By Feizal Samath
 Ceylon Tea Trails, said to be the world’s first tea plantation bungalow resort, recently clinched a major international award – being selected as one of the 10 Best All Inclusive Hotels in the World -, which, according to its founders, wasn’t a surprise since celebrities like US singer/songwriter Paul Simon have vouched for this exotic location and ‘excellent service’.
The award was given by US-based TripAdvisor, the world’s largest travel community web with over 32 million visitors every month. Along with Tea Trails, only10 hotels (worldwide) including the only other hotel in Asia – the Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru in the Maldives – made it to this list, according to Thilan Wijesinghe, Tea Trails co-founder and Group CEO/Managing Director of Forbes & Walker.
He told The Sunday Times FT that the four-bungalow resort at Bogowantalawa tea estates, Hatton connected by walking trails through the estates, relies a lot on word-of-mouth promotion. “In fact more than 20 % of our clients have come because they heard it through a friend who stayed with us,” noted Mr Wijesinghe reflecting on the latest award received by this resort which is run by Forbes & Walker Leisure Pvt Ltd.
The now-diversified Forbes Group, among the oldest plantation companies in Sri Lanka, launched the tea bungalow concept some years back based on experiencing the concept of a holiday bungalow surrounded by terraced tea fields, home with no reception and no check-out, coupled with special food and drink. Paul Simon of the popular American folk due of the 1970s – Simon & Garfunkel -, and his family are among a list of celebrities that include writers and direct descendants of British planters who served in then Ceylon, who have stayed for many days at these bungalows.
The concept was conceived by Mr Wijesinghe along with Dinesh Ambani, Chairman of owning company of Bogawantalawa Tea Estates (who had the foresight to understand the concept and readily agree to release the four bungalows selected), Nick Clayton, and Malik Fernando (from the Dilmah Group, owners of Forbes & Walker). They are now directors of the board.
A company press statement said the significance of the award is that unlike any other worldwide hotel awards programme, the TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards (2009) are based on an analysis of real and unbiased reviews and opinions about the hotel by actual travellers and guests at these hotels. “In this context, this is a unique achievement for a Sri Lankan hotel,” Mr Wijesinghe said adding that last year the company – despite a troubled industry environment - paid a dividend to its shareholders. The staff at the 20-bed resort (an average five rooms per bungalow) last year earned the highest service charge among hotels across the country, he said.
Donald Nordmann, CEO of Forbes & Walker Leisure (Pvt) Ltd said Ceylon Tea Trails – where guests are pampered and treated like royalty from the time they step into a bungalow -- is one of the most profitable hotel resort companies here despite the downturn. “We have maintained our occupancy at very high levels, not brought down prices or compromised on service delivery.”
However the bungalow resort, like any other hotel business, sometimes finds the going tough due to the many foreign travel advisories (against travel to Sri Lanka). “The challenges in the travel industry are growing with the biggest issue being travel advisories,” noted Mr Wijesinghe, adding that possible peace would be a tremendous boost to the industry - Mr Nordmann said, “Selling Sri Lanka is tough. There isn’t a single poster in a travel agent’s office in Europe to promote the venue due to the travel ‘constraints’. Travel agents won’t promote it because of this and unless a client specifically asks for Sri Lanka, there is very little marketing.”
However both Mr Nordmann and Mr Wijesinghe agree that despite these constraints Ceylon Tea Trails has established a reputed brand name in the global marketplace.
Singer Paul Simon, according to staff at the 70-year old Tientsin Bungalow, was enthralled by the location and the bungalow. “He would walk into the kitchen (like his home) talk to us and ask for tea or something else,” recalled Damian Hepponstall, Assistant Manager at the bungalow, describing him as a “very pleasant man’. Like many other celebrities – entertainers Paul McCartney and Sting who visited Sri Lanka virtually incognito – Mr Simon stayed without the glare of the local or international media. In all these cases, the media found out about these visits only after they had left – staff being told to strictly keep the presence of such guests a secret. “That’s the secret in being able to attract celebrities who prefer to be left alone and have a relaxed holiday,” said Mr Wijesinghe.
The experience is indeed warm and cosy - bed tea by your own, exclusive butler, warm welcome to 'YOUR HOME', a typical English breakfast, high tea on the lawn, nice log fires and a heater in the toilet to keep towels warm -, as this writer found out during a recent visit.
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