For a lazy, languid holiday where you come armed with a stack of books and great company, Blue Heights is the business.  The simple design and minimal interiors are unfussy and free of distractions so that you focus on the job at hand – relaxing, catching up with friends and family and absorbing the restful environment.  The ocean views and hilltop locale create a feeling of space and the convivial pool area, with sunset-worthy jacuzzi, soon became one of our favourite spots.  The open-sided dining area made the most of the views and even from the glass-walled lounge you can spy the sea whilst watching TV.  Those staying in the master bedroom do get a lot more value as the room is huge and is attached to a little private lounge with pergola roof, although the bathroom is rather narrow.  The bedroom in the main house works well for elderly relations or independent couples.

The staff, a husband and wife team, plus houseboy, were very welcoming – as was Timmy, the house’s loveable dog!  Service is casual and their English was limited so communicating was a bit of a struggle at times.  However, the villa is looked after by a management team whose area manager is always at the end of the phone.  The kitchen is basic and uninspiring, however there is a little pantry with sink and fridge for making drinks.  In any case, a cook prepares all of your meals (Sri Lankan cuisine mainly, plus a few fried rice and noodle dishes).

Note that the beach is not at the end of the garden – you need to go through the gate, turn right along the road and then wander for five minutes to the beach.  Swimming is best in the middle of the bay.

Without doubt, this is one of Sri Lanka’s most engaging villas and in one of the most breathtaking locations on the island – the views are nothing short of spectacular. Its links to Geoffrey Bawa and its interesting, yet short, history makes a stay here all the more engaging. The house itself is fairly modest – there are no fancy mod cons and the simple yet imaginative design evokes the past as much as the present – however the new owners are currently upgrading the house. The interiors have already been given a sensitive facelift, and look lovely, whilst two more bedrooms and a TV lounge are due to be completed by the end of 2014; they were renovating existing buildings for these behind the main house at the time of our visit (March 2014) but we were not disturbed by the work at all.

Our favourite place to pass the time was around the main swimming pool (there is a second pool to the side of the property, close to the driveway). This cliff-top pool complements the house – it’s been here for a few decades and we liked its old-school geometric design. The different shades of blue reflected the sea beyond and the terrace surrounding it was scattered with sun loungers and beanbags, one of which was placed on a protruding corner from where we could sit and watch surfers in the bay below. A little staircase leads down the hillside to the beach, and it’s a lovely spot for long strolls, swimming or body boarding (there’s a big collection of boards in the house) with care for much of the year – the sea is fairly shallow.

The staff really went out of their way to ensure that we had everything we needed, in particular the lovely chef who produced some heart-warming food. We recommend his rice and curry, which we enjoyed by candlelight down by the pool. Make sure you have a chat to the maintenance manager who’s worked at the house from the very beginning. He showed us some 25-year-old photos of the house.

You could easily hole yourself up for weeks on end here. As a writer, I thought Wetakeiya House felt like the perfect bolthole for composing and relaxing. It’s clearly a cherished home, and we loved the oversized daybeds, the interesting photographs and prints, and the eye-catching antiques artfully scattered throughout the house. There is loads of living space for six people and we liked that the pool was out of sight of the house as it gave yet another private spot for chilling out. The garden eventually leads to a collection of huge rocks smashed by the sea – a great scene for photographing but definitely not for swimming!
 
With three bedrooms, Wetakeiya House is ideal for a family, but since the garden drops off in places and slopes down towards the rocky beach, it’s probably more suitable for children over three. Since the two guest bedrooms are situated to the back of the house, and the master opens straight onto the main veranda, the house would also work really well for an indulgent couple looking for a little extra privacy and space. With a garden ripe for barbecues, fairly equally sized bedrooms, convivial living spaces and a good music system, groups of friends (singles or couples) could have lots of fun here too.
 
There’s a small staff team of four, and the lovely couple who manage the villa have recently returned from over 30 years in the Middle East and Greece. One of the pair, Chris, who is also the cook, prepares the usual Sri Lankan fare along with dishes she’s discovered on her travels. We dined on baked cheese gnocchi with salad, and for breakfast, tried her amazing pol sambol (grated coconut with lime, chilli and tomato).