The Last House, Sri Lanka

A dream beachside villa escape

For the finest beachside villa in Sri Lanka look no further than this wonderful place in Mahawella, near Tengalle, on Sri Lanka’s forgotten and beautiful southern coastline.

Sleeping 6 – 12 people in space and comfort, The Last House was designed by Geoffrey Bawa, Sri Lanka’s pre-eminent architect. The house is characteristically Bawa; the wrap around verandah encircles the house while the natural light and the wonderful views play seductively from every angle.

The rooms are spacious and designed in a simple uncluttered but elegant style. The first floor rooms have superb sea views, while the ground floor rooms are wonderfully private. The last room is raised on stilts at the back and commands a view of the lagoon behind, complete with a wonderful array of water birds such as adjutant storks, pond herons, indian darters and many, many others.

The interiors are simple, but stunning: planters chairs face out to sea and rattan day beds offer magnificent repose while whitewashed walls, original wooden doors and a polished cement finish lend a crisp counterpoint to the Asian sculptures and temple wall hangings scattered tastefully about. The central courtyard surrounds a simple but pretty 10m swimming pool while a gate leads directly onto a deserted sandy beach from the shady coconut grove lawn.

The many staff ensure a luxurious stay and the cook ensures your every taste is catered for. Food can be brought as and when it is needed, or they offer a $50 a person all inclusive supplement. This price includes all the food and drink you could possibly desire, including Australian wines and fresh lobster and other seafood brought by local fishermen to the villa every morning.

Tengalle is a fairly remote town and this villa is 7km from Tengalle, so a vehicle is essential. The area immediately around the villa is remote and stunning. The wildlife is incredible with enormous water monitors fighting for your attention with all manner of wonderful birdlife. The area is thinly populated and so staying here is a real experience – way off the beaten tourist and backpacker trail. There are some wonderful excursions nearby: Uda Walawe National Park, the best place in Sri Lanka for elephant spotting is just an hour and a half away. Kalametiya Bird Sanctuary and Bundalla National Park are mush closer and offer some unrivalled and world famous bird spotting opportunities, as well as being beautiful spots in their own right. Further a field, Yala is also accessible on a day trip and is one of the finest places in the world to see the elusive leopard.

Although the price for the villa is high, it actually represents great value for quality of this superlative standard. The sense of space, peace and privacy bestowed on guests makes The Last House ideal for a large family, two families or a group of friends enjoying an unforgettable holiday together.

* The Villa starts at Ł435 per night inclusive for off peak with supplements for peak season.

An all inclusive supplement of Ł30 per person is paid two weeks prior to arrival for all food and beverages.