3 bedroom villa located in Bentota, West Coast. Ideal for Beachfront, Body and soul, Fair share for groups, Kid friendly, Perfect for weddings, Room with a view, Sensible for seniors.
Out of Sri Villas’ trio of contemporary beachside holiday homes that share a large pool, tropical garden and spectacular sunset views, fully-staffed Sagara is the most suitable for couples and friends. If booked in conjunction with the other two villas it is also an excellent choice for larger groups.
Sagara was intimate, comfortable and seemed the most private.
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.
Individual Scores:
Character/Charm:
7
Location:
8
Oustide Area:
7
Living Area:
7
Bedrooms:
8
Bathrooms:
7
Kitchen:
7
Facilities:
7
Staff:
8
Value:
7
Highlights
Sagara has stunning sea views, direct beach access for ocean swimming in season (November to April) and plenty to do close by. When booked together, the three Sri Villas offer a total of nine bedrooms – excellent for big family celebrations or large groups of friends.
Surprises
Unless you hire all three villas together you won’t know who you will be sharing the pool and other facilities with, which some guests might see as a disadvantage – although it could also be a great opportunity to make new friends! Mobile phone coverage was a bit patchy inside.
PROs
Beside a stunning stretch of sand
Panoramic sea views
Equitably sized ocean-facing bedrooms
Lovely home cooking
Turtles visit the beach
CONs
Mobile phone coverage patchy inside
Shared garden and pool
Occasional traffic noise from main road
Only two of three bedrooms air conditioned
May to October rough seas
The Experience
Sagara is one of the Sri Villas trio (along with four-bedroomed Araliya and three-bedroomed Nisala) that sit side-by-side overlooking a panoramic expanse of west coast beach and deep blue sea. Although Sagara shares its contemporary design, as well as a big swimming pool and garden with its sister properties, this villa’s intimate living areas and pieces of colonial furniture provide it with character and give it a certain edge. Each of the three double suites is private, spacious and equitably sized, with sweeping sea views, and this makes Sagara the best of Sri’s three villas for a group of friends and couples sharing.
Sagara is fully-staffed and has been designed with relaxation in mind. Much of the seating both inside the house and out on the poolside veranda are cushioned loungers that inspire you with their blatant displays of laziness.They invite you to comfortably recline throughout the day with a book or with a pre-dinner cocktail as the sky darkens and transforms palm trees into silhouettes against a candy pink sky. Candles create atmosphere at dusk; their yellow flames mirroring the lights of the fishing boats that begin to slowly illuminate the horizon.
Sri Villas is more sociable than serene and designed for conviviality rather than solitude. Even if you don’t know your neighbours before you arrive the chances are you’ll know a little more about them by the end of your trip; a quick discussion in the pool might turn into something long lasting as you push tables together for dinner and share a beach BBQ under the stars. Of course, the three owners of Sri Villas – themselves lifelong friends who have enjoyed the sociability of communal holidays - created the property with this in mind.
Renting all three fully-staffed Sri Villas together and having them exclusively to yourselves is an excellent option for big groups; it’s economical too since the villas operate a grocery system for food so all you pay for is the cost of the ingredients. With direct access onto a beautifully wide stretch of beach, Sri Villas is also a wonderful place to host events such as birthdays, weddings and family reunions.
Sagara is located to the south of Induruwa, and only a ten minute drive to the famous resort of Bentota. Situated between the main Galle Road and the extensive golden sandy beach, Sagara is neighboured by the other two Sri Villas properties Araliya and Nisala). Village homes in Induruwa are generally strung out along this stretch of coastline with small boutique hotels and bigger resorts scattered in between. Because of the southwest monsoon, it’s best to visit between December and April as the sea can be rough and the winds strong at other times of the year.
