Thotalagala, Haputale, Sri Lanka

Where it is

Haputale sits at the southern lip of the hill country, south-east of Nuwara Eliya, where the land falls away steeply to the lowlands. Lipton's Seat, among the island's finest viewpoints, is close by, and the bungalow is a natural stopover on the way from Kandy towards the safari parks of Yala and Udawalawe.

From Colombo the journey by road takes most of a day, so it is best broken in Kandy or the tea country; the hill-country train is a lovely alternative.

Suites

The seven suites are divided between the old bungalow and a later wing, and each takes its name from one of the men who built the Ceylon tea trade. Think gleaming timber floors, antique furniture, four-posters or king beds and, in the bigger suites, roll-top baths. There are two drawing rooms and a cigar room, and the whole place has the hush of a private library. Children must be at least 8.

Food, walks and the rest

Life centres on the terrace and lawn, where tea is served in the afternoon, and on the infinity pool facing the far mountains. You can eat together at one long table or on your own, and menus run from rice and curry to international dishes, with picnic breakfasts out in the hills.

The estate's working tea factory is open to guests, and the hosts organise walks to Lipton's Seat, birding, sections of the Pekoe Trail, bike rides and days out at Horton Plains.

The moment

Setting out before dawn for Lipton's Seat, walking up through the tea as the pickers start work, and arriving as the sun lifts over range after range of hills; on a clear morning the sea glints in the far distance. Back at the house, breakfast on the lawn, then do as little as possible by the pool.

Why we chose it

Few hotels connect you so directly with the story of tea, and with only seven suites it feels like a private estate rather than a hotel. There is no spa, but the walks, the views and the gracious pace more than make up for it.

Pair it with the wellness of Santani near Kandy, or the livelier tea-estate setting of 98 Acres in Ella.

When to go

The bungalow is open all year. January to March brings the clearest views from Lipton's Seat and dry weather, and it is the busiest season, peaking over Christmas and New Year. October and November tend to be the wettest months.

For quieter stays, aim for late January to March, after the festive peak, or the shoulder months of May and September, when visitors are fewer; expect mist on some mornings, which brings its own magic to the tea country.

The longer stay

Three nights lets you walk to Lipton's Seat, visit the factory, spend a day at Horton Plains and still enjoy the pool. Build it into a three-week Sri Lankan journey: Kandy and Santani, the railway through the tea country, Ella, then a safari at Yala or Udawalawe and the south coast.