TREBARTHA EAST THE ROUND HOUSE
SRI LANKA
If you have visited Sri Lanka, you must know the island’s obsession with cinnamon. And I mean the real cinnamon, Ceylon cinnamon!
If you resonate with this obsession -I do…there is hardly a bigger cinnamon lover than me- and you would like to discover more about it, Trebartha East The Round House is the perfect place for you.
Located in Ahangama and built on a hill, this place offers a unique off the beaten track cinnamon experience. Visitors have the chance to walk through the tropical jungle garden, get to discover exotic fruits and plants and of course see how these precious cinnamon barks are harvested, peeled, bundled and dried before they reach your kitchen’s shelf.
I still remember myself admiring the pineapple trees or observing cinnamon branches. I could see the different layers emerging from the broken cinnamon trunks. Layers that, over time, would dry out and transform into tiny cinnamon grains. Some would end up in a cake, some would end up in a spicy curry, and some would end up in a cinnamon iced tea to satisfy the thirst of a tired farmer or a curious tourist.
Mmmm…only writing these words floods my nose and mouth with that familiar Ceylon cinnamon blend. But I still can’t quite identify all its nuances. Just like the different nuances of life, I guess, sometimes sweet, sometimes spicy, and sometimes just simply impossible to describe.
If you do decide to pay Trebartha East The Round House a visit, make sure you book in advance as it is pretty secluded, and I have the feeling that the owners want it to remain exactly like it is.
Or, even better…instead of booking a visit, simply book your stay! In fact, Trebartha East The Round House, apart from a cinnamon plantation is also a 4-bedroom boutique hotel.
What is so special about it? Besides a real insight into cinnamon cultivation and production, guests get to enjoy a beautiful art collection by local artists, an extraordinary vibe of seclusion and exoticism as well as the building’s particular architecture.
Built almost solely of tinder and in a direct ‘dialogue’ with nature, its circular design offers 360 views of tropical gardens and Ahangama’s rice paddies. Needless to say…being surrounded by all this raw beauty and the endless horizon made me feel on top of the world.
Bottom line? If Ceylon cinnamon is the perfect blend of sweetness and spiciness then Trebartha East The Round House is the perfect blend of tranquillity and adventure, romance and luxury.
