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Heritance Tea Factory is a restored 19th-century tea factory turned 50-room hotel at Kandapola, more than 2,000 metres up in the tea hills east of Nuwara Eliya. The long white factory block, with its rows of small windows and corrugated roofs, still stands among working tea bushes, and the old machinery, a miniature working factory and a restaurant in a railway carriage keep its history close at hand.
Every room has a room heater, which you will want on cool hill-country nights, an en-suite bathroom with a bathtub and overhead shower, satellite TV, Wi-Fi, a minibar, a safe and tea and coffee making facilities. The names below are the ones you will see in the booking form; this is what each one is at the hotel.
The suites and the Premium rooms are one-offs or close to it, so book early if you want one. For couples who want a view of the mountains, the Executive Floor Deluxe rooms are the ones to choose.
The Kenmare Restaurant is the main dining room, with views over the estate. TCK 6685, the hotel's award-winning restaurant, is set in a converted railway carriage, which makes it the place for a special dinner. Drinks are served in the Hethersett Bar and the Goatfell Bar, and there is room service around the clock.
The tea is the reason to come. You can pluck leaf on the estate, see it processed in the hotel's miniature tea factory and then taste the result. There are guided nature walks and hikes through the tea, cycling, and treatments at the Coco Spa. The hotel stands on stage 22 of the Pekoe Trail, the long-distance walking route through the tea country, so walkers can set off from the door.
Nuwara Eliya town is about 7 kilometres away in a straight line, with Lake Gregory and Victoria Park. Hakgala Botanical Gardens and the Seetha Amman Temple, a stop on the Ramayana Trail, lie on the road south, and the hotel arranges trips to Horton Plains National Park and on to Ella. The Pedro Tea Estate outside Nuwara Eliya is worth a visit to compare a working factory with this restored one.
Yes. The usual station for Nuwara Eliya on the hill-country Main Line is Nanu Oya, on the far side of the town. From there it is a drive through Nuwara Eliya and up into the hills to Kandapola, so arrange a pick-up with the hotel or with us in advance.
The hotel is about 166 kilometres from Bandaranaike International Airport, a long drive up into the hill country on winding roads for the last part. The simplest way to arrive is a private transfer from Colombo airport to Heritance Tea Factory, which takes you all the way to the door.
It suits couples and families who want a characterful, cool and quiet base in tea country, with walks from the door and a real sense of how tea is made, rather than a busy town hotel. Two nights gives you time for the estate, the town and Horton Plains. For more choice see our places to stay in Kandapola, or the other Heritance hotels around the island.
We stayed two nights at this incredible place. It rained all day but we absolutely loved being there. It was so cosy - the room was delightful and the hotel staff made us feel very relaxed. A surprise celebration cake arrived at b…
Despite my limited English, Mr.Kuveshar, a member of the restaurant staff, skillfully understood exactly what I wanted, ensuring I had a truly wonderful dinner. The food was delicious, too. Thank you very much!
The Heritance Tea Factory is beautifully situated, with spectacular views of the surrounding tea country. The British colonial-style property brings back a sense of childhood memories and nostalgia. The beautifully preserved garde…
Ratings and reviews provided by TripAdvisor for Heritance Tea Factory.
Bookable activities, tours, and tickets within a 25 km radius.
Pre-book a private vehicle for arrival, departure, or onward travel.
