West Coast Villas for Rent | Sri Lankan Luxury Rental Villas - list view

Apsara

What a wonderful villa! Apsara offered us plush comfort, an excellent chef and a wonderful riverside location all within easy reach of Bentota’s long sweep of beach. We enjoyed the company of the staff who always greeted us with a smile and made us feel so welcome. The chef, in particular, stood out for his conviviality and amazing food. The house and garden were both immaculate: it felt as though we were the first ever visitors. The lighting was also especially good. The bedrooms and living areas are all air conditioned, although we just left the doors open as there was always a refreshing breeze coming off the river.

There’s a wall-mounted DVD and Blu-ray disc player in the living room (loads of DVDs) and a surround-sound music system with iPod dock set up so you can hear your favourite tunes inside or by the pool. There’s also a good WiFi connection throughout the villa so you can easily get online if you bring your own kit.

Apsara has its own private jetty and is well connected with a locally renowned water sports outfitter who can come and pick you up from the villa in their boat. There’s a good supermarket just up the road from the villa that stocks loads of imported goods and the fresh produce market is right on your doorstep too. The staff will buy groceries for you though, and with such an amazing chef to feed you (and a wonderful menu) it’s unlikely you’ll be doing much more than ‘window’ shopping.

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TBA

Bedrooms 3

Sleeps 6

Our
Rating 8.0 Guest Rating 9.1

Max Wadiya

Sri Lanka » West Coast » Ambalangoda

Max Wadiya offers an ideal retreat for beach lovers and those who prefer being away from the crowds, even though the many attractions of the region are still within an easy drive. Children will love the large garden and swimming pool, and easy access to the quiet beach and there are plenty of games and sports equipment to keep them amused here.

The bedrooms are a little unequal in that the two suites are more luxurious than the rooms in the original building, but we thought this layout might suit a couple of families well (putting the children in the main house and giving parents some peace and privacy in the new building). Max Wadiya would also be a great place for the extended family as the ground floor bedroom in the main house is ideal for less mobile relatives plus there are lots of opportunities – indoors and out – to find your own private space.

The staff are friendly and helpful, and looked after us with a lot of warmth. The villa is offered on a full-board basis, which makes it good value for money. There is an emphasis on fresh, home-style food. A western menu is typically offered for lunch, with Sri Lankan cuisine for dinner. Breakfast is a mix, whilst cake is always offered with afternoon tea. Max Wadiya is great place to savour authentic local dishes – you can even have a cookery lesson and take home recipes for everything you cook, plus a bag of spices to get you started!

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TBA

Bedrooms 5

Sleeps 10-12*

Our
Rating 7.8

Villa Republic Bentota

Sri Lanka » West Coast » Bentota

Villa Republic bursts with character and is definitely one-of-a-kind. Apart from its more obvious links with social revolution, the colour red makes its presence felt in many other exotic forms here; the heliconia flowers that droop heavily onto the lawn, the windsurfing boards criss-crossing the river and the great big ball of fiery sun that descends right in front of the villa every evening. This is a magical place to stay, not only because the villa is homely and convivial but also because there’s so much right on its doorstep; water sports, beaches, river exploration, inland cycling, spas, restaurants, and the list goes on.

The master suite is a lot more spacious than the other four bedrooms, which means a toss of a coin if staying with friends, but heaven for parents with a gaggle of kids in tow. For a five-bedroom property, Villa Republic Bentota is very good value. All food is charged at cost price and we enjoyed delicious local curries and pasta dishes during our stay. Mr Fernando heads up the staff team of three (plus security guards) and although he strived to make sure we were always well-fed and watered, we liked that he left us to our own devices too.

We weren’t massively keen on the fixed glass panels in the master suite that covered two of the side doorways, as it would have been nice to have the breeze flowing freely from the garden. That said, the glass panelling at the front was wonderful for maximising views of the river right from the bed (with AC on high!): by day we watched water skiers, jet skiers and wind surfers, and in the early morning before anyone was around, we watched fishermen embarking upriver. Note that the villa’s garden isn’t large, so although you’ve got loads to do on your doorstep, space might be limiting for energetic young kids.

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TBA

Bedrooms 5

Sleeps 10

Our
Rating 7.7

Six Degrees North

Sri Lanka » West Coast » Ambalangoda

If you’re looking for an unpretentious beach pad – think cosy over cushy – then Six Degrees North is the perfect package for a family or two, or for friends travelling together. Each of the five bedrooms is similarly sized, living space has been well laid out and every essential facility has been thought of, including WiFi internet reception that stretches nearly to the beach. Most of the bedrooms come with twin beds pushed together to make kings (ideal for any group configuration) and certainly, with the soft pillowy king-size linen, felt more like one bed than two. Bathrooms with wonderfully hot showers are attached to each bedroom.

The villa has an enclosed garden to the front that’s mainly laid to lawn though at the far end there’s a sandy strip designed for kids to build sandcastles and play safely within the confines of the property. A simple timber fence marks the boundary between the garden and Madampe Beach beyond. The villa’s pool has been recently enlarged and incorporates the original plunge pool, great for kids.

