Kandy, Sri Lanka
Renovated
2020
Price
$$$$
Rated for
Luxe Heritage LocalOutside the door
The house
W15Hillside planter bungalow
Days drift between croquet matches on manicured lawns, tea overlooking misty hills, and quiet evenings gathered around the sitting room fireplace.
“This all-inclusive bungalow in Sri Lanka’s tea country has a warm residential feel to it, with just 10 suites nestled into the lush Hanthana mountain range.”
What it’s good at
Remarkable
Dedicated round-the-clock butler service and vintage Land Rover rail station transfers.
Notable
A restored nineteenth-century tea planter bungalow and converted horse stables on fifteen acres.
Notable
Resident naturalist walks through working Ceylon tea fields and along the Pekoe Trail.
What they say
One Michelin Key
Michelin
Also in The 50 Discovery.
its bungalow-style buildings wrapped in verandas and columns, its guests ferried from the rail station to the estate in a robin’s-egg-blue vintage Land Rover.
Tucked away
A place apart: the property is the destination.
Trails wind directly through surrounding tea plantations to the Pekoe Trail, with central Kandy a fifteen-minute drive down the valley.
The rooms
Suites across the bungalow and converted stables feature four-poster beds, dark timber antiques, tiled bathrooms, and private terraces facing the mountains.
The pool
Bring a swimsuit.
A stone infinity pool sits on the hillside terrace, looking out over terraced tea gardens and misty peaks.
The spa and hammam
Treatments span Ayurvedic therapies and a Turkish hammam, with open verandas looking across the valley for quiet meditation.
At the table
Colonnaded verandas and candlelit lawns host all-inclusive meals, blending regional Jaffna curries with traditional planters' dishes.
How it began
Dating to the colonial era, the restored tea planter bungalow and original horse stables anchor a working hillside tea estate.
Good to know
Stay here
W15 Hanthana Estate
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Kandy
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Our shorthand
How we rate hotels.
The medals
Gold
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Silver
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
Bronze
They did this well. You’ll notice.
Listed
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Design
Built around a vision. Even the door handles have a designer.
Luxe
Cared for at every turn. The bath is drawn before you ask.
Local
It could only be here. You wake up knowing where you are.
Social
Where the city goes out. The bar is full and the night is young.
Heritage
A building with a story. Once a palace, a monastery, a station.
Wellness
You leave feeling new. Rest, sweat, soak and sleep like a stone.
Classic
The city grew up with it. Same rituals, same regulars, same bar.
Resort
A world of its own. Something to do from breakfast to nightcap.
The scene
Lively
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Central
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Secluded
A place apart: the property is the destination.