Standing at an altitude of 1876m and surrounded by tea estates, vegetation and mountains The Blackpool Hotel offers you a panoramic view of the scenic wonder of Nuwara Eliya.
Located in the depths of Nuwara Eliya, at Mahagastota Hill Climb in Blackpool, the hotel offers a calm and tranquil vacation surrounded in mist and greenery, away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
“Having just opened the hotel this year, The Blackpool is already in demand,” says Bandhula Ekanayake, Director and CEO of the Blackpool. With their motto ‘Excellence is a habit’ it is of no doubt that many are already booking their stay in months to come.
Dubbed the ‘Princess of Little England’ the hotel is surrounded by acres of greenery and mountains and goes without saying that wherever you turn you are bound to see something new, something green and something utterly captivating.
Accomodation
The hotel has 3 buildings and offers 50 rooms with 7 suites. A breakdown of the rooms would be that there are 20 Deluxe Twin Bedrooms, 5 Deluxe Twin Bedrooms with a private garden, 18 Deluxe Double Bedrooms, 2 Executive Suites, 2 Deluxe Suites and 3 Grand Suites.
I was given a Deluxe Twin Bedroom of the building connected to the Sandathenna Terrace and overlooking the Mount Pedro. The room gives off a very English sense of being with a beige and red themed interior. The room had 2 single beds and an attached bathroom as well as a small balcony overlooking the mountains.
The room comes equipped with cable TV, a stocked mini bar, a safe, toiletries (except for toothpaste and a toothbrush so you might want to bring that along) and an electronic fireplace which is innovative and completes the feeling that you are in fact, in a little England of your own. The beds are comfy and the heater from the fireplace is perfectly moderated for you to be well comfortable in your room.
Facilities
The hotel is of multi-purpose - they offer a wide range of facilities for whatever you need.
The Sandathenna Terrace is a roof top garden space overlooking a 360 degree of the mountains and plantation. Come evening it’s the perfect place for a romantic candlelit dinner or a BBQ with friends and family.
The Single Tree Lounge Bar is open from 9am to 11pm and is the perfect location for pre/post dinner drinks or just lounging around. It also offers snacks, delicacies and fresh cakes should you wish to indulge a little. Not only just a bar area - it’s also the Taylor’s Tea Lounge offering a variety of fresh Ceylon/ Japanese tea and coffee.
The Trading Room is a set venue for meetings, seminars, conferences and even a small wedding that can accommodate 120 people.
The Rolling Lounge is just before the restaurant and is the ideal place to curl up in one of their comfy sofas and read a book or just play a game of billiards with friends.
But the most special facility the Blackpool has to offer is perhaps said to be the only one of its kind in Nuwara Eliya and that is the Unu Diya Pokuna(warm water pool). The water is set at the temperature of 21 - 24 C’ and is a great way to ease the chill away. The pool is located outside and can be a little inconvenient with this weather but when it’s not raining the warm water pool sounds like something to look forward to.
Dining
The food is served at the ‘Altitude 1881’ which is a multi-cuisine restaurant that operates from 6am to 11pm. The food is buffet style for all 3 meals but an a-la-carte menu is also available should you wish it.
The food for the most part was pretty good. There is an open style kitchen which operates during all three meals, so you can go and watch while your food is being made and even select what goes in and what doesn’t.
In-room dining services are also available and should you require a packed meal while visiting the sights, the kitchen is more than happy to do it for you.
Service
The service would receive top scores from me. The staff is extremely friendly whether you meet them at the desk or if you are passing them by, they will always stop to smile and greet you. When we arrived we were greeted with warm towels and at our departure we were offered a hot chocolate for the road.
The Leader of the House (Resident Manager) Mr. R. Muthuramesh is extremely competent, friendly and was of great help during our stay. Their number one priority is you and making your stay as stress free as possible.
This hotel is ideal for anyone. Whether you want to hold a business meeting, or bring your family on vacation or even have your honeymoon or a private getaway, it’s a great stay for anyone.
WiFi
Yes. Free Wi-Fi at high speed.
Room Rates
Sri Lankans : $163 - $185 (Rs. 23,000 – 26,000)
Tourists : $200+ (Above Rs.28,000)
Reviewed by Panchali Illankoon
Photographs courtesy Chinthaka Abeyratne
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