About Bentota Bentota's sandy beaches, extensive lagoon and water sports activities have made this resort one of the most famous on the west coast. Upmarket hotels popular with package tourists fringe the beach and stretch along a dramatic sandbar washed on both sides by water; that of the Indian Ocean and the Bentota Lagoon. Jet skis whizz atop the tranquil waters of the lagoon dodging windsurfers and kayakers as well as speedboats pulling jet skiers, wake boarders and inflatables topped with soaked sun seekers. Many diving companies also operate from Bentota during the west coast season (November to April) whilst boatmen offer eco-adventures further up river. The best beaches are south of Bentota towards Induruwa where the crowds barely reach and where the best food can be found in the restaurants of a growing number of beautiful boutique hotels. Inland from Bentota the scene is engulfed by paddy fields, palm jungle, waterways and the odd hillock, which is often topped by a bright white Buddhist dagoba. Two very special gardens are to be found in Bentota's hinterland, both of which belong to the late Bawa brothers; Bevis, the artist and Geoffrey, the architect extraordinaire. Bevis' Brief Garden is at Kalowila and comprises intimate walled gardens plus a very special collection of art, whilst Geoffrey's Lunuganga is a much bigger and more spacious Italianate garden with views to die for. Connections to Colombo and Galle can be made from Aluthgama train station, which is just a couple of kilometres north of Bentota. Here banks with ATMs, bakeries and pharmacies can also be found.
About West Coast The west coast of Sri Lanka is the island's original tourist hotspot, blessed with numerous picture-perfect gold sandy beaches that stretch as far as the eye can see. These wide beaches are fringed with hotels and restaurants often hidden below the tall, swaying palms. Sandy tracks lead to water-sport facilities, signs point towards intimate spa and Ayurveda centres whilst stone pathways take you to bijou shopping malls where a whole range of island memorabilia can be found. Local residents are friendly and never fail to offer their services; whether it is to take visitors bird watching inland, to a marine turtle hatchery such as Kosgoda, for a special temple tour, on a surfing safari in Hikkaduwa or on a scenic adventure up the Madhu Ganga River for a glimpse into Sri Lanka's lush interior. Between the bigger resort towns, the beaches (Balapitiya to Kosgoda for example) are more unspoilt and often deserted except for a handful of sarong-clad fishermen and their multi-coloured boats. But no beach is ever too far from the main road. Look up to the skies and you will see that the coconut palms in this western region, especially around Bentota, are often connected by tightropes used by toddy tappers - men who climb into the trees to obtain the sweet, milky sap of the coconut blossom that is distilled into the local alcoholic brew, arrack, which you must try at least once! Just a short distance inland the scenery bursts with different shades of green as paddy fields, coconut and rubber plantations, verdant hills, lush valleys, mangroves, lagoons and foliage-covered buildings represent an authentic Sri Lankan village scene.
Sagara is located at the far end Sri Villas, on the right-hand side of the swimming pool, with its entrance towards the back of the house. The villa has a contemporary tropical design reminiscent of Bali, with features such as tall folding doors, high louvered panels, stone floors and sinks, plus a combination of modern and antique furnishings and an earthy colour scheme that’s highlighted by white, cream, beige and green.
Immediately as you enter the villa, a staircase leads up to the first floor where two almost identical suites are located. Sharing a deep furnished balcony with spectacular views of the beach and sea, these suites have double beds topped with Indian mirrored bedspreads and suspended mosquito nets, a rattan luggage rack and windows overlooking either the pool or side garden. Both suites have air conditioning, ceiling fans, built-in wardrobes and ensuite bathrooms with rough-hewn stone sinks and tropical showers.
On the ground floor is a third, fan-cooled, suite which is almost identical in size. It has breezy louvered doors that open onto a sea-view veranda, a four-poster bed, an antique wardrobe and an ensuite bathroom with both inside and outside shower.
The ground floor suite leads off from an open-plan living and dining area which is furnished with a mix of colonial and modern lounge seating as well as a dining table for eight that’s privately located towards the rear. The living room shares the front veranda (furnished with a table for four and some easy chairs) with the ground floor suite, and also has louvered doors opening onto the central terrace surrounding the swimming pool. To the side of the house, overlooking the rear garden, is a fully-equipped kitchen with fridge/freezer, oven and hotplates.
Bedroom 1Double6.25m x 4.85m Bedroom 2Double6.25m x 4.85m Bedroom 3Double4.95m x 4.95m
Sagara was intimate, comfortable and seemed the most private.
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.
