To get the most out of Nuwara Eliya, the famous hill station beloved of the British planters more than a century ago, it is essential to soak up the nostalgia of yesteryear by choosing an accommodation that reflects the island’s rich colonial past.

Brockenhurst fits this mould; built over a century ago by a British surveyor named Philip Falk, its construction is typical of the colonial hill country where nights are often chilly and the days hot. Brockenhurst has been recently classified as a heritage building and retains original design features such as granite walls, timber floors, high ceilings, polished cement floors and green roofs. Although most of the furnishings are new, their functional design seems to match the simple colonial style of that bygone era.

Brockenhurst is encircled by a lush garden featuring a two-tiered lawn from where you can gaze over towards town or up at Single Tree Hill. Shrubs brim neatly at the edges of the garden whilst an elevated rose bed with busy-lizzy border feels very British indeed. Under the shade of fragrant pine trees, whose feathery leaves are a popular sanctuary for visiting birds, is an excellent place for children’s ball games, a barbecue or relaxing with a book and sipping afternoon tea. Since the atmosphere of the house is relaxed and because it’s yours to enjoy completely in private, it very quickly feels like home.

The house has a caretaker and chef who both reflect the warm hospitality of this hill-country town. In the evening a fire can be lit in the lounge, transforming it into a toasty and ambient living space with a small library. Enjoy pre-dinner cocktails here before moving into the dining room to feast on a hearty meal using the delicious fresh produce that this agricultural region is famous for (provisions are charged at cost price). Brockenhurst makes an ideal base to soak up the sights of this Hill Country town, the house’s four bedrooms (two of which sleep 3-5 children or adults) make it excellent value for larger families and groups of friends.

Brockenhurst is attractively situated on a slight rise overlooking Nuwara Eliya town, the century-old golf course and the tree-carpeted mountains. Set amongst residential homes and looking down over the lush herb and vegetable garden of the St Andrew’s Hotel, it is private and, despite the murmurs of traffic and schoolyards from town, also very peaceful. Looming up behind the house is Sri Lanka’s highest mountain – Pidurutalagala (2,555m) – whose slopes are enveloped by a misty cloud forest. Guests can explore this beautiful natural area on foot or sit back and relax in the garden watching the many visiting birds. The town – with its banks, markets and shops – is just a short walk down from the house where alpine-styled homes are bordered by English country gardens and sandwiched between carefully moulded patches of vegetables.

Map (see Google Map)

 

Places of Interest(KMs)
Nuwara Eliya Golf Club	1.0
Hakgala	9.0
Bandarawela	47.0
Ella	56.0
Kandy	77.0
International airport	156.0
Colombo	180.0
Yala	192.0
Tangalle	210.0
Anuradhapura	216.0
Bentota	244.0
Galle	290.0

 

About Nuwara Eliya
At a distance of 180km from Colombo and an altitude of 1,868m above sea level, the Hill Country capital of Nuwara Eliya is like nowhere else in Sri Lanka. A town dating back to the early nineteenth century, it became a commercial centre, first for coffee planting and later for tea, with a largely British population who were later to anglicise it with the addition of a race course, a golf course, an expansive lake, a couple of evocative hotels and a pretty church. The town has a temperate climate owing to its elevation; days are hot and sunny whilst at night it can get quite chilly, which is why many of the older properties have open fires to provide a little extra warmth. Today, Nuwara Eliya continues to earn its nickname of ‘Little England’, not only as a result of its colonial architecture and nostalgic charm but also because of the market-gardening industry introduced by the British that is still one of the mainstays of the town’s economy. Shelves of neatly prepared crops such as carrots, potatoes, leeks, cauliflowers, cabbage, radishes and beetroot are grown in abundance alongside herbs and tea bushes. The town itself has plenty of green spaces; Victoria Park, Lake Gregory, the Turf Club, and the meandering century-old golf course. Most of Nuwara Eliya’s restaurants are to be found in the town’s hotels and include Sri Lankan, Indian and Chinese flavours as well as western – mostly British – cuisine using the regions’ famed abundance of fresh local produce. Buildings rise to the west of town up Single Tree Hill and line the stretch of road south to Hakgala (9km) where a colourful Hindu temple and a beautiful botanical garden are located. Tea estates carpet much of the region of Nuwara Eliya like a sea of green punctuated by colourfully-dressed female tea pluckers hard at work. The tea produced here is considered to be some of the finest on the island and a visit to a tea factory should be a must on anyone’s itinerary. Not far away, waterfalls cascade from deep crevices in the rocks whilst to the east of town the vast green pastures of the island’s dairy farms in Ambewela (14km) give way to the high altitude grasslands of the dramatic Horton Plains National Park (29km) where you can peer down over villages from the nearly one kilometre sheer escarpment of World’s End.

