This is definitely Sri Lanka’s best choice for large groups and for entertaining as the property has been designed so well for big parties. The genial setup means that villas are placed at just the right distance from each other to allow for conviviality whilst their individual self-containment means that family units within a group can still enjoy a degree of privacy if they need to. Sharing one big swimming pool between the three villas works out better than having three smaller pools, allowing for lengthy swims. There’s a shallow section in front of Nisala that you access directly from the villa’s terrace, making it a focus for families and therefore the busiest area of the pool. Verandas and balconies offer quiet spots for individual moments if you need to get away from the crowd. We found the staff team to be very able; the food was good (there was lots of choice), the smiles genuine and their experienced system of dealing with guests shone through. I liked that fresh juices were left in the fridge for us to help ourselves to (or brought to us in chilled glasses) and that we could order whatever we liked, when we liked. Typically guests choose to pay their food bills via a grocery system (staff doing the shopping and presenting you with receipts), which we did; however you could otherwise opt to pay $40 per person per day for full-board.

Araliya is well-suited for families – either one large or two small – with its double suites upstairs and two colourful bedrooms (including a twin) on the ground floor. There’s a basket full of toys, special menus for the kids, a palm-shaded garden plus an easy-to-watch-over pool. Araliya’s location on a quiet stretch of beach that’s more popular with turtles than people was stunning. If you’re looking for conviviality and don’t mind sharing facilities then Araliya is a good choice. The houseboy assigned to our villa was very polite and helpful, as were the rest of the staff who took over the cooking, cleaning, securing and beautifying while we relaxed and topped up our tans on the terrace. The food was good (there was lots of choice), the smiles genuine and their experienced system of dealing with guests shone through. I liked that fresh juices were left in the fridge for us to help ourselves to (or brought to us in chilled glasses) and that we could order whatever we liked, when we liked. Typically guests choose to pay their food bills via a grocery system (staff doing the shopping and presenting you with receipts), which we did; however you could otherwise opt to pay $40 per person per day for full-board.

We really liked the easy arrangement of Nisala, plus every room’s direct sea views and the fact that the villa’s open kitchen felt exclusively ours as the chef cooked all (Sri Villas) meals in the staff kitchen. There’s loads of space on the ground floor for dining and relaxing and this made up for the fact that its outside areas had less privacy than the other two villas. We had all three Sri Villas properties to ourselves on our visit, which was fantastic. I liked the fact that I could sit on the shady veranda almost dipping my toes into the shallow section of the pool, but wondered how the ambience would have differed had there been some little paddlers around. However, with its basketful of toys, child-friendly staff and a special kid’s menu, we thought this villa would be ideal for families with young children. Nisala’s location on a quiet stretch of beach that’s more popular with turtles than people was stunning. The houseboy assigned to our villa was very polite and helpful, as were the rest of the staff who took over the cooking, cleaning, securing and beautifying while we relaxed and topped up our tans on the terrace. The food was good (there was lots of choice), the smiles genuine and their experienced system of dealing with guests shone through. I liked that fresh juices were left in the fridge for us to help ourselves to (or brought to us in chilled glasses) and that we could order whatever we liked, when we liked. Typically guests choose to pay their food bills via a grocery system (staff doing the shopping and presenting you with receipts), which we did; however you could otherwise opt to pay $40 per person per day for full-board.

Sagara was our favourite of the three Sri Villas; it’s intimate, comfortable and – being the furthest away from the main staff area – seemed the most private. It also has the most ‘hidden’ living and dining areas plus a kitchen that we had all to ourselves (the staff/chef have their own) making self-catering easy. There’s little true privacy outdoors and if all the properties were occupied I could imagine the ambiance would feel more like a small boutique hotel (certainly around the pool) than a villa, but if you don’t mind sharing then this is a good villa for you. If you’re a small group (maybe even a couple) looking for the personality of a villa, or perhaps are new to villa renting, this communal setup works well as having extra people around (if there are any) provides a little more atmosphere so that you don’t feel completely alone. The houseboy assigned to our villa was very polite and helpful, as were the rest of the staff who took over the cooking, cleaning, securing and beautifying while we relaxed and topped up our tans on the terrace. The food was good (there was lots of choice), the smiles genuine and their experienced system of dealing with guests shone through. I liked that fresh juices were left in the fridge for us to help ourselves to (or brought to us in chilled glasses) and that we could order whatever we liked, when we liked. Typically guests choose to pay their food bills via a grocery system (staff doing the shopping and presenting you with receipts), which we did; however you could otherwise opt to pay $40 per person per day for full-board.