It’s green everywhere at Gadadessa, in Kadugannawa. Tea-covered hills are dwarfed by thick jungles and tall mountains. This is the perfect location for a small, eco-friendly boutique resort that lives up to its green concept.
Words Manori Wijesekera
The Gadadessa Resort comprises three separate accommodation options, spread out within a 50-acre multi-crop estate. The Base Camp, as its name suggests, is the hub where everything is coordinated. And there is also a camping area where up to 20 people can camp in tents and enjoy the rugged outdoors. But the centrepiece of the resort is the beautiful and luxurious Octagon House.
The Octagon House is built entirely of treated oak wood, imported from USA and built in an octagonal shape to create a log cabin in the mountains. Built around the trees, at the top of a small hill with an amazing view of the surrounding mountain ranges, the Octagon House is perfect for secluded relaxation. The timber deck that goes around the ground floor as well as most of the upper floor, invites you to draw a chair and breathe in the silence and tranquillity that permeates this space.
There are two luxuriously large and comfortable bedrooms upstairs with private bathrooms, and bathtubs that are open to the elements. A third bedroom, that can accommodate upto four persons, is located downstairs. The main deck area on the ground floor has a hot water jacuzzi as well as dining area.
Designed By An American Architect, The Octagon House Invites Visitors To Enjoy The Beautiful Outdoors, Or To Simply Relax With A Book Or Board Game
A magnificent oak dining table and timber bar area complete the rustic yet rich design of the interior. A skylight on the roof, directly above the spiral staircase, allows both sunlight and a star-lit sky into the interior of the house. Designed by an American architect, the Octagon House invites visitors to enjoy the beautiful outdoors, or to simply relax with a book or board game.
The Base Camp also has three bedrooms, with facilities for around six people. Here too, you can enjoy an amazing view from the timber deck or the comfortable swing chair in the garden. The log cabin theme is continued, with wooden floors and walls and quirky wooden carvings. A canopied area is perfect for outdoor dining, especially if you prefer a view with your meal.
The campsite is a simple, secluded area with a nearby flowing stream. Tents are provided, and can comfortably accommodate up to four people in one tent. The campsite has facilities for around 20 people, with any overflow being accommodated in a small stone bungalow that has been on the estate for many years.
A unique pool is shared by guests who use the different accommodation options within the Resort. Using the overflow water from the estate well that gathers the water from mountain streams and springs nearby, the pool is free of any chemical treatments and is both fresh and cool at all times. The guests also share the services of a trained chef and small team of service staff who manage the operations without being obtrusive or in the way of achieving a peaceful and undisturbed holiday. Guests are provided with a variety of meal options and also have the alternative of supplying the chef with ingredients from which to turn out a special feast of your choice. Barbeque facilities are found at all three locations in the resort and is a popular evening dining option. Guests using the campsite can also choose to cook their own meals if they prefer, although strict guidelines on recycling and managing waste items are applied to ensure the campsite stays as earth-friendly as the rest of the estate.
Although the resort is located within a working estate, the privacy and seclusion provided to guests is paramount and carefully protected. Guests can however, explore the estate and join a day-tour that is provided by the resort. This includes a walk through the estate, and learning about the different projects on site. The estate grows Black tea, Chinese tea, Rubber, Black pepper, Cocoa, Cardamom and Vanilla. It also has a small-scale cattle and poultry farm as well as an organic vegetable garden. After exploring the estate, guests are taken on a trek to a nearby waterfall and stream where they can bathe, picnic or simply spend a relaxing time before venturing back to the estate.
Guests are also encouraged to explore at their own leisure. It’s an ideal place for bird watching and trekking or tramping, as the lush jungles and mountains provide for all levels of adventure – exciting climbs for the hardcore adventure junkie to more sedate nature walks. The square shaped Bathalegala rock, which has found its way into the logo of Gadadessa estate, is another favourite trek and climbing challenge for guests.
Staying true to its “green” principles, the estate runs mostly on a combination of solar, wind and hydropower generated from within.
The Base Camp and Octagonal House are solar driven, while a small wind turbine and mini hydro-plant provide energy to the estate buildings. A simple biogas system generates energy for cooking, while Aquaponic technology is used to grow food alongside a fish pond on the farm. Fresh milk, eggs, tilapia fish, vegetables, greens and fruit grown or sourced from within the estate complete the low-impact and truly environment-friendly operation of this Resort. The estate staff and labourers are also drawn from nearby villages, with the families within Gadadessa village being completely dependent on the estate for their livelihood.
Gadadessa Estate is modelling a truly unique blend of luxury and green concepts that prove you can enjoy a luxury getaway within pristine natural surroundings while also contributing to its protection and sustainability.
In the Mountains off Kadugannawa – Gampola Road
Tel: (+94) (0)773 403 838
gadadessa.com
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