Huntingdon House

Huntingdon House was built in 1935 and was the original house of Maclean Kay, the founder of Satemwa Tea Estates. It is now an exclusive boutique guest house with five uniquely decorated ensuite bedrooms, exuding old world charm.

Satemwa Tea Estate, Southern Malawi
Huntingdon House
  • Just five uniquely decorated ensuite rooms

  • Huntingdon House was originally the family home built by Maclean Kay in 1928

  • Explore the Satemwa Tea Estate by mountain bike

  • Home to the little-known and endangered bird of Africa’s disappearing montane evergreen forests, the Thyolo Alethe (Alethe choloensis)


The Shire Highlands are arguably the most scenically beautiful region of Malawi, The Thyolo district forms the heart of Malawi's tea producing region with rolling hills of immaculately cultivated, emerald green plantations and some of the oldest estates in the country.

With magnificent views of Mount Mulanje and the Lower Shire valley to the west, Satemwa enjoys a temperate climate of the Shire Highlands and relaxed ambiance of a by-gone era. Visitors to this corner of Malawi cannot but help to be caught up in the colonial magic of the area and diverse scenery which ranges from tropical evergreen forests to riverine thickets and rolling hills.

Huntingdon House was built in the 1920s and the estate has been in the Cathcart Kay family for generations with members of the family still running the tea and coffee production of the estate. The grand old colonial style house is surrounded by magnificent gardens and beautiful old trees.

Guests are accommodated in five unique guest suites with superb bathrooms featuring clawed bath tubs and with separate showers. Each room has been individually decorated to reflect the quirks and character of this grand residence appropriately named based on their original function in the household: Mother's Room, Father's Room, The Nursery, Planters' Suite and The Chapel. The majority of rooms have king size beds with 100% cotton linen and a selection of pillows to ensure guests enjoy a good night's sleep. Each area of the house has a story of its own from the original children’s nursery to the resident priest's quarters and private Chapel. Guests are encouraged to share the colorful history of one of Malawi’s oldest homes while being spoiled by the team of friendly staff.

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Top tip:

Enjoy tea tasting and hear about the full process from planting through to harvesting and production

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Location

Satemwa Tea Estate, Southern Malawi

Huntingdon House is found on the Satemwa Tea Estates within the Thyolo district in southern Malawi.