31st August 1997

Breathing life in the hill cradle

The drive was refreshing. Acres of tea land rolling along the gentle slopes that surround the historical town Kandy provided the backdrop as we traversed the gravel road that leads to the hotel, "Tree of Life".

The driveway, is shaded by trees that reveal little of what awaits guests. At the entrance, the gates open out to the bungalow once used by Lord Mountbatten as a hiding place, which is reminiscent of a plantation bungalow in Nuwara Eliya.

The welcome offered to us, by pretty Kandyan ladies made us feel instantly at home.

‘Tree of Life’, a BOI approved project, is a hotel that offers probably everything from scenic beauty to modern luxuries. Interiors sport ‘hulu’ wood panels, decorated with ancient ‘sandakada pahanas’ and other monuments which add to the elegance of the place. The staircase connecting the bungalow to the newly built cottages and rooms is surrounded by greenery and adds to the hotel’s ambience.

The 38 large rooms and two cottages are uniquely decorated and situated to give a beautiful view of the gardens and the hills beyond. Each room is decorated in earthy colours contrasting sharply with bright hand made wall hangings. All the rooms have French windows leading to a balcony swept by cool winds.

A perfect hideout for honeymooners, the ‘Tree of Life’s’ suite, cottages and rooms come complete with IDD telephones, TV. with ten channels, private bar, mini fridge, hot and cold water and most importantly spacious attached bathrooms with tub and shower and other necessary accessories.

The two restaurants of the hotel are ‘Sithuwili’ (thoughts) and ‘Treasury’. Sithuwili is a large open restaurant which can cater to around two hundred and fifty guests. The restaurant overlooks the hill top swimming pool from where one can see the ponds and the tennis courts. The food is exceptional. The choices on offer vary from Sri Lankan, Chinese, Italian to Western cuisine.

The ‘Treasury’ on the other hand, is an indoor restaurant for more formal dining, standing by the concept of the colonial era bungalow with a chimney in the centre of the room. The dim lights render a romantic atmosphere. The ‘Clove’-its bar- is cozy. Apart from this, there is a pool-side bar and a beer garden as well.

That is not all, the garden of the hotel is well known for providing guests the rich experience of nature walks along the paths shaded by fruit and medicinal trees. Take a deep breath of the cool mountainous air as you walk into the woods and listen as the bustle of daily life dies down and all you can hear is the singing of birds. At the top of the hill is a quaint spot where the mists roll down on ‘honeymooners bridge’ scented by herbs and flowers in the gardens below.

The health centre ‘Saukya’ welcomes you with an aromatic herb curtain- many types of herbs strung together including coriander, ‘pus ata’ and sandal wood. On either side of the entrance are two winnowing fans filled with several herbal plants which according to Dr. Wimal Piyathilaka, are all meant to calm and relax the guests seeking treatment.

The herbal health centre consists of a steam bath with herbs of two varieties, a dry and wet steam bath, Shirodara bath and herbal massage.

The hotel also has a kiddies corner, shopping arcade, and on the entertainment list are croquet, mountain biking, pony riding, in-door games, billiard boards and jogging, to name a few.

It’s a hotel that breathes a life of its own away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

Rates for locals and expatriates are Rs. 1700 full board single and Rs. 2950 full board double for a normal room. Suite rates are Rs. 2200 full board single and Rs. 4700 double.

All rates are subject to BTT and service charges.

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