The Hill Club is definitely a step back it time. The hotel has a feel of a Scottish mansion and was originally established in 1876 as a “Club” for the colonials who used to go to Nuwara Eliya to escape the heat on the coastal plains. Even today it has Members and there are rules and regulations such as gentlemen can’t dine in the Member’s formal dining room without a jacket and tie (you can borrow one from the hotel, if you haven’t packed one!) or if you prefer you can eat in the casual dining room. Children under the age of 12 are not allowed in the Club.
This was once the residence of Sir Edward Barnes, the governor of Sri Lanka in the 1820s. This old colonial hotel has a very much a feel of a bygone era. The hotel is situated close into the centre of Nuwara Eliya so one can easily walk into the town. There is no AC here as Nuwara Eliya is quite cool but you will find a heater in your room. The gardens are particularly lovely and afternoon tea can be taken on the lawn if the weather is nice – this is highly recommended.
Midky Hotel, within the tea plantations of Nuwara Eliya, is a small modern budget hotel less than a mile from the centre of town.
The hotel offers very good value for money. There are fantastic panoramic views of Piduruthalagala Mountain and surrounding mountains from the hotel balconies and glass panelled restaurant.
This is a wonderful colonial hotel dating from the Victorian era with its own quirky charm. You will probably be met with a welcome drink of soup served in tiny coffee cups – which really is often very welcome due to the chilliness outside. The hotel rooms are lovely with ensuite facilities often with a bath. A really nice touch at night would be your own hot water bottle. The breakfasts here are truly magnificent.
It is unique in that it was once a working tea factory and has been converted into a luxurious hotel but keeping some of the machinery once used there -of particular note are the huge belts that disappear up into the centre of the hotel and the solid scales used to weigh the tea. The hotel bedrooms are all luxuriously furnished but do have a cosy feel to them and have great views out over the nearby tea plantations. There are several dining options including the fine dining in the Railway Carriage Restaurant
Additionally, you can pick your own tea at the nearby Heathersett Estate and have it processed in the hotel’s Mini Tea Factory.
The hotel is located about a 30min drive out of Nuwara Eliya and the road can be in a poor condition which can increase the journey time.
Avian Breeze is a small boutique hotel which was once the holiday home of the first Prime Minister of Sri Lanka- it now has an additional 5 rooms in the new wing. The hotel is located about 2miles from the centre of Nuwara Eliya. It still has the old world charm of highly polished wooden floors and open fires in the old Bungalow.
