Serendipity Villa

Rooms

Serendipity is super stylish. The 2 main bedrooms sit side-by-side, and are furnished with enormous four-poster beds, twin wardrobes and a pair of countertop washbasins. Doors to either side lead to semi-open-air shower bathrooms, with palm trees reaching up into the roof. We were impressed by the grandness of our bedroom and loved waking up to ocean views while cosy in bed. The third double bedroom comes with its own staircase and a balcony overlooking the garden, and also has an en-suite shower bathroom.

Dominating the living room are white sofas and an oversized ebony almirah, flanked by twin antique tea-rolling tables artistically crafted into mirrors. To the rear is a contemporary open kitchen whilst across the garden, surveying the pool and Indian Ocean, is the bijou dining pavilion.

Features include:

• Air conditioning
• Microwave
• WiFi

Eating

Daily breakfasts are included in the rates (either Western or Sri Lankan), while provisions for all other meals are charged at market rates and prepared by the in-house chef. The menu lists Western and Asian dishes, but we used it as a guide since the chef recommended dishes based on the availability of local produce.

For lunch, we tucked into yummy leek and tomato tart with a trio of fresh salads. The staff ramped up the ambiance for dinner by lighting candles in the dining pavilion and scattering pink and white temple flowers on the table. After a shot of smooth gazpacho soup we dined on honey chicken, mango salsa and a leafy green salad, before ending with a delicious strawberry syrup-drenched pannacotta with the perfect wobble.

The flexibility of the villa’s dining arrangements is a big plus, though there are a handful of good restaurants within a 5-25 minute drive for a change of scene.

Features include:

• Children's meals
• Microwave

Activities

• Explore the idyllic locale by wandering onto the beach and heading east towards Koggala; the sands widen and you'll see the colourful timber catamarans of local fishermen
  
• Venture inland on a guided bicycle adventure, winding through the quietest back lanes, passing paddy fields, villages, lakes and temples
  
• Visit a tea or cinnamon estate; nearby is a lowland tea factory renowned for its ‘Virgin White Tea’, which offers tours of the tea gardens and antiquated factory, along with a tea-sampling session
  
• Surfing is popular on local beaches; Weligama (20 mins' drive) has a good surf school and you can hire boards
  
• Jump on the train to Bentota to visit 2 magical gardens; renowned architect Geoffrey Bawa’s idyllic Lunuganga, and his brother Bevis’ more intimate Brief
  
• Take an afternoon stroll around Galle’s historic 17thC Dutch Fort, visiting lovely boutiques and cafes, then ending up on the old ramparts for sunset
  
• Cricket enthusiasts can catch a game at Galle Fort's world-famous stadium

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Cycling
• Fishing
• Hiking
• Shopping / markets
• Surfing
• Wildlife

Kids

Children of all ages are welcome. Little ones can safely play in the enclosed garden, there’s a sandy beach just beyond the garden gate (but take care at the shore as the sea can be rough) and a turtle hatchery nearby. The staff are extremely flexible in accommodating kids’ food requests and mealtimes.

Best for:

All ages

Family friendly accommodation:

The three bedrooms are spacious, easily allowing for cots and extra camp beds; note the beds are doubles, and there's a maximum occupancy of 7.

Cots Available, Extra Beds Available

Distances:

• Airport: 3 hours (Colombo)

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

Serendipity is set on Habaraduwa’s palm-fringed sandy beach, 25 minutes east of Galle on Sri Lanka's south coast.

By Air:
Fly into Colombo Bandaranaike (135km). Click on the links below for a list of airlines. It takes 3 hours by car to reach this region from Colombo - Henri and Koki can arrange this for you at extra cost. Alternatively, Sri Lankan Airlines runs a convenient air taxi service from Colombo airport to Koggala Lake, 5km from the villa. From there you can jump in a tuk-tuk.

By Bus/Train:
Take a bus or train to Habaraduwa station then a tuk-tuk to the villa. It's only a short distance away.

Getting Around
If you want to hire a driver and car for your whole holiday, enquire through our Tailormade Tour Operator.

Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com.

More on getting to Sri Lanka and getting around