About Hill Country
The Hill Country is one of Sri Lanka’s most dramatic regions famed for its soaring peaks, its panoramic views, its salubrious climate, its gushing waterfalls, its rich colonial architecture and its acres and acres of verdant green tea estates.

Once cloaked in thick impenetrable jungle, the Hill Country was opened up by the British colonialists in the nineteenth century who were to first plant coffee, and then clear huge swathes of land to plant the much more successful crop of tea which remains one of the island’s top exports. With an elevation ranging from 850m to 2,500m, the Hill Country is characterised by its climate; cooler and less humid than elsewhere, the region sees plenty of rain but is also bathed in a great deal of sunshine that keeps the spectacular scenery of the area so healthily lush and in bloom.

Piduratangala (2,500m), Sri Lanka’s tallest mountain is located in the hill country however it is the island’s fifth largest peak that is most significant. Unusually venerated by devotees of the island’s four main religions – Christians, Buddhists, Hindus and Muslims – Adam’s Peak (2,240m) is a popular pilgrimage spot that’s traditionally climbed in the cooler early hours of the morning to arrive just in time for spectacular spiritual sunrises from its summit.

Walking is a popular pastime throughout the hill country as the climate affords great potential; varied terrains, spectacular vistas, abundant wildlife and refreshing waterfalls are highlights of any exploratory hike in the hills. Traversing the seemingly Scottish landscape of Horton Plains is one of the most rewarding walks for its conclusion at the sheer drop of World’s End.

Whilst roads wriggle their way up and around peaks, the best way to travel in the Hill Country is by train, even if you have nowhere special to go. The railway track, complete with numerous tunnels, bridges and loops is one of the most scenic in the world as it reaches spectacular viewpoints that roads simply cannot.

Brockenhurst is a spacious house with its four bedrooms, living and dining areas located across two floors. The entrance to the house is through a fully-glazed lounge which features a flat-screen satellite TV and DVD player, rattan sofas topped with cushions and windows overlooking the garden.

A central hallway connects the two floors via a hardwood staircase. On the ground floor are an intimate dining room with table for ten overlooking the side garden and a comfortable living room with elegant sofas and armchairs arranged atop warm timber floors. The fireplace here brings a welcome dose of nostalgia at night as guests gather for pre-dinner drinks whilst warming themselves by the flames. Also on the ground floor is a pantry and basic kitchen located to the back of the house.

Brockenhurst has three bedrooms on the upper floor, and one (bedroom 2) on the ground floor – an ensuite garden-view double - along with a separate bathroom with tub and shower designed to be used by one of the upstairs bedrooms.

On the upper floor is a small reading area, which leads through to the bedrooms. Bedroom 1 is the largest up here and contains two double beds and one single bed making it ideal either as a kid’s room or a family suite. Other facilities include a wood-panelled cupboard, a dressing table, a fireplace (not working) and an ensuite bathroom with shower.

Across the hallway is bedroom 3, which features both a double and a single bed whilst further along is bedroom 4, an intimate double with garden views. A second bathroom (for use by bedrooms 3 or 4) is accessed off the hallway and fitted with a bathtub and overhead shower.

 

Bedroom 1 (Master Bedroom) Quintuple 7.6m x 4.2m Bedroom 2 Double 5.2m x 2.9m Bedroom 3 Triple 4.9m x 4.45m Bedroom 4 Double 4m x 3.8m

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Bedroom 1

Bedroom 2

Bedroom 3

Bedroom 4

Key Amenities

• Internet (WiFi)
• TV (Satellite/Cable)

Other Amenities

• BBQ
• Bed Linen
• Car Parking
• CD Player/Stereo System
• DVD Player
• Equipped Kitchen
• Food Starter Pack (Extra)
• Hotplates
• Iron/Board
• Laundry Service (Extra)
• Main Dining (10 persons)
• Microwave
• Towels

Villa Staff

• Chef/Cook (All meals)
• Garden/Pool Staff
• Housekeeping (Full time)
• Service Staff
• Shopper