The discreet service of the staff at Six Degrees North really complemented the relaxed, homely feel of the villa. Although some staff spoke only basic English, the manager will do anything to help you and make you feel at ease. You can choose to self-cater (there’s a barbecue in the garden for guest use too) or be catered for according to a priced menu. The Sri Lankan food prepared for us was delicious, especially our daily curries.

The pavilion to the front of the house has been added since our first visit, and the owner has recently installed a lounge and small massage area (with herbal steam bath) on its ground floor. The views from the living and dining area on the top floor are great, and this extra space is a real enhancement to the villa.

NOTE: The owner has recently (2013) converted two buildings next door to Six Degrees North into holiday accommodation with three and four double bedrooms apiece – giving the capacity to sleep an additional 14 people. Access via an unfenced section close to the beach makes these new rooms (each of which is lovely and spacious, with ensuite bathrooms) a good overspill option – we particularly liked the rooms in the front building.

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TBA

Bedrooms 4

Sleeps 8

Our
Rating 7.4 Guest Rating 10.0

Six Degrees North

Sri Lanka » West Coast » Ambalangoda

If you’re looking for an unpretentious beach pad – think cosy over cushy – then Six Degrees North is the perfect package for a family or two, or for friends travelling together. Each of the five bedrooms is similarly sized, living space has been well laid out and every essential facility has been thought of, including WiFi internet reception that stretches nearly to the beach. Most of the bedrooms come with twin beds pushed together to make kings (ideal for any group configuration) and certainly, with the soft pillowy king-size linen, felt more like one bed than two. Bathrooms with wonderfully hot showers are attached to each bedroom.

The villa has an enclosed garden to the front that’s mainly laid to lawn though at the far end there’s a sandy strip designed for kids to build sandcastles and play safely within the confines of the property. A simple timber fence marks the boundary between the garden and Madampe Beach beyond. The villa’s pool has been recently enlarged and incorporates the original plunge pool, great for kids.

The discreet service of the staff at Six Degrees North really complemented the relaxed, homely feel of the villa. Although some staff spoke only basic English, the manager will do anything to help you and make you feel at ease. You can choose to self-cater (there’s a barbecue in the garden for guest use too) or be catered for according to a priced menu. The Sri Lankan food prepared for us was delicious, especially our daily curries.

The pavilion to the front of the house has been added since our first visit, and the owner has recently installed a lounge and small massage area (with herbal steam bath) on its ground floor. The views from the living and dining area on the top floor are great, and this extra space is a real enhancement to the villa.

NOTE: The owner has recently (2013) converted two buildings next door to Six Degrees North into holiday accommodation with three and four double bedrooms apiece – giving the capacity to sleep an additional 14 people. Access via an unfenced section close to the beach makes these new rooms (each of which is lovely and spacious, with ensuite bathrooms) a good overspill option – we particularly liked the rooms in the front building.

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TBA

Bedrooms 5

Sleeps 10

Our
Rating 7.4 Guest Rating 10.0

Sri Villas

Sri Lanka » West Coast » Bentota

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.

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TBA

Bedrooms 9

Sleeps 16-18*

Our
Rating 7.4

Sri Villas - Araliya (Villa Three)

Sri Lanka » West Coast » Bentota

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.

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TBA

Bedrooms 4

Sleeps 6-8*

Our
Rating 7.2

Sri Villas - Nisala (Villa Two)

Sri Lanka » West Coast » Bentota

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.

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TBA

Bedrooms 2

Sleeps 4

Our
Rating 7.3

Sri Villas - Sagara (Villa One)

Sri Lanka » West Coast » Bentota

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.

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TBA

Bedrooms 3

Sleeps 6

Our
Rating 7.3

White House at Bird Lake No. 2

Sri Lanka » West Coast » Hikkaduwa

This is an excellent holiday home for independent couples, families or groups of friends looking to self-cater or enjoy an extended holiday as it offers good value too. The villa’s imaginative build celebrates its picturesque and very serene natural location. The interiors feel homely and, since the rooms are spread across three floors, either sociable or intimate depending upon the occasion. When we first visited the villa back in 2009 it was brand new. Nearly four years on, the villa still felt charming, and the garden beautifully lush, but we noticed that the interiors were starting to look a little tired in places - the fish tank, particularly, looked forlorn. An iPod dock has been added though, along with many more books, CDs, DVDs and games.

The villa is set up for self-caterers. There are a few restaurants located within walking distance of the villa which means that if you don’t feel like cooking, you don’t have far to go to eat out – these include Asian Jewel, where you can enjoy a hearty English breakfast, and Kallabongo Resort. The White House manager, Chaminda, is also the manager of Sun Beach Hotel in Hikkaduwa and can arrange a chef to come to the house to cook for you with advance notice; rice and curry is recommended. A staff of two assists self-catering guests and are on hand to clean, tidy and make drinks for you throughout the day. Their English is limited, but they do understand guests’ needs. Chaminda can be called at any time to assist with more complex queries - local calls from the house telephone are free – and the villa has a very detailed information guide. The staff can arrange a tuk tuk if you’d like to head into Hikkaduwa or you could jump aboard the villa’s two (slightly dilapidated) bicycles to peddle there yourself. Chaminda can organise scooter hire or a car for onward travel.

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TBA

Bedrooms 3

Sleeps 6

Our
Rating 7.3 Guest Rating 8.0