Accommodation Media
Awards
SriLanka Accommodation Awards
UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Merit Award 2001
Awarded for the impressive conversion of a dilapidated tea factory into a luxury hotel complex.
 
SriLanka Accommodation Awards
Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors London, Award 2000
Awarded for outstanding achievements and technical ingenuity in the field of conservation and enhancement of the built and natural environment.
 
SriLanka Accommodation Awards
South Asian Architecture Award 1996
Architect Nihal Bodhinayake won award for converting an abandoned tea factory into a unique theme hotel.
 
 
Media Review
Richard Tresillian, Explore Sri Lanka , Sep 2009
'Since it opened in 1996, the Tea Factory has been known as an incredible place to stay, having been converted from a real but abandoned factory. With its upgrading to the standards of the Heritance brand (alongside Heritance Kandalama and Heritance Ahungalla), it has added further finesse to its charm. The Heritance name – created by a merging of heritage and inheritance - is the brand name for the unique, luxury properties in the Aitken Spence hotel group.'
Hi magazine, Series 7 Vol 5 , Jul 2009
'Sri Lanka’s popular hill country hotel, the Tea Factory, was re-branded as a Heritance Hotel on 15th December (2009). This is the natural outcome of the successful development of an abandoned tea factory building into an eco-friendly, world class hotel. With it’s branding as a Heritance Resort, The Tea Factory joins Heritance Kandalama, Heritance Ahungalla and Heritance Madurai as a hotel of choice for the contemporary, eco-savvy tourist.’ Already popular with visitors as Sri Lanka’s first theme hotel with its heritage of tea, the hotel’s refurbishment has added comfort while its new focus has resulted in rare refinement.'
Gavin Thomas, Rough Guide to Sri Lanka, Second Edition , Nov 2006
'Set on a hilltop at an altitude of over 2,000m, this spectacular five-star hotel was created out of the old Hethersett Estate Tea Factory, which closed in the 1970s. The factory’s original exterior has been completely preserved, with corrugated-iron walls and green windows, and its’ not until you step inside the stunning interior atrium that you realise the place isn’t a working factory at all, although there’s still plenty of old machinery lying around, giving the place a look which is at once industrial and futuristic.'
Royston Ellis, Sri Lanka – the Bradt Travel Guide, Second Edition , Sep 2005
'It’s a crazy idea, was one of the kinder comments made by colleagues of Mr. G.C. Wickremasinghe when, in 1992, he proposed turning an abandoned tea factory into a hotel. Thanks to his determination the idea became a reality….Wickremasinghe’s vision was matched by the talent of architect Nihal Bodhinayake and together they created a unique hotel that deserves to become a famous as Kenya’s Treetops as an unusual place to stay. While the exterior of the factory has not been changed and has the customary corrugated-iron walls painted silver, and hundreds of tall, wooden casement windows, the interior is unconventional….the transformation is complete, the factory has become a luxury hotel of distinction.'
Edward Aves, Footrpint Sri Lanka, Fourth Edition
'Superbly inventive conversion of old British factory retaining original features, 57 comfortable rooms (best on top floor) including 4 suites, amidst 25-acre tea plantation with magnificent views…highly recommended for setting and originality'
Customer Feedback
Feb 23, 2011 : This hotel cannot be faulted. It was the highlight of our visit to Sri lanka. The whole experience – the service, the attention we received on our wedding anniversary, the food, the weather, the location… need we say more? The road journey there was tough on the driver but worth it.
- VH – Oxfordshire
Jul 23, 2009 : Very pleased we chose this hotel
--- DN – Kent
Jul 27, 2008 : General design of the property is very well done. Bu the standard of the bed rooms were poor though. Road up to the hotel is disgraceful.
Hi Dirk,
Jun 25, 2008 : Road to the location is a bit of a mess.
SW – Kingston
Apr 06, 2008 : : Good room and unique hotel. A few things didn’t work in the room, but they were fixed on request. My only comment is the rooms are quite noisy but the view makes up or anything.
AW – Manchester
Mar 15, 2008 : Interesting experience. Very good walks in the tea plantations. ‘’Shame, hotel didn’t have a pool’’.
CM – Nottingham
Feb 25, 2008 : Nice location and building. Food was average and overpriced. Good walks.
MM - Hong Kong
Dec 30, 2007 : The Tea Factory. Loved this hotel. We had a room with two windows and the view was stupendous - tea bushes as far as the eye could see. We ate in the railway carriage - quite expensive for what we had and not the best quality meat but we were whistled aboard by an extremely conscientious waiter and his obvious delight in his job more than made up for it.
LP – Bahrain
Aug 26, 2007 : The road to the Tea Factory was much better than I had been led to believe. Room was cold.
CH – Surrey,
Aug 19, 2007 : 5-star service, location and food. 2-star rooms. Desperately need a makeover.
DJ – Devon,
Apr 01, 2007 : A lovely hotel in a beautiful location. The rooms are a little basic and tired but overall this did nothing to detract from our very enjoyable stay.
CG – Harpenden
Feb 25, 2007 : Beautiful views but it was up a terrible road, full of potholes.
HT – Cambridge
Dec 22, 2006 : Amazing place. Most enterprising. Gourmet food. We had their "kitchen experience" dinner on the second night and thoroughly enjoyed it. The approach road needs repairing.
DW – Devon

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