Located just eight kilometres from Galle, Mihiri House faces a striking stretch of south coast beach. The bedrooms – three doubles and a twin – all have engaging sea views and the living space, also ocean-view, is huge. There’s no shortage of colour at this vibrant beach pad: daybeds are topped with lime, pink and navy blue cushions; sumptuous nooks are decked out in orange, saffron and azure; and bedroom blinds, curtains and bedspreads burst with cheeriness, mirroring the villa’s tropical seaside palette. Modern artwork complements the ambiance, infusing the villa with warmth.

Mihiri House is as comfortable as it is colourful. The cushions liberally scattering the villa are almost as thick as the mattresses in each of the cosy bedrooms. On the ground floor, a huge open-plan, sea-view living and dining room opens widely onto the pool terrace and features four cushioned day beds plus a cosy fan-cooled nook for hiding away with a novel. Just off the terrace is a comfortable pergola; here, you can slothfully soak up the sun’s warm rays in between dips in the swimming pool, over which a bronze panther – one of the owner’s creations – holds sway. On the first floor, there’s another, much quieter, lounging spot perfect for post-lunch snoozes.

Dining venues at Mihiri House are also many and varied. The main, indoor dining table seats up to ten, but there are two cement tables in the garden that offer wining and dining potential day or night. One is set beside the pool, conveniently close to the brick barbecue, and the other is at the far end of the garden, right beside the sea. The villa chef is one of a staff of four, and prepares meals from a suggestion menu including western and local cuisine. All food and drink is charged at cost price.

By staying at Mihiri House, you help the local community since ten per cent of your rent goes directly into a local charity called Children’s Hope, run by the villa’s British owner. The charity funds a variety of projects, including a residential school for deaf and blind kids, which guests are welcome to visit.

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Located just a fifteen-minute drive south east of Galle in the picturesque fishing village of Mihiripena (after which the property was named) Mihiri House overlooks the deep blue of the Indian Ocean. Fishermen can often be seen casting their lines from the rocks just offshore whilst you can watch the many ships on the misty horizon from the comfort of a sunbed beside the pool. The nearest swimming beach, Dalawella, is just a five-minute walk west along the sand. Here, a wall of coral and rock offshore has created a tranquil turquoise lagoon that’s a favourite swimming spot for families. There’s a good beach restaurant is here too; think wood-fired pizzas, fresh seafood, sunset cocktails and a relaxed tropical ambiance. Whilst there are a few basic grocery shops within walking distance of Mihiri House, you’ll find supermarkets, money changing facilities, post offices and banks in historic Galle, which is easily accessible by three-wheeler or car.

Map (see Google Map)

 

Places of Interest(KMs)
Unawatuna Bay	2.5
Habaraduwa Turtle Hatchery	5.0
Koggala Lagoon	5.5
Galle Fort	6.0
Handunugoda Tea Factory	14.0
Tangalle	73.0
Colombo	124.0
Bandaranaike Intl Airport	154.0

 

About Galle
The historic city of Galle is one of the island’s biggest attractions. Once the most important port of Sri Lanka, Galle’s natural harbour attracted seafaring traders long before the arrival of the fort-building European colonialists who were to turn it into a flourishing market town.

Galle’s new town is a hive of activity where bustling lanes overflow with excitable shoppers, and hawkers of luscious fruits, fish and vegetables loudly promote their wares. The newly created promenade along the sea is a picturesque place to walk and contemplate the oceanic scene as fishermen, yachts and navy boats come and go from the harbour.

In stark contrast to the busy town of Galle, the sleepy, historic fort offers serenity and calm and a journey back into time. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, its seventeenth-century ramparts are filled with an evocative collection of period properties, intimate boutiques, interesting museums and tiny cafes while its nostalgic ambiance and cosmopolitan vibe further highlight its charm. Things to do in Galle include a visit to the international cricket stadium which is located between the old and new town and is famed for having one of the most picturesque backdrops in the world. There’s a railway station, along with plenty of banks, ATMs, pharmacies, shops, restaurants, money changing facilities and supermarkets in town.

