Five Best: Tea plantation hotels

Tea Trails, Sri Lanka

Settle back into a cane armchair with a Somerset Maugham novel and a cup of the finest Ceylon while taking in the views from Tea Trails' panoramic veranda. Teak floors, antique prints, silk cushions, log fires and piles of books create a sense of relaxed colonial elegance. Each of the four bungalows, built by British tea estate managers in the days of the Raj, is staffed by a manager, chef, butler and houseboys.

Tea Trails, Osborne Estate, Dickoya, Hatton, Sri Lanka (00 94 11 230 3888; www.teatrails.com). Doubles start at US$356 (£198) full board, plus tea factory and plantation tour.

Cameron Highlands Resort, Malaysia

Tea is not confined to china cups at the Cameron Highlands Resort. From mint tea baths to rose tea massages, the brew also plays a central role in the Tea Bathrooms Spa. Set in the cool green hill stations of Pahang, Malaysia's biggest tea-growing region, the 56-room boutique hotel is an elegant colonial-style retreat that celebrates all things tea-related. Named after William Cameron, a 19th-century British surveyor, it is a blend of faux-Tudor properties, quaint rose gardens and bucolic lanes surrounded by jungle and tea plantations. Round off a trip to the local tea gardens with a cup of the resort's finest brew and a scone.

Cameron Highlands Resort, Pahang, Malaysia (00800 9899 9999; www.cameronhighlandsresort.com). Doubles from RM700 (£103).

Fuchun Resort, China

Style-conscious tea lovers should check into the Fuchun Resort, three hours south-west of Shanghai. A popular weekend escape for Shanghai residents, the site is set among mountains, lakes, green fields, picturesque hamlets and a tea plantation. It was designed by Jean-Michel Gathy of Amanresorts. The décor is a modern take on traditional Chinese design. Sip green tea surrounded by carved lattice woodwork, colourful silks and high ceilings. A golf course and spa are on site; the latter hosts sunrise and sunset yoga and tai chi classes.

Fuchun Resort, Hangfu Yangjiang Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China (00 86 571 6346 1111; www.fuchunresort.com; bookings through www.slh.com). Doubles start at 2,000 yuan (£130), room only.

Glenburn Tea Estate, India

Set in the Himalayas overlooking the dramatic Kanchenjunga Mountain Range, the Glenburn Estate produces some of the world's finest leaves. Founded by a Scottish company in 1860, the sprawling estate is owned today by the Prakash clan, a pioneering Indian tea planting family. At 3,700ft, the forest setting is paradise for hikers and bird-watchers, and the ancient kingdom of Sikkim lies across the river. Guests stay in suites with Darjeeling Green Tea toiletries in the bathrooms. Tea tours trace the leaf from bush to cup.

Glenburn Tea Estate, Darjeeling, West Bengal, India (00 91 33 2288 5630; www.glenburn-teaestate.com; bookings via www.exsus.com). Doubles start at US$300 (£160), full board.

Satemwa Tea Estate, Malawi

From picking tea leaves in the fields and visiting the processing factory, to tours of the local clinic and school, every aspect of estate life can be experienced at Satemwa. Founded in 1921 by Scottish rubber planter Maclean Kay, the estate accommodates guests in colonial-style guesthouses, set in pretty gardens in the shadow of Thyolo Mountain. Visitors can sample speciality brews and discover for themselves why Malawi is emerging as a pioneer in Africa's tea industry.

Satemwa, Thyolo Road, Southern Region, Malawi (00 265 1473 233; www.satemwa.com). Doubles start at US$40 (£22), room only.

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