A holiday retreat to soothe your soul and refresh your senses, where the loudest sound you’ll hear is the clash of a butterfly’s wings. Step out of time, and feel the chaos of city traffic falling away as you climb to the cool, misty tea-country of Haputale in Sri Lanka, most romantic of vacation escapes, cradled within fold upon fold of a blue mountain range, at the heart of a landscape beloved of painters and poets. No crowds, no sweat, no racket, just gorgeous guest-rooms carved with loving care from an old colonial plantation house, with views from veranda and windows so breath-taking you’ll never want to leave.

Built in 1876, lovingly maintained over the years by owners who value style and privacy, Viharagala (Temple Rock) blends its luxurious plantation past with present-day comfort to create an aura of peace and tranquillity. As dawn breaks, a vista unravels and a new history begins.