About South Coast
Stretching between Galle and Hambantota, the south coast is undoubtedly one of the most popular destinations in Sri Lanka. Characterised by historically significant fortified towns, numerous picture-perfect palm-fringed beaches, a sultry turquoise sea, swathes of iridescent green paddy fields fringed by lush green jungle, ancient Buddhist temples, expansive waterways, nature-filled rainforests and tea-carpeted hills it offers enough variety to be a destination in itself; fabulous for families, groups and couples alike.

Galle is one of the region’s most significant attractions for its sixteenth century Dutch fort filled with an evocatively rich collection of buildings, boutiques, museums and luxury digs that hug a peninsular to the south of town. Galle’s popular beaches are better-facilitated, more developed and safer for swimming than those in and around Tangalle, but the further you travel east the more expansive, deserted and nature-filled they become.

Surfing, snorkelling, diving, whale watching, sailing, fishing and kayaking can all be done along this magnificent stretch of coastline as well as cycling, walking and trying your hand at Sri Lankan cookery. Inland, the scene varies as the westerly wet zone’s lush jungle interior gives way to the arid dry zone plains a little beyond Tangalle. Taking off by bicycle is often the best way to explore the hills, plains, sanctuaries and jungle whilst a boat is a must to navigate the scenic lakes and rivers that wind in between.

Some of Sri Lanka’s most popular national parks – Uda Walawe for elephants and Yala for leopards and bears – as well as a trio of its most accessible rainforests – Sinharaja, Kottawa and Kanneliya - are easily visited on a day or overnight trip from anywhere along the south coast.

The ground floor of Mihiri House is almost entirely taken up by the expansive living and dining room, which opens via multiple sets of tall folding doors onto the pool terrace. The ceiling of this room is dotted with whirring fans and towers above a cream terrazzo floor. Furnishings include an antique Jaffna cupboard and a huge Dutch chest crowned by a giant carved bird while, at the heart of the room, four daybeds are padded in lime, pink and navy blue cushions. Beside them stands a circular glass-topped dining table for up to ten, with panoramic views out to sea. The chunky and unusual metal table base was once used to roll freshly plucked tea leaves in an upcountry factory. Around the living room, and indeed throughout the whole house, hang huge pieces of modern artwork – mostly painted by local artists. WiFi connection is good at the house and tucked into a cabinet to one corner of this room is a TV with satellite connection and DVD player, whilst to the opposite end is a deeply cushioned alcove for relaxing in during the heat of the day.

Behind the living room is an excellent fully equipped kitchen with six-burner hob and oven finished in stainless steel and a centre island worktop over which a chandelier elegantly cascades. Overlooking the swimming pool, daybeds in the bougainvillea-draped pergola are decked out in blue and white cushions.

Mihiri House has four air-conditioned, colour-themed bedrooms; three with king-size and one with twin beds – all four-postered. Each comes with direct sea views and ensuite bathrooms finished in smooth cement, ceiling fans and rain showers. Pink (the master bedroom) and Yellow (the twin) are on the upper floor, accessed via a staircase from the living room. Near-identical Green and Blue sit side-by-side in an annexe building to the front and open onto the garden.

 

Bedroom 1 (Pink) King 7.7m x 4.3m Bedroom 2 (Yellow) Twin 5.6m x 4.38m Bedroom 3 (Green) King 6.15m x 3.8m Bedroom 4 (Blue) King 6.15m x 3.8m

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Bathroom (Green Bedroom)

Bathroom (Yellow Bedroom)

Bedroom 1 (Pink)

Bedroom 2 (Yellow)

Bedroom 3 (Green)

Key Amenities

• Internet (WiFi)
• Swimming Pool (Private)
• TV (Satellite/Cable)

Other Amenities

• Air-con (Bedrooms)
• Baby Cot (On Request)
• BBQ
• Bed Linen
• Book Selection
• Car Parking
• Ceiling Fans
• DVD Player
• Equipped Kitchen
• High Chairs
• Laundry Service (Extra)
• Microwave
• Oven/Hotplates
• Safe
• Swimming Pool Toys
• Towels
• Wine Fridge

Villa Staff

• Babysitter (Extra)
• Chef/Cook (All meals)
• Garden/Pool Staff
• Housekeeping (Full time)
• Manager
• Masseuse/Spa Therapist (Extra)
• Service Staff
• Shopper