Thotalagala
Haputale

There is something to be said for the weight of history at Thotalagala, one of the first and most beautifully restored 19th-century tea planter’s bungalows in Sri Lanka. Set high in the emerald hills of Haputale, in Uva Province, renowned for producing some of the island’s finest tea, this timeless boutique hotel offers guests a rare window into life on a working tea estate. The 150-year-old house has been lovingly transformed into a luxury retreat, while still paying quiet tribute to its colonial past.

Originally built in 1870, the seven-bedroom bungalow was once part of the Dambatenne tea estate, founded by Sir Thomas Lipton himself. Today, it has been reborn with grace and elegance, retaining its old-world charm without compromising on modern comfort. There is a reverence here for the land, for tradition and for the daily rituals of tea, and guests are invited not just to visit, but to step inside a living legacy.

Each of the seven spacious suites is named after a key figure in Sri Lanka’s tea heritage; James Taylor, the father of Ceylon tea, Sir Thomas Lipton, who took it global, and Major Rogers, a legendary British officer with a passion for the wild. Interiors are rich with polished wood, four-poster beds and heavy drapes, while roll-top baths promise long, indulgent soaks. For the ultimate stay, we recommend one of the larger suites, with their generous proportions and elegant freestanding tubs.

Dining at Thotalagala is second to none. Guests can enjoy communal meals in the handsome dining room, or opt for al fresco experiences - breakfast under the trees, a private picnic on the lawn or a champagne breakfast at Lipton’s Seat, where panoramic views stretch across the valley and beyond. High Tea at the neighbouring Dambatenne Bungalow, once Lipton’s own residence, is another highlight, both quietly glamorous and nostalgic.

The gardens roll seamlessly into the surrounding tea fields, and the infinity pool gazes out over the dramatic Haputale escarpment, where clouds drift through the valleys below. For those seeking history, nature and stillness in equal measure, this is an ideal base.

Thotalagala is just 20 minutes from Haputale and perfectly placed for hiking, birdwatching and tea estate tours. Many guests choose to hike from Haputale to Lipton’s Seat, a long but rewarding trail with captivating scenery. The Dambatenne road is said to be one of the only places in Sri Lanka where you can see both the South and East Coasts from a single viewpoint. On a clear day, the view stretches all the way to the southern coast of the island, it truly feels like floating above the clouds.

Further afield, Horton Plains National Park, home to World’s End and a wealth of rare highland flora and wildlife, is just an hour’s drive away. Closer to home, the Pitarathmalie forest reserve and Thangamalai bird sanctuary, set beneath Adisham Monastery, are rich in endemic birdlife and cloud forest wilderness.

A stay at Thotalagala is an experience of quiet beauty, steeped in colonial legacy and hill country serenity, a luxury heritage retreat in Sri Lanka’s tea country that stays with you long after you leave.

I can't think of anything that excites a greater sense of childlike wonder than to be in a country where you are ignorant of almost everything.
Bill Bryson