Sri Lanka boasts of numerous beachfront properties that will suit just about anyone’s taste. You’ll find quaint boutique hotels to fully serviced busy luxury hotels, all offering great access to one of Sri Lanka’s beautiful beaches. If you have made your rounds of the various beachfront properties in Sri Lanka though, you might have noticed that one thing that’s usually true for most is the lack of a sprawling garden. This is not a real disadvantage, given that most stay in beachfront properties to obviously stroll on the beach, but having one sure is nice.
The Mirissa Beach is 2 minutes from Talaramba Reef by tuktuk.
Talaramba Reef is one of the rare beachfront vacation rental properties you will find that has a huge tropical garden featuring local tree species. The garden is a really nice quiet place to meditate and is the perfect setting for the two villas – Villa Sulanga and Villa Vatura – located in the property. Both villas can accommodate a large group of people with 4 bedrooms each, featuring fourr-poster beds and en-suite bathrooms. The villas are both designed to let the light and the air in, with meals taken in a verandah overlooking the garden, and huge lounge areas that con comfortably seat a huge crowd. Beautiful french doors and Sri Lankan furniture and art pieces complete the simple yet luxurious feel of the villas.
Garden and Pool Outside Villa Sulanga and Villa Vatura
The main difference of the two villas is perhaps in the target market, with Villa Vatura being more child-friendly with a TV room and a pool specially designed with a shallow end for toddlers. Villa Sulanga’s pool is deeper, and with a bar area in the living room, obviously focuses more on catering to the needs of adults on vacation.
Note that if you interested in staying in Talaramba Reef for your vacation, it will set you back anywhere from $400 to $1500 per night, depending on how many villas you rent (Yes, you can rent just one or both.) and the season when you book it.
Photos via Talaramba Reef Website
Written by Hannah on December 28th, 2011 | Comments Off
Filed under Beach Holidays, Villas
Finding a place to stay in Sri Lanka is not a problem with countless establishments that offer accommodations for a great price. Good hotels can be booked easily and without fuss, but the problem is that with all the tourists coming in and out of the country year round, you will find that most hotels are just not cozy nor personal enough to make your stay truly unforgettable.
A good option for tourists who want a quieter time away from the regular crush of tourists that come with big hotels is to rent private villas. Vacation rental homes, such as villas are great because you either get the entire place all to yourself, or get to share it with only a handful of other guests.
Auraliya, a family holiday home turned vacation rental property, is one such place. Auraliya features 6 tastefully appointed bedrooms surrounding a dining hall and swimming pool, and located right in front of a beach that guests can access anytime via a private gate.
Statue of Ganesh at Auraliya
The Sitting Pavillion at Auraliya
Auraliya guests find themselves returning to the place not only for the beautiful and serene atmosphere, but also because of the very personalized and excellent service of the staff. In Auraliya, you can have your meals planned for you ahead of time, or even ask the staff to shop for you with them returning with fresh produce and receipts in hand. The staff always on-call, ensuring that guests never lack for anything any time of the day. If there’s one word that will describe Auraliya, that would perhaps be “hospitality”, a luxury that not many hotels truly know the meaning of.
Photos courtesy of Auraliya
Written by Hannah on October 31st, 2011 | Comments Off
Filed under Beach Holidays, Villas
Fort Printers is an unassumingly stylish hotel. Unpretentious and quietly chic, it is for people wanting to feel like they are staying at a town villa and yet still be spoiled with a hotel’s services. If you stroll down Galle Fort‘s popular Pedlar street (great shopping), you’ll find the Fort Printers at the corner of Church street- you would immediately think the elegantly restored building was the home of some lucky expatriate and not a small luxury hotel!
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Written by Antonella on July 8th, 2011 | Comments Off
Filed under Beach Holidays, Boutique Hotels, Galle Fort, Hotels, Luxury Travel, Restaurants, Villas
What a name- the Last House?! This enchanting villa is so named (only in Ceylon!) as it is the famous Geoffrey Bawa‘s last architectural masterpiece, if not his grandest. The Last House is located on the south coastline near Tangalle, a long six hour drive from Colombo- so we do recommend you break up the journey on your way. The villa is positioned on an idyllic strip of land with a lagoon on one side and long white sand beach on the other.
Geoffrey Bawa perhaps needs no introduction to those are familiar with Sri Lankan cultural history, renowned for his mix of eclectic and modern architectural styles. The layout of this, his last project, is shaped like a horse-shoe, with kitchen, living rooms and courtyard bedrooms surrounding the idyllic swimming pool on three sides. More »
Written by Antonella on June 15th, 2011 | Comments Off
Filed under Architecture, Luxury Travel, Tangallle, Villas
This fabulous beachside property 7km from Galle certainly lives up to its name. Ambalama means ‘resting place’ in Sinhalese and it is an ideal villa in which to live out dreams of a relaxing tropical holiday. The construction of the villa celebrates its exotic location, seamlessly merging the indoors with the out. Highlighted by many fascinating antique pillars and doorways this villa may takes its inspiration from Bali, but its warm hospitality and glorious setting confirms its authenticity as Sri Lankan.
Ambalama offers plenty of luxe for the traveller. Its four equitable bedrooms are highlighted by comfortable four-poster beds adorned with the highest thread count linen to be found in Sri Lanka. With multiple sets of doors opening onto the front sea view verandah, louvers provide the rooms with enough of a breeze for you to hardly ever need to use the air conditioning or fan, although both are available. With two of the modern bathrooms featuring an enclosed open air shower surrounded by a soothing tropical garden, this is barefoot luxury at its best. More »
Written by Antonella on November 8th, 2010 | Comments Off
Filed under Beach Holidays, Ceylon, Cuisine, Galle Fort, Luxury, Luxury Travel, Tips, Villas
Once again we divert from the central theme of this blog to cover another topic of interest for you, our dear readers, when thinking of luxury travel in Sri Lanka: real estate.
When visiting Sri Lanka, it may well be the case that you fall in love with the country- its people, culture and beauty. And you might be tempted to set up a holiday home there, or who knows- even want to retire there! Furthermore, we wouldn’t argue against the theory that Sri Lanka ironically represents a lucrative investment in these troubled financial times, given that the economy is emerging from a twenty year civil war and has been pretty well down and out for so long.
If this is the case, listen up- as we have been through this process ourselves and learned a few things we’d like to share with you that you’re unlikely to find on a real estate agent’s website… 
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Written by Antonella on October 7th, 2010 | Comments Off
Filed under Luxury, Sri Lanka, Tips, Villas
For families looking for an unforgettable beach or lakeside holiday, the South Point Villas come highly recommended for their superb service, food, location and comfort.
Luxurious yet simple, South Point Villas are comprised of three properties, all with it’s own swimming pool, each with its own special charm. The South Point Villa on the beach is the largest, has three bedrooms and is the most elegant, adorned with period furniture and all the mod cons, including wireless internet. If rustic charm is more your style, try the South Point Abbey, an old Dutch house restored lovingly with two bedrooms, a study, and an infinity pool with jacuzzi. And lastly, those seeking complete privacy, the South Point Cottage on the banks of Koggala Lake has been called the perfect place for writers to be inspired! With expansive views of hills and the tranquil lake, this cozy retreat is in close proximity to a the charming local village and Buddhist temple.
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Written by Antonella on February 13th, 2009 | Comments Off
Filed under Beach Holidays, Charity, Galle Fort, Hotels, Luxury, Villas
