1. Kahanda Kanda, Sri Lanka
Midway between the beaches of Unawatuna and Mirissa and around 40 minutes from the port town of Galle, this luxury resort is a charming mix of swaying palm trees and lush tea gardens. Built for intimacy, there are only 10 villas and two suites, some set around the attractive infinity pool overlooking the jungle. The rooms are bright and airy, coloured in light pastel hues and rustically decorated with locally sourced wooden furniture, including grand four-poster beds. Activities include a visit to the nearby Handunugoda Tea Estate where you can try their speciality Virgin White Tea.
There’s also a gym and a pavilion for a yoga session amidst the surrounding greenery. Or simply head to the open air Living Pavilion, the ideal place to sit with a sundowner in hand while watching the sun set over a sea of coconut trees.
Get there: Fly to Colombo on SilkAir, and then take a 2.5 hour ride to the property.
2. Xinzhai Coffee Manor Complex, Yunnan, China
This new property is located in Bawan village in western Yunnan, a remote corner of China known for the quality of its Arabica coffee beans.
Part hotel and part working coffee factory, they source their beans from surrounding farms. The buildings are made with bricks from the local kiln, and blend the vibe of an ancient Silk Road caravanserai (roadside inn) with modern design. The hotel rooms offer pared-down, comfortable furnishings and views of the lush Gaoligong mountain. Learn the region’s history of coffee growing and check out vintage coffee production machinery at the on-site coffee museum.
Get there: Fly to Kunming on SilkAir and then either catch a domestic flight to Baoshan or take a 7.5 hour drive to Lujiang Town.
3. Chamong Chiabari, West Bengal, India
Set on an emerald green hill slope in the Himalayas, this collection of nine former planter bungalows was transformed into a stylish tea estate resort in 2018. The wood-panelled rooms, equipped with large bathrooms and jacuzzis overlooking the mountains, are perfect for relaxing with a cup of locally grown Chamong Darjeeling tea as you gaze over the valley below. A short walk from the hotel takes you to the Chamong factory. Witness how the tea leaves are collected, dried and mechanically sorted before being packed and transported around the world. Or enjoy an Ayurvedic treatment at the resort’s Ayurlaya spa, perched above verdant tea gardens.
Get there: Fly to Kolkata on SilkAir or Singapore Airlines and take a domestic flight to Bagdogra airport. It’s a 2.5 hour journey by land.
SEE ALSO: 7 minimalist hotels to visit around the network
This article was originally published in the April 2019 issue of Silkwinds magazine
