Forty One has featured in Tatler, Harpers Bazaar, Condé Nast and design tome Sri Lanka Style over the years, and is an indulgent and exclusive private villa equipped with three plush ensuite bedrooms, furnished living areas, a private bar, an inviting swimming pool and a billiards table.

The villa’s location, amidst the atmospheric 300-year-old Dutch-built Galle Fort – a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Sri Lanka’s foremost attractions – is both historic and fascinating. Within ten minutes, you can reach the fort’s iconic landmarks, restaurants and bars on foot, whilst Galle’s international cricket test ground is a mere 200 metres away.

Forty One dates back to the Dutch colonial period, and its wide archways, exposed beams and black-and-white chequerboard floors celebrate the era. Bringing it firmly into the 21st century are luxurious furnishings, a foodies’ kitchen, plentiful mod cons and a staff of three, including a chef.

The villa is rented on an exclusive basis and suits decadent privacy-seeking couples, as well as families and groups of friends looking for a fun and comfortable in-town base for exploring Sri Lanka’s sultry southern coast.