This place is something very special. The gardens are stunning and the pool is b…

This place is something very special. The gardens are stunning and the pool is beautiful. The Waterlily suite is very small but to be honest, unless you are staying for a week, this place is not about the room, since you will spend time in the gardens, by the pool and on the veranda rather that in your room. So the Waterlily suite is fine if you are just here for a night or two. This place will suit someone that is looking for piece and quiet away from the beach and someone that wants to relax in a beautiful colonial style house. Go for a walk along the rice fields which is truly stunning. We had the Singapore crab dinner which was great.

This was our second time staying at this villa, and probably won't be our last. …

This was our second time staying at this villa, and probably won't be our last. We stayed for 11 nights this time. We had 2 children, one and four with us and they loved it as much as us. The staff were first class and were great with the boys. They made up a cot and little bed for them and cooked child meals to order, all at no extra cost. The gardens and grounds are amazing, with a whole host of animals, birds and plants. The selection of food is very good with a different main each night.

We spent two nights at this stunning property and I wish we had weeks to spend h…

We spent two nights at this stunning property and I wish we had weeks to spend here. This villa is one of those rare and special places to stay that make you feel privileged simply to be there. I can only say that it is a magical place: A beautiful and authentic colonial plantation villa with a deep veranda and stunning interiors full of fantastic antique and contemporary pieces. The epitome of class, good taste and romantic ambience! It is located in beautiful and lush countryside, surrounded by endless tropical gardens full of fruit trees and spectacular birds. The large swimming pool, in a secluded spot of the gardens, some distance from the main house, is a wonderful spot to spend a few hours. The sense of peace is absolute and a world away from the noisy Sri Lankan beach resorts. A rare combination of history, natural beauty and pampered comfort. Our suite has a beautiful private veranda with a gorgeous sitting area overlooking the forest and the rice fields. A gem of a room! There were quite a few ants in the bathroom due to the lush tropical surroundings, but after our remark the staff sprayed and cleaned everything very efficiently. Nothing is ever a problem here and every request is satisfied immediately. Food here is absolutely first class and the dinner menu changes every night. The highlight has been the Japanese dinner, possibly the best Japanese food I ever had! Everything is very personal and you feel that you are treated as a private guest, not as a customer. So refreshing after the drab anonymity of the usual resort hotels. The heart and soul of the property is the wonderful owner, a most charming and cultivated person who takes personal interest in all her guests and makes sure that everything is perfect. It was a pleasure meeting her and we had lots of enlightening conversations. That is what I call a truly gracious host. Overall, this villa (together with sister property right on the ocean where we spent one night) has been the highlight of our Sri Lanka trip. I look forward to return!

The personal service and attention are fantastic, the food wonderful, the quiet …

The personal service and attention are fantastic, the food wonderful, the quiet and peacefulness of the property are remarkable. If possible, ask about the many different plants in the garden and do a garden tour. An keep an eye out for all the wildlife. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay.

Our original intention was to stay within the Old Fort area in Galle but, with o…

Our original intention was to stay within the Old Fort area in Galle but, with our initial choices fully booked, we ended up at this place. And what a piece of luck that was as this is a truly magical place. The Old Fort is an easy 15 – 20 min tuk tuk ride away (the hotel staff will arrange at short notice) and so I can’t really see why you would want to stay in the Old Fort when you can spend the day there and then return to the tranquility of the lush, jungle gardens, surrounded by countryside and rice paddies. I appreciate some reviewers comment that this villa is isolated but we never felt we were too far away from anything and the feeling of peace and seclusion was a real bonus. This villa is an exquisitely beautiful property. We stayed in one of the Pond House rooms, a short walk through the garden from the main house and fine for 2 adults and 2 young children. Furnishings in the room were a little rustic but that sort of added to the charm. We spent many hours watching the birds, monkeys, lizards and other wildlife from our swing chair overlooking the pond. You feel as though you have the whole gardens to yourself and there is also a lovely swimming pool. If you want to be by the beach this is also no problem as they have a sister property at Thalpe, a pleasant 15 mins taxi / tuk tuk drive through the countryside, where you can spend the day and have lunch. We ate evening meals and sometimes lunch on the veranda of the beautiful main house. Food was excellent; the evening menu was set but there is also a good lunch menu you can choose from and the chef always accommodated with suitable meals for our children. The restaurant does not have an alcohol licence but you can easily arrange for your own beer and wine which they will keep cold for you. The staff were very friendly and helpful, both in advance of our arrival (when arranging transport) and throughout our stay. A big thanks to the staff for looking after us so well. If you are looking for peace and relaxation but not too far away from Galle and the beaches, I thoroughly recommend this place as it really is something different and special.

