The Fernando family has been involved in tea plantations in Sri Lanka since the 1950s, when the British owners left, leaving the Ceylon tea on the land of the local people. In the late 80’s, some western enthusiasts thought it would be a good idea to discover this promising island while enjoying exclusive tea tastings.. Unfortunately, the hotel offer was not adapted to such a sophisticated clientele. Yet, vast stone bungalows had been built by the settlers to dry leaves and serve as housing for farm workers. In the 2000s, the Fernando’s had the forward-thinking idea of transforming these strange little houses into luxurious ecolodges, inventing a new form of tourism that would meet the many desires of contemporary travelers. Surrounded by a splendid – and wild – beach, the establishment also decided to commit itself to the preservation of leopards. The beautiful feline is one of the island’s little-known jewels and can now be admired on small local safaris…