Madulkelle Tea and Eco Lodge

Madulkelle Tea and Eco Lodge is an upscale retreat with a remote location on a tea plantation. The front entrance is unassuming -- a one-story white building with a dark green tin roof, white columns, and arched wooden doorways. Inside, the lobby is a large hardwood-floored room that's furnished with leather seating, book cases, a pool table, and walls decorated with trompe l'oeil bookcase decals and vintage ads for tea. This area blends into the restaurant, which has a lovely fireplace and mantle topped with candelabras. It also has an outdoor terrace with breathtaking views of the distant mountains and misty valley below. Most of the guests here are older people or couples on their honeymoon. Since rooms lack Wi-Fi and TVs, this property is best for travelers who don't mind unplugging.

The Madulkelle Tea and Eco Lodge is located 19 miles (30 kilometers) northeast of the city of Kandy, but it takes an hour and a half to drive by car because of a one-lane winding mountain road that is the only way to get there. The road is in poor condition and makes it treacherous to reach the hotel without driving very slowly. Guests recommend arranging to get a driver from the hotel rather than one from the city. Those who want to explore Kandy should leave early in the day so that they don't have to drive back on the mountain roads in the dark. The hotel is a four-hour drive from Colombo and Bandaranaike International Airport.

All of the 19 attractive rooms are located in olive-green platform canvas tents set on the hillside. Each has a balcony with chairs so that guests can take in the panoramic view of the mountains, and the Honeymoon Suite adds a plunge pool on their terrace. Rooms have beige stone flooring, minimal dark wooden furniture, mosquito nets over the beds, and quality white sheets topped with colorful bed runners. Air-conditioning and TVs aren't provided, but rooms offer kettles and tea, bottled water, and lanterns. Wardrobes come with bathrobes and slippers. Bathrooms are located behind the beds and have walk-in showers with rainfall showerheads; they have an extensive array of free toiletries and hairdryers. If the weather is bad, the sound of the wind or rain against the tent can be noisy. There are also drivers' accommodations available.

The Madulkelle Tea and Eco Lodge doesn't have much for kids, but couples are catered to with an open-air spa. It features two massage tables and a lotus pond with two submerged tubs, plus stunning mountain views. There is also a large infinity pool perched on the hillside that almost makes it look like it is flowing down into the valley. The hotel's restaurant has food with an emphasis on local fare, so much so that dishes incorporate herbs and vegetables from the on-site garden. 

The hotel can also organize a variety of activities for guests, including hiking, picking tea, cooking classes, fishing, and night camping. Other amenities include a pool table, an outdoor croquet court, free Wi-Fi (but only in the main building), free parking, and room service.