Dunkeld Bungalow Restores Ceylon Tea Traditions to Splendor
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A century ago, tradition saw Englishmen and women enjoy their afternoon with tea, served with scones, cakes, strawberries and cream. Today, urban centers worldwide have been flooded by coffee shops, and Afternoon Tea seems antiquated for most. Luckily though
Dunkeld Bungalow Restores Ceylon Tea Traditions to Splendor
A century ago, tradition saw Englishmen and women enjoy their afternoon with tea, served with scones, cakes, strawberries and cream. Today, urban centers worldwide have been flooded by coffee shops, and Afternoon Tea seems antiquated for most. Luckily though, in the heart of one of the world’s finest tea plantation districts, in the valleys of southeast Sri Lanka, those traditions have not only been restored, but offer an experience that is fast becoming sought after.The Dunkeld Bungalow, built in 1925 on a hillside above Castlereagh lake some 4750 ft above sea level, is the latest in the Tea Trails collection of historic properties, restored as part of the world’s first tea bungalow resort. Reached via a romantic half-day train ride through the World Heritage Central Highlands of Sri Lanka, the collection includes just five bungalows, set amongst tea plantations that are all in full operation.The Bogawantalawa region of South Sri Lanka is known as “The Golden Valley,” and comprises tiny villages and large estates surrounding deep valleys that are blanked in the most fragrant and sought after of old Celyon’s teas. Here, the pickers, all local women, still wear traditional clothes much as they did when tea overtook coffee in the country back in 1870.Dunkeld itself is divided between the main property, with three suites and the Allen Luxury Room, and the Taylor Owners Cottage, a charming and romantic residence filled with period paintings, teak furniture, antique maps and books on the history of tea. Silk cushions, regency stripped footstools and old-style wooden desks with stamps evoke the colonial era in which the bungalow was built. An outdoor Jacuzzi set in a stone circle offers panoramic views of the plantations either side of Castlereagh lake, while below guests can find English gardens of roses, dew filled agapanthus and spring crocus.The bungalow comes with its own butler, though despite the allure of the interior, it’s hard to stay indoors when landscape has so much to offer. With winding roads leading from the mountains down to the lake, this is a region for those who love the outdoors. And when it comes to taking a break, the estate comes in to its own, serving a range of fresh teas with choices of cucumber sandwiches, cakes or scones on an expansive veranda. It even offers Bed Tea to start the day.Like all five estates in Tea Trails (the others are the lakeside Castlereagh, Summerville, the hillside Norwood, and most historic Tientsin) the bungalow has its own Resident Tea Planter who will happily take guests on a full tour of the tea plantation process, from picking through to sorting at the factory. With just 26 rooms across all five properties, some 15 kilometers apart, it seems a true tea experience really has become a highly exclusive antithesis to the modern cup of coffee.Follow us on Twitter – @Cultravel Read more
