Horathapola Estate Sri Lanka

Customer Rating
  • General
    97
    97%
  • Food
    98
    98%
  • Service
    97
    97%
  • Room
    97
    97%
  • Location
    88
    88%
Average Score - 15 Reviews
95.4
95.4%
Ratings based on real traveller reviews in past 2 years
Media Reviews
"'What is striking about this glorious, white, five-bedroomed mansion is its statuesque stance which mirrors its colonial birth. The green copper roof contrasts with the bright white walls and dark wooden window frames but blends into the lush, woody surroundings. The real highlight of a stay at Horathapola is a tour around the vast estate. The best and most unforgettable way to do this for all the family is by bullock cart. I instantly relished the experience of slowly passing under the hundreds of coconut trees, lime bushes and past bright patches "
Emma Boyle, Travel Sri Lanka, Vol 5 No 1
January 1900 More »
Horathapola Estate, Horathapola
Price From:  US $ 252.88 (Bedroom, HB Basis, Twin)
Swimming pool   Room service   Child friendly  
Location
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Horathapola Estate is a gem: a tranquil colonial-style boutique hotel that offers an ideal haven in a relaxing Sri Lanka holiday. The hotel is hidden within a vast green coconut belt of the Western province - an idyllic rural paradise a touch over an hour north east of the International Airport. The minor road approaching the hotel slows the pace a little, but the rewards are undeniable. The location is especially well situated for those wishing to visit the Cultural Triangle, Wilpattu National Park to the north or indeed Kandy to the east.
Introduction
Horathapola is a perfect first stop for those of you seeking peaceful heritage accommodation after a long flight. One customer termed it `jet-lag heaven,' praising `a beautiful house and faultless service.' Situated on a working estate which grows coconut, mango, pineapple and spices, Horathopala is a four-bedroom British planter's bungalow that was built in the 1920's. The estate is now owned by Javana Fernando, who also owns Kulu Safaris. Javana lives on the estate and adds a friendly but efficient air to this wonderful holiday retreat. Spacious rooms furnished with ancestral Dutch period furniture, verandas opening out to the peaceful surroundings, well-clipped lawns scattered with beautiful hardwood trees and ample bird song all let you experience the Planter's lifestyle at its finest.
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Accommodation
There are three large suites and one two-bedroom family suite all with ensuite bathrooms with h/w showers and twin vanities, as well as two separate family lodges nearby. Suites in the main house and one of the lodges are not air-conditioned, but this is rarely overpowering as ceiling fans, high roofs and large doors and windows offer welcome compensation. The suites offer a striking degree of privacy. They are blessed with wide balconies or verandas where hours can be spent relaxing in a planter's chair with a good book and cup of tea. Antique almairahs and four-poster beds lined with handmade lace and dressed in crisp white linen, all with mosquito nets, make the interiors comfortable and elegant. There are no televisions in the rooms, but such is the contentment that the house brings to clients valuing a different atmosphere, nobody has been known to complain.

Maha Camare (Main Room): An upstairs room with large open balcony overlooking the pool and attractive gardens beyond. Recommended for honeymooners, not least for its gigantic 7ft x 7ft 6ins bed, which makes king-sized seem serf-like by comparison. The bathroom has two vanity tops and showers.

Maedae Camare (Middle room): Highly recommended – and also upstairs. Doubles up as a family suite, or a suite for friends travelling together, with the Podi Camare (small room). Familis will appreciate the particularly high levels of privacy available in these two rooms, which have their own verandah. The Maedae Camare has two beds, one double and one single, so can also operate as a twin as well as a double. This bathroom also has twin vanities and shower. Overlooks a beautiful tropical garden.

Podi Camare (Small Room): This room is never sold on its own, so allowing high levels of privacy. A queen-sized bed and a good bathroom, slightly smaller than that in the Maedae Camare.

Watte Camare (Garden Room): The ground-floor room, which sits on the edge of beautiful expansive gardens. This is a triple room, with double bed and single bed, dressed in the same fashion as the upstairs rooms. Sold as a double, but can also operate as a triple or even a family room with an extra bed if needed.

Family Lodge: An independent, two-bedroomed lodge close to the main house, accessed through its own small gate and, with the added benefit of shielding by nearby greenery, boasting much privacy. One large bedroom and one small have similar characteristics to those in the main house. Both rooms have sit-out verandas and a balcony that can be used for a private dinner and overlook their own part of the garden. Particularly suitable, perhaps, for long-term guests as the lodge has its own kitchenette, with a cooker and fridge, if the urge arises to self-cater; the staff will happily shop on request.

Sun Lodge: The Sun Lodge is a small building alongside the main house. Rooms are slightly less spacious, and somewhat more modern, including the fact that it is the only room that possesses a/c which will be persuasive to some. It also has a private rooftop area with ample space to lie in the sun or relax with a good book.
Facilities
The main living and dining areas open out to the extensive lush green gardens and an excellent, slim 50 ft swimming pool with a Jacuzzi on the side. The Sri Lankan rice and curries served at Horathapola, cooked in traditional clay pots over a firewood flame are prepared according to taste; whatever your preference for spices, they are mouth-wateringly delicious with many of the ingredients grown on the estate. The quality of the food is praised by Red Dot's clients time and time again. As the owner is a wildlife enthusiast, and also operates Kulu Safaris, an extensive library on Sri Lanka's natural habitats, heritage and culture is no surprise. Gifts from guests have also helped to increase the stock of decent novels.
Excursions
Explore the surrounding estate where coconut, fruit, spices and paddy is cultivated. Take a stroll, a bullock cart ride or cycle to the nearby rural village where you can watch the production of kadju nuts, wire ropes or visit a kopra factory. Estate staff can help you discover village life unfolding at its own pace, away from tourist areas. Visit the village temple and the local market where fresh produce grown in village home gardens can be purchased.
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Important note on prices : Red Dot prices include all government taxes and service charges. Some properties and websites exclude these charges from their direct quotes, which adds 24-26 per cent to your bill, so please check carefully before booking. Red Dot also guarantees to beat any lower published prices from other agents. Some property owners also request that we do not display our prices online. Please ask us for a quote - and tell us if we do not offer the best value.
 
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