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.