Nestled on a hilltop in the midst of a lush, tropical garden and an immaculately kept coconut plantation, The Tea House is one of the most romantic and serene villa hideaways on Sri Lanka's South Coast. If you are seeking complete privacy or even solitude within moments of an unspoilt Indian Ocean beach, The Tea House offers luxury and privacy in equal measure.
From its elevated position overlooking Seenimodera beach, the villa’s vast bedrooms and open plan living benefit from the constant breezes coming from the Indian Ocean below. Hidden from view, the villa, constructed entirely of tea - one of Sri Lanka’s sustainable hardwoods - is relaxed and incredibly comfortable. Lying in one of the six foot, four poster beds, wreathed in fine white mosquito nets, you can see and hear the constant rhythm of the Indian Ocean.
Planted with an exotic collection of wonderful tropical flora, The Tea House garden has become a haven for a stunning collection of tropical birds. Woodpecker, peacocks, birds of paradise, kingfisher and the busy ‘chit chat’ birds luxuriate in its lush profusion. Sea eagles hover above and, as dusk falls and a dark tropical night descends, fireflies light up the sky.
Completed in September 2014, The Tea House now offers a truly beautiful infinity pool. Swim in the shadow of coconut trees and watch the waves crashing on the beach below. Although it took nearly 10 years to arrive, the new pool is well worth the wait. It is heavenly for those who want to do their laps or simply want to raise an evening cocktail in the cool of the water.
Bedrooms
Six foot, luxury four poster beds are the centrepiece of each of the two, vast bedrooms. Swathed in fine white mosquito nets and boasting the finest linen, the beds ensure that sleep will never elude you at The Tea House.
High ceilings and open shutters maximise the breeze flowing from the Indian Ocean below. As waves crash on the beach, you are lulled into the most glorious slumber. Ceiling fans are rarely required.
Each room benefits from an ensuite shower room complete with polished cement walls and wonderfully hot water. Additional single beds and mosquito nets are available for extra guests or children.
If it's a honeymoon or simply a holiday with friends, the villa and the beach below provide a destination of incomparable privacy and intimacy.
Location
Villa Tea is located in Tangalle, some 190km South of Colombo. On the Galle Road, 7km before Tangalle.
Notes:
Roshan is the manager of The Tea House. He is also responsible for cleaning the house, shopping, cooking for our guests and ensuring that all of their requirements are met. His brother, Ruane Chandana, looks after the garden and will drive you about in his tuk-tuk at a pre-agreed, local rate.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner can be prepared by Roshan, unless you wish to eat out. However, on at least two days in any period of a week, you should choose between lunch and dinner at The Tea House. We have provided a menu but you can request specific dishes which Roshan may or may not have prepared before. If he has not, you may wish to give him some guidance.
If Roshan is busy, his brother, Ruane Chandana, will always run errands for you in his tuk-tuk. He will also drive you in the evenings. You must remember to ask him before he leaves work in the afternoon should you require a tuk-tuk that evening. If you do need a tuk-tuk or van for any other journey, please ask Roshan. We have a list of recommended drivers whom we have known for a very long time and do not recommend that guests use any other transport whilst they are here, except should they wish to experience the bus.
‘Tissa’ is the sole remaining canine ‘watcher’ of The Tea House and he is fully protected in terms of vaccines, worming, etc. He is thrilled to provide company, an escort to the beach and razor-sharp hearing should someone come to see you.
It is apparently sometimes tempting to take pity on other dogs you meet. It is absolutely forbidden to introduce other dogs to the Tea House. Once here, they are extremely difficult to remove. They will only be tolerated by Tissa on the property if they have been brought by a guest.
Wherever we are in the world, all of us have rules for our pets. The same applies to our dog at The Tea House. He sleeps on the walkway or in the kitchen and is not allowed in the living room at night. He is also never allowed in the bedrooms. Please respect these rules since not doing so will inevitably cause a problem for somebody else.
Swimming
Beach towels are provided and there is an outside shower for washing off salt and sand on your return. Boogie boards are available so please ask Roshan. Please take care of the currents when swimming in the sea. Our beach is deemed safe to swim most of the year but the currents can change extremely quickly and we recommend you swim from the centre of the beach and avoid getting too close to the rocks at either end.
If you are feeling energetic, stroll to the very far end of Mahawella beach and take a dip in the ocean pool protected by the headland.
Music
Our new Philips system takes MP3 files on a USB device, provides local radio stations and will take CDs. However, the humidity can play havoc with CDs so we recommend the USB/MP3 option. With our new WiFi system, you can also pick up internet radio and any music stored on your wireless device (I think!).
Laundry
We can arrange a laundry service for which we levy a charge of Rs1,000 per load including ironing.
Electricity
Whilst the electricity supply has improved dramatically in recent years, there is still the occasional power cut due to an ongoing programme of modernisation. Increasingly, these happen during the day. There is a marked reduction in power output between 6.30pm and 9pm, the period of highest demand. The government has also recently introduced a new tariff for electricity that heavily penalises high energy usage. The rate for the highest consumption is 12 times that of the lowest rate. Electricity prices in Sri Lanka have risen exponentially in recent years and are reaching Western European levels in price. We strongly urge you to take care with electricity usage and turn off fans and lights when a room is not in use - just as you would at home!
Massage
If you wish to experience a 'traditional' ayurvedic massage, treatments are available at a nearby villa. The spa is however only available to outside guests if the villa is not occupied. Please call Verena Labrooy on 0773 022276 to discuss treatments and availability. Guests are asked to take a shower following ayurvedic treatments since the oils used cannot be removed from our white linen.
Internet
The Tea House now offers WiFi to all of its guests. However, it is NOT available for video streaming.
Library
We have endeavoured to provide a library of good quality reading material for The Tea House guests. However, despite our best efforts, a number of interesting books, in particular, with a Sri Lankan resonance, have ‘walked’. Where books are marked ‘The Tea House Please do not remove’, we would sincerely request that guests respect this in order that all of our guests might enjoy the collection that we have carefully accumulated over the years.
Tropical Affairs
You should wear shoes or flip flops outside the house. You should also be aware that there is the usual panoply of tropical insect in Sri Lanka. The house is regularly treated for pests but, being the tropics, there are the occasional interlopers. If you are unsure about something, please ask Roshan who will, in any event, light mosquito coils for you in the evening. LIke everywhere in the world, there are sometimes sandflies on the beaches in Sri Lanka; unfortunately, some people have an allergic reaction to sandfly bites. If you do, please head for the main pharmacy (Food City) in Tangalle and request an appropriate anti-histamine treatment from the pharmacist.
Snakes are not uncommon. However, the dogs ensure that snakes are infrequent visitors on the land. In the unlikely event that you see a snake in the vicinity of the house, please inform Roshan or Ruane Chandana. Most are harmless but you should never be too careful.
