Huntingdon House

a charming slice of old Africa

Huntingdon House is located in the Mulanje area of southern Malawi.

This house is the centrepiece of an historic tea plantation, owned by the Cathcart Kay family since 1923.

Satemwa Tea Estate has its origins in the earliest years of European colonisation in this part of Africa. The land was one of the original 74 certificates of claim that were registered with the General Resident in Chinde at mouth of the Zambezi River in 1892. Some of the first eucalyptus trees that were planted in 1895 are still very much in evidence.

The present ownership started in 1923 when a Scot called Maclean Kay emigrated here after a spell as a rubber planter in Malaya. His first venture was growing tobacco, but in his second year he planted the first tea, a field of Camellia sinensis, which is still under production today.

For eleven years the whole of the tea crop was carried on worker’s heads five kilometres to the nearest processing plant, before a factory was established here in 1937.

Today the house is run by Maclean’s great-grandchildren and their children, whose aim is to deliver to each guest an intimate and personal experience, as well as providing insights on the unique way of life on a tea estate in Africa.

Rooms

Guest accommodation at Huntingdon House is in just five authentic rooms in the main building, all with private bathrooms …

Mother’s Room : A wonderful airy room with high ceilings and a gentle ambiance. The original clay tiles have been retained ,while both the bedroom and the bathroom have fireplaces, wonderful to create a romantic atmosphere on chilly evenings. This room was Chip’s mother’s room and he still shares wonderful stories about how this area of the house was strictly off-limits for the children. An enormous king size bed with mosquito net and a small seating area make this the ideal room for couples.

Planter’s Suite : This unusual pair of rooms originally used to host visitors to the estate. During refurbishment of the house in 2009, the two bedrooms were joined with large glass panelled wooden doors to offer an ideal area for two additional single beds or a lounge area. There is also a private bathroom and a private patio overlooking the gardens. Suitable for a couple or parents with two children.

The Nursery : This used to be Chip and his sister Juliet’s room when they were children. The warm colours and wonderful light from the bay window create a fun, spacious atmosphere. The room has two small beds and has space for an additional bed for groups of three guests. There is a large private bathroom and double doors leading out to a private patio overlooking the gardens.

Father’s Room : Distinctly masculine with a lovely wrap-around patio or ‘khonde’, Father’s Room is another firm favourite with returning guests. The original room of Maclean Kay and the only one to have been built with a private bathroom, which was highly unusual in those days. The khonde is a lovely place to enjoy afternoon tea and watch the gardens come to life with birds, or to enjoy a private dinner on a full moon.

The Chapel : This large room has six metre ceilings and the specially made bed can best be described as super king sized. There is also the option for private dining on the patio.

Activities

Huntingdon House provides access to the following activities …

• Tea tours
• Coffee tours
• Local walks
• Mountain-biking
• Bird-watching
• Cultural interaction
• Sports and activities
• Hiking on Mount Mulanje

The Mount Mulanje area only tends to feature in longer explorations of Malawi, usually in combination with lodges in Liwonde and Lake Malawi, sometimes also with Majete.

The usual stay duration here is 3-5 nights.

Getting around

The Mount Mulanje area is almost always accessed by road. It is around two hours from the international airport at Blantyre.

There are several a local airstrips in the Mulanje area, should you prefer to charter a plane.

easily reached by road from Blantyre