The Lavender House

The Lavender House is a renovated nineteenth-century planter’s bungalow on a working tea estate in Pussellawa, high in Sri Lanka’s hill country, roughly halfway between Kandy and Nuwara Eliya. Wide lawns and mature gardens separate the house from the surrounding tea, so it feels secluded while the estate’s pickers work the slopes beyond. With five bedrooms and generous shared rooms, it suits extended families and groups of friends who want cool mountain air and a sense of history.

A few steps down from the house, the pool terrace is the heart of the garden, with a large heated swimming pool, sun loungers and umbrellas, and a panoramic outlook over tea plantations and misty peaks. The lawns are made for slow morning walks or an early jog while the air is still crisp, and alfresco tables by the water are a lovely spot for breakfast or a sunset drink.

Inside, the mood is English country house, with antique wooden furniture, chandeliers and a soft, neutral palette. The living room has two full sets of sofas and a satellite TV, the long dining room has a fireplace, and there is a wood-panelled billiard room, a separate lounge with its own serving counter and a wine cellar. Each of the five bedrooms is named after a flower, has air conditioning, an en-suite bathroom with modern styling and direct access to the terrace. Housekeepers look after the house daily, security guards patrol the grounds, and a continental breakfast is included every morning.