BEST FOR: Living out your interior design dreams
British designer Chloe Elkerton built this ridiculously pretty villa from scratch. Set among jackfruit, king coconut and papaya trees, just inland from Talpe beach on the south coast, it’s an imaginative new take on a traditional Sri Lankan bungalow. Gone is the teak furniture and the white washed look. Instead, this new kid on the block is a carefully-curated bohemian-chic collage of Greece, Morocco and Bali inspirations, whipped up in a fresh palette of corals, pinks and greens. All the big interiors names are here, too, – Colefax, Nicky Haslam and Fermoie, irresistibly combined with locally handmade furniture (check out the beautiful bobbin four-poster beds), Dutch antiques and vibrant artwork from Insta favourite Mary Maguire.
A show-stopping Moroccan-inspired courtyard leads to the four individually-designed suites, each with their own spacious terrace – choose the Palm Suite with its shell grotto to ponder life in. But it’s the light-filled living space, with hanging rattan lanterns, which is the real wow – and a feast for the eyes: Buddhist temple fans mix with Indian inlaid chairs, hand-weaved Ghanaian hand-weaved baskets and confident seascapes. French windows lead out onto the lush lawn, which slopes down to a curvy white terrazzo swimming pool, surrounded by palms, where you can bob about, sipping fresh coconut water. Later on, settle down in the shady poolside pagoda, with countryside views, for a cocktail before tucking into just-caught juicy jumbo prawns, complemented by an array of colourful salads (Avocado the dog snoozing by your side).
When you are feeling up for an adventure, meander your way past local life to toes-in-the-sand bar, Wijaya Beach. Or hotfoot it to Turtle Beach, where you can, indeed, swim in crystal clear waters in the company of benign giant turtles, who hang about in the water completely unperturbed. Buzzy Galle Fort is also a 20-minute rickshaw ride away.
Price: From $750 USD per night.
Red Savannah offers a seven-night villa holiday in Sri Lanka from £3,099 per person. Includes seven nights’ accommodation at a private villa, based on exclusive use, return Economy Class flights from London Heathrow to Colombo and private airport transfers. Car rental and local sightseeing arranged on request.