We stayed at this place in January 2012 on our honeymoon and we fell in love wit…

We stayed at this place in January 2012 on our honeymoon and we fell in love with it. We wanted to stay there forever. Owned by a german travel writer who has hand picked pieces and furniture on his travels to keep with the historic colonial design and essence. The location is astounding, in the middle of nowhere, completely off the beaten track. Its like being in your own little dreamworld. The meandering tropical lush gardens, the beautiful natural design pool, surrounded by nature, birds, frogs, monkeys and water monitors. Words and pictures really cannot do this place justice. PERFECT FOR: - Honeymoons, Nature lovers, Authors or artists, Foodies, Photographers, Cyclists, Gardeners, anyone looking for a relaxing, slow paced getaway, reading on the colonial porch whilst sipping a mango juice, cycling, walking and taking in the estate atmosphere. We will definitely return and loved every second we spent there.

We had a fabulous stay here. Everything was absolutely beautiful. The moment we …

We had a fabulous stay here. Everything was absolutely beautiful. The moment we arrived we were shown around the property by the very friendly manager. We were given a welcome drink which was papaya juice. The grounds are stunning and you instantly feel relaxed and at peace. We stayed here at the end of our busy trip to Sri Lanka so this slice of heaven was welcomed with open arms! The rooms were amazing! Beautifully decorated and had everything. The rest of the villa was lovely with lots of comfy sofas and chairs to read, rest or sleep on! There is a pool at the end of the garden with sun loungers which was great. It wasn't chlorinated but cleaned regularly and very welcoming. There is so much wildlife in the garden and sitting by the pool you see most of it quietly meander past. We only stayed here one night down to the price, and we found that some other people who were staying there got it less than half the price we paid per night and were in the top suite. Both booked on Agoda so that was a bit of a shame for us but we didn't get that spoil our stay and would most definitely return. The food was amazing, especially the Sri Lankan curry and the pandan pancakes (delicious!!). The tables were had gorgeous flowers from the garden decorating them both for breakfast and dinner. A lot of time and care goes into making this a lovely experience, a big thank you to all the staff.

I actually started my Sri Lanka trip with my girlfriend at the sister hotel on t…

I actually started my Sri Lanka trip with my girlfriend at the sister hotel on the beach. But after borrowing some bicycles from the boutique beach hotel and getting lost for a while trying to find this villa, when we eventually stumbled across it, my breath was completely taken away and we simply had to stay. First of all, cycling to the hotel was great fun, we came across many temples and beautiful old Sri Lankan houses. If cycling isn't to your fancy you can ask the concierge to drive you there iin their Tuk Tuk. Whatever you do, it is worth shuffling your time between the two resorts. This villa is stunning and for me, a real tropical Eden. Never have I lived so close to so much wildlife and nature. Having breakfast on the miranda and watching monkeys and squirrels feeding away in the trees some 20m away from us, utterly magical. It was a very relaxing and romantic trip for me but I can imagine it being absolutely incredible for kids. So much land, pathways and things to explore. It makes me wish i could have visited the place some 20 years ago when I was a toddler! Bring some books, go for a walk around the grounds, a tip in the pool, have some wine and simply relax. The staff were exceptionally helpful and kind. The food was delicious. The hotel is currently being restored and additional guest houses are being built in the grounds (the grounds are absurdly large) but we knew this when we stayed and we couldn't have cared less. A real tropical paradise, great management & friendly staff. Will be back.

A gorgeous little retreat inland from the coast. Gardens are stunning teeming wi…

A gorgeous little retreat inland from the coast. Gardens are stunning teeming with wildlife. We stayed in one of the pond house rooms, great view of the pond which had resident water monitors, kingfishers and freshwater turtles. Parrots were everywhere, monkeys cavorting in the trees - the place was an idyll. This is recommended for those who want to visit the south coast and fancy something a bit different to the usual beach centric locations.