Maliga Kanda, Heenatigala, Galle

Encircled by tropical trees, coconut palms and a vibrant mature garden, this exceptional seven-bedroom villa is secreted inland from Galle. From a design perspective, this luxurious villa is a real standout as it manages to effortlessly combine contemporary living with a genuine sense of place. The owners took great care to source many items locally or have them handmade, including the honey-coloured hardwood floors, the sweeping staircase, the pivoting louvred panels, and the rattan-woven plantation chairs. In the bedrooms are beautifully dressed four-poster beds and some hand-carved Dutch period antiques.

The property comprises a striking two-floor four-bedroom main house which surveys the garden, the treetop vistas, and swimming pool, and a lower “wing”, with a media room and three further bedrooms. The bedrooms in the main house are all on the first floor while steps lead down to the lower wing from the pool house, opening onto a lower lawn with equally lovely views. One of the rooms down here is a smaller bedroom with bunk beds for sleeping children. Having two sleeping zones suits intergenerational families particularly well but also friends and families travelling together who may like to space themselves out. With its vast pool, gym and outdoor court, there is plenty to occupy all ages.

A superb team of staff, including manager, chef and 24/7 security team, take very good care of guests staying here, and there is a very efficient management team on call 24 hours a day too. In the local area guests can enjoy guided bicycle rides, visit local beaches (for swimming and surfing) and Galle’s 17th century fort. The team can assist in organising local transport as and when required – either tuk tuks for local trips or vans for longer journeys, including to and from the airport.