TV Times

TV Times

Colonial Rest in Bandarawela
By Sanath Weerasuriya
Bandarawela Hotel, the only colonial structure of the Aitken Spence chain, is this week’s feature in the TV Times - Aitken Spence Travel Quiz. This is the seventh week of the competition, exclusively caters to the readers of the TV Times. Triton, Neptune, Earl’s Regency, Kandalama, Tea Factory and Browns Beach Hotel in Negombo were featured during the past weeks.

TV Times & Entertainment in collaboration with Aitken Spence Hotels bring this exciting weekly Travel Competition specially for the readers of TV Times. All you have to do is to answer the simple question on the coupon given below. Each week TV Times will feature an Aitken Spence Hotel and the question will be based on the particular hotel.

The duly answered coupon should be pasted on a post card and should be sent to TV Times - Aitken Spence Travel Quiz No.7, C/o TV Times, No 8, Hunupitiya Cross Road , Colombo 2. The entries for the fifth Travel Quiz will close on October 11. The post cards should reach us on or before this date.

The lucky winner will get a gift voucher from Aitken Spence Hotels. This voucher enables the winner to dine at any of the Aitken Spence Hotels at any time with a partner of his or her choice. After eight weeks run on the first round, the grand winner will be chosen and the winner will get a weekend package for two to be spent on any of the Aitken Spence Hotels.

The lucky winner of the fifth Travel Quiz (Tea Factory Hotel) is Niroshi Seneviratne, 274/6, ‘Carlton’, Katunayake. Congrats Niroshi. Aitken Spence head office will get in touch with you soon.

Bandarawela Hotel is the first mountain resort to be built by the British. The ambiance is just as they left it over 100 years ago. To this day, it reassuringly remains locked in time somewhere between 1930’s and 1950’s.

Through the busy streets of Bandarawela, you drive up to the hotel. From the time you walk pass the wrought iron gate, the arrival and the feeling will definitely take you to a walk down memory lane where time stands still. The hotel staff dressed in colonial outfits, with grace and gentle charm stand ready to pamper you; the rooms with antique four poster beds will put you to gentle slumber that will take you to a world without stress or worries.

As you wake up to the birds call and the golden rays of a beautiful sunrise touches you, a tea boy will arrive with your freshly brewed bed tea. Breakfast is an experience worth waking up to.

After a stroll in the garden breathing fresh mountain air, you are ready for lunch. At Bandarawela Hotel , one could find some of your old favourites from roast beef to Yorkshire pudding, scotch eggs and steak and kidney pie.

You are afforded the luxury of indulging yourself in a traditional high tea, which is served in ritualistic fashion. As the sun sets, step into the old fashioned oak panelled bar and have a chit-chat over a glass of vintage wine. Let the music of the 1900’s serenade you and take back in time.

The visitors could undertake a number of excursions from the hotel as well. A stay at Bandarawela Hotel would be a good opportunity to visit the world famous Horton Plains, the Udawalawe National Park, the Adishan Monastery, breathtaking waterfalls and the Bogoda Wooden Bridge.

For those who prefer to enjoy some time on their own, it offers hiking, trekking, cycling and rail tours. Or true holiday maker could even choose to lose yourself in a book that you meant to read for ages.

Bandarawela Hotel is the perfect setting to let time amble by with friends or simply in your own world. Enriched with memories that would last forever, you would leave the hotel only to return to re-live your nostalgic experience...

Top