Ashburnham Estate

This is a great place to recharge if you’ve been on the go for a while. It’s secluded and very quiet. I think there’s only 6 guest rooms so you’ll have all the peace you need. The rooms are probably a bit ….rustic, and conveniences like fridge, A/C, tea and coffee facilities aren’t provided. That said the staff are fantastic and will bend over backwards for you. Are special shout out to Vish. He goes above and beyond to please. Oh, and the food was exceptional.

The service here was nothing short of incredible. The service from Vish especially was fantastic, he was always smiling and very fast with the food. Really enjoyed my stay here and Vish made sure to make us feel 100% comfortable and happy there. Highly recommend coming here. Additionally the waterfall nearby is a must to go.

Don't miss the informative and entertaining Tea Plantation tour. The 400 vertical foot Hike to waterfall is rewarded with an impressive 50 foot high waterfall and is a refreshing swim in the pool below. 

No air conditioning in the historic 1930s plantation house. Meals are simple but you traveled the long winding road to experience life on a tea plantation a century ago. Well worth it. Such friendly welcoming staff make you feel like you're staying at relatives home.

We had an enjoyable time at Ashburnham but the hotel is in need of some TLC to keep it looking like the photos on the website. Our first night was in the smallest room (The Bay Room) which looks out at a wall. The room just needed some money spending as the sofa had water stains on it, the paint was peeling and the white wall and floor outside was grey and unattractive to look out on - not helped that dogs had done their business out there! We were moved after one night to a much nicer room - although still the windows did not shut properly and you could not lock the door (not that this was a problem for us in such a small hotel but still I mention as it may be for some). The food is ok but the Western dishes are priced very highly. The first night's dinner was not very nice (perhaps we just ate after other guests and our fish had been left for a long time as it was very dry and came in a pineapple sauce which seemed odd.) After the first night we asked for Sri Lankan food and the staff were super accommodating (especially lovely Vish) and the food we ate after that was very good and was offered to us at half the price of the Western food. The staff are lovely and we greatly appreciated their efforts taking a picnic down to the lovely waterfall for us. We also did a nice guided walk up One Tree Hill and saw much more tea than is visible around the hotel. (I mention this as the tea was a big thing for me. My husband was born on a tea estate in India and I have always wanted to go and see a tea estate, but now there is very little actually around the hotel at Asburnham and the trees have been allowed to grow so tall that the views from the hotel are limited.) All in all, the staff are great, very friendly and hard working, but the owner needs to spend some money on the hotel as it simply does not look like the photos.

The situation of the bungalow is truly beautiful, wonderful views of tea planting from the balcony. Yes- faded colonial grandeur, but very comfortable. Staff were very attentive, helpful, charming. Food was also good. Pool is warm, clean and welcoming. we thoroughly enjoyed the tea tour- very informative. However, as others have noted there is no transparency over the cost of anything-no prices displayed anywhere. It is true that one can ask, but once arrived, you are a captive audience, as the drive is long and there is nowhere else for miles around. Another word of caution- we thought that the picnic by the waterfall was exceptionally over priced- it didn’t accord with the photos, and consisted of a wrap, few fries and a soft drink or two. Cost of $20 each seemed steep at the time, and then the final bill stated that the price of the food wasn’t even included- we had to challenge this and it was withdrawn. $20 dollars each without food? We could easily have carried the basket ourselves.

We spent two nights at Ashburnham and they were wonderful and a highlight of our time in Sri Lanka. It is a special and peaceful place which feels more like someone’s home than a hotel and perfect for reading and relaxing. Given the price I think breakfast and lunch could be improved and it would have been good to know how much lunch and dinner cost at the outset. G&Ts at sunset on the terrace are a must!