If you asked what the epitome of a Sri Lankan villa is, I would answer: a) colonial architecture; b) influenced by Sri Lanka’s most celebrated architect, Geoffrey Bawa; c) plenty of living areas for family and friends to hang out; d) massive swimming pool; and e) a beachfront position overlooking the Indian Ocean.
Our team recently stayed at Skye House and we immediately realised that this magnificent property represents the epitome of a Sri Lankan villa. Allow me to take you on a guided tour of the villa and our stay.
Design Highlights
The exterior of the main pavilion has huge wrap-around verandahs on both the ground floor and upper level – adorned with comfortable furniture that seamlessly blends with the character of the property. An enormous pool extends from the main living area with a tremendous lawn speckled with coconut palms swaying in the breeze.
The ‘colonial-meets-beach’ style extends into the interiors of every room – including the huge open-plan living and dining area which accommodated 12 of us hanging out, working and dining together. My favourite design highlight was the suspended corridor that extends from one pavilion to another with views of the sea coming through the frame of the doorway. Magical!
Party Perfection
We like to get our party on when visiting our villas – it’s part of the job, making sure the details are juuuuust right for your upcoming special event ;)
Our tradition is to throw a ‘White Party’ and bring everyone together for photos at sunset. Skye House was the PERFECT villa to entertain our group – the team set up canapés and Champagne on the lawn while we were treated to a beautiful orange sunset. It’s such a photogenic villa, just magical for capturing special occasions.
The villa also has a large bluetooth speaker so the music followed us wherever we went. We started on the lawn and took a thousand photos… then we were drawn to the beach as the villa manager pointed out that some baby turtles had hatched and were paddling down the beach towards the ocean!
We went inside for dinner, then finished the evening playing games… which needs it’s own chapter.
Games! Games! Games!
The absolute favourite highlight of our stay at Skye House was playing all the games on offer. A well-lit pool table brought out the competitive spirit or more than just a couple of us, while the foosball table had everyone raptured.
The name “foosball” was adopted in the United States due to the German pronunciation “tischfußball” (translated: “table football”). As we had none of our European colleagues with us, none of us had played before and we LOVED IT!
Needless to say, we think having an array of activities on hand (there is also a children’s play area, pool toys and many board games) really elevates the experience of staying in a villa. And Skye House is a champion.
Five-Star Hospitality
The team at Skye House is fantastic. Villa manager, Sam, is lovely and took the lead in showing us our rooms and instructed the staff to take our luggage. Nothing was too much trouble, everyone was incredibly accommodating.
When it came to meals, we were treated to a mix of traditional Sri Lankan dishes and Western favourites – with a vibrancy that perfectly matched the decor of the villa and backdrop of nature just outside. The dining table fit all twelve of us comfortably and there was always food leftover as we were spoiled by the chef.
Our collective favourite dish was a fruit bowl served for breakfast – chopped fruit mixed with lemon and honey. Mmm, I can still taste it!
Neighbourhood
There is nothing quite like waking up to the sound of waves crashing on the beach. Skye House has a beautiful soundtrack and a pristine position on Koggala Beach – right next door is a turtle hatchery, where you can watch or help conservationists release baby turtles into the ocean.
One evening we walked up the beach to visit nearby restaurants and beach shacks. After learning about foosball we were drawn to beachfront restaurant with a German name – Wiener Dschungel – and ate pizza and fresh seafood under grass umbrellas with our feet in the sand.
Oh and the sunsets are absolutely breathtaking!!
Lastly
I almost forgot to mention… perhaps the most important thing for a group planning a trip to Sri Lanka – bedrooms! All five bedrooms are large in size and beautifully furnished with antique pieces and every comfort you can think of.
One bedroom is specifically designed for children – with bunk beds and close proximity to the media / games room downstairs. The remaining four bedrooms all have king-sized four poster beds, ensuite bathrooms and views of the ocean. This a is terrific arrangement for families traveling together as all parents are catered for equally and the kids have their own space.
To learn more about Skye House and see if it’s suitable for your Sri Lankan beach holiday, I invite you to visit our Skye House villa profile and watch the video for more insight into this magnificent “colonial-meets-beach” villa.