Individual Scores:
Character/Charm:
7
Location:
8
Outside Area:
7
Living Area:
7
Bedrooms:
8
Bathrooms:
7
Kitchen:
7
Facilities:
7
Staff:
8
Value:
7
Highlights
Sagara has stunning sea views, direct beach access for ocean swimming in season (November to April) and plenty to do close by. When booked together, the three Sri Villas offer a total of nine bedrooms – excellent for big family celebrations or large groups of friends.
Surprises
Unless you hire all three villas together you won’t know who you will be sharing the pool and other facilities with, which some guests might see as a disadvantage – although it could also be a great opportunity to make new friends! Mobile phone coverage was a bit patchy inside.
PROs
Beside a stunning stretch of sand
Panoramic sea views
Equitably sized ocean-facing bedrooms
Lovely home cooking
Turtles visit the beach
CONs
Mobile phone coverage patchy inside
Shared garden and pool
Occasional traffic noise from main road
Only two of three bedrooms air conditioned
May to October rough seas
Other Amenities
Air-con (Bedrooms)
Baby Cot
BBQ (On Request)
Bed Linen
Bicycles (On Request)
Board Games/Toys
Book Selection
Car Parking
Ceiling Fans
Equipped Kitchen
Extra Bed (Roll away/mattress)
Food Menu
Hairdryers (On Request)
Iron/Board
Laundry Service (Extra)
Main Dining (8 persons)
Oven/Hotplates
Safe
Swimming Pool (Shared)
Swimming Pool Toys (On Request)
Towels
Villa Staff
Babysitter (Extra)
Chef/Cook (All meals)
Housekeeping (Full time)
Masseuse/Spa Therapist (Extra)
Security
Service Staff
Shopper
Villa Rates
From
To
Daily Rate
Min. Stay
Inclusions
Regular Rate
Bedrooms
3
Adults
6
Kids
--
from
$ 650
2013
01-May-2013
17-Dec-2013
$ 650.00
3
• All taxes and service charges
18-Dec-2013
08-Jan-2014
$ 950.00
3
• All taxes and service charges
2014
09-Jan-2014
30-Apr-2014
$ 650.00
3
• All taxes and service charges
* Rates are inclusive of taxes and service charges.
In order to have a booking confirmed you must make deposit payment as outlined in The Villa Guide Booking Terms and Conditions unless special conditions are indicated for the period you are booking. The standard deposits are:
-For rentals beginning more than 60 days after the date of your booking request - a deposit of 50% of the total rental amount is payable.
-For rentals beginning 60 days or less after the date of your booking request - the total rental amount is payable as a deposit.
Standard cancellation policy
In the event of cancellation, penalties as outlined in The Villa Guide Booking Terms and Conditions apply unless special conditions are indicated for the period you are booking.
It is strongly recommended that you purchase trip cancellation travel insurance.
Amendment of confirmed booking
The villa charges a USD100.00 fee for each change after a booking has been confirmed and a deposit has been paid.
Rates
Prices may change based on the time of your booking, arrival date and length of stay. For approximate rates, please click on the Check Availability button and enter your dates.
Whilst every effort is made to keep rates current, they are subject to change from time to time. If there is a rate change you will be informed before a booking is confirmed.
Confirmed booking rates will not change.
Security deposit
Upon arrival at the villa you are required to pay a security deposit. The security deposit will be returned to you prior to departure less any extra charges or costs for accidental damage to the property. The security deposit is equal to a half-day's rent if you are staying for less than 1 week or a full day's rent if staying for 1 week or more. The villa only accepts payment by cash.
Check in/out
Check in – 3.00pm, Check out - 10.00am
Late check outs up to 6.00pm may incur a half day charge, after 6.00pm a full day may be charged.
Every effort will be made to accommodate other check in/out times but will depend on availability.
The Villa Guide full Booking Terms and Conditions are available here.
Air-con (Bedrooms)
Baby Cot
BBQ (On Request)
Bed Linen
Bicycles (On Request)
Board Games/Toys
Book Selection
Car Parking
Ceiling Fans
Equipped Kitchen
Hairdryers (On Request)
Iron/Board
Laundry Service (Extra)
Oven/Hotplates
Safe
Swimming Pool (Shared)
Swimming Pool Toys (On Request)
Towels
2013
