Glimpse of Nish's world

In an encouraging sign to Sri Lanka's tourism industry, The Sunday Times of UK has named Sri Lanka's first theme hotel, The Tea Factory among the "World's Best 100 Places to Stay" in its September Travel issue.

The UK's largest-selling Sunday newspaper commenting on The Tea Factory said: "Sitting on a grassy terrace at 2000m in the lush tea-planted hills of Sri Lanka, is the Tea Factory. For years that's exactly what it was, but now it's an arresting 57-room boutique hotel.

Outside it preserves its corrugated iron construction; within are still some of the old Professor Potts-style innards-machines for moving, sorting and drying tea" that whish and shirr into life each evening."

Situated 6,800 feet above the sea level, the magnificent Tea Factory is part of the Aitken Spence chain of resorts.

The Tea Factory lies, alone and unique, on the slopes of the tea plantations at Kandapola, high above the Nuwara Eliya town. Surrounded by the picturesque Hethersett Estate, the original tea factory was built in the 1930s by British planters.

There is a no more luxurious way to explore Sri Lanka's history of tea making. Managing Director of Aitken Spence Hotels and the Immediate Past President of the Sri Lanka Hoteliers Association Malin Hapugoda commenting on the achievement said: "We are really excited that one of Sri Lanka's iconic hotel properties has been featured in the list of the World's Best Places to Stay by UK's leading Sunday newspaper. The Tea Factory is truly unique to the world as it is the only tea factory which has been converted to a top-class boutique hotel."

The Tea Factory showcases some of Sri Lanka's best attractions as one irresistible package, from lush tea gardens, culture, exquisite cuisine to exceptional service.

The Tea Factory conducts exciting excursions to Horton Plains, Hakgala Gardens, Kurundu Oya Waterfalls and visits to ancient Hindu religious sites, a miniature tea factory, a wildlife sanctuary and the spectacular Randenigala Dam.

The Tea Factory holds the distinction of being awarded the South Asian Architecture Award in 1995.

The hotel also received outstanding recognition and fame when it was conferred with the RICS award by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, London in October 2000 for successfully restoring an abandoned building whilst maintaining its original facade.

The Tea Factory is also the recipient of the UNESCO Asia" Pacific Heritage Merit Award" 2001 for the impressive conversion of a dilapidated tea factory into a luxury hotel complex.

Labels: Nuwara Eliya, Nuwara Eliya Hotels, Sri Lanka Hotels, Sri Lanka Tourism