given one of only three Superior rooms the Heritance Tea Factory has. The room met our needs fully as it was of good size, clean and well equipped. Despite being only on the first floor and looking toward the back, a corner location meant views from our hotel room were decent.
The bathroom was well lit and sized with what had become our pet peeve, a walk up bath tab. Everything worked fine except from the tab's drainage that somehow was not able to cope with the water flow.
Maybe because of the conversion noise insulation was not up to the standard one would expect. Although it was not bothersome to us I can see how noise could be an annoyance.

Food and Beverage

Our favorite place has to be the magical terrace in front of the hotel's entrance. Views of the surrounding hills covered in the deep green color of the tea plants with clouds fading in and out are unforgettable. What's more we had the pleasure of sipping the hotel's own grown organic tea at sunset there while nature put on a spectacular color show for us.
The food quality at the Heritance Tea Factory hotel was probably the best we had in Sri Lanka. The beef really tasted like beef and was cooked right even though it was served in the buffet. Our only dinner was at the main restaurant but another interesting option we unfortunately did not get to test is a train dining car. The carriage is restored to its original glory and is the fine dining option of the hotel. A bar serving alcohol and a tea room that doesn't, complete the food and beverage outlets of the hotel.
Facilities and Entertainment

Oh, what is one to do in a secluded and quiet place like this? Well, apparently for us there really were a lot of fun things to do. The garden, although minuscule, is beautiful and a small maze kept our two children entertained for a good part of the afternoon. A good time was also had by them at the playground which was very thoughtfully situated next to the bar...
The hotel offers some activities for a fee and we used two of them to our complete satisfaction. The first was a pony ride. The ride is not long but the youngest member of our group absolutely loved it and was eager to retake it the following day. The second activity was a nature walk around the hotel's area. The 06:30 departure sounds a bit harsh when you are on vacation but it is worth waking up early to enjoy the beauty of the area in the morning light. The walk is easy and children can easily cope with it.
The chance to pick your own tea is also available as an activity by the hotel. To be honest it did look like hard work and never took up the chance. Instead we toured the on the premises mini tea factory and enjoyed talking to the people there. You can purchase the hotel's own organic tea from the tea shop and it is probably one of the best purchases you can make in Sri Lanka.
A word of warning. The hotel has a spa, located under the terrace with the magnificent view. Apparently the view from there is not limited to nature but also extends below to the spa and the showers. You have been warned.
Our opinion
Unusual hotel that is great for a short stay.

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