Green Turtle Villa

Green Turtle Villa stands right beside Kosgoda Beach, south of Bentota on Sri Lanka’s south-west coast, close to the turtle hatcheries that give the area its name. A sleek, white, modern house set in a vast lawn of coconut palms, it looks straight out to the Indian Ocean, and you can simply walk from the garden onto the sand. With four large king bedrooms for up to eight guests, it is a spacious, relaxed base for families and groups of friends who want room to spread out by the sea.

The star of the garden is a twenty-three-metre infinity pool running along the front of the house, with cushioned sunbeds and umbrellas on the deck. Beside it, a shaded lounge of deep outdoor sofas makes an easy spot for coffee or a sundowner, and a long veranda with hanging swing chairs looks over the palms to the ocean. The lawn is big enough for a game of cricket, and a thatched gazebo at the sea’s edge offers a shady place to watch the waves.

Inside, the white, light-filled living room has huge curved sofas and splashes of vivid colour, with a dining table for twelve alongside and a separate media room with a large TV and surround sound for movie nights. The four bedrooms are generously sized, with king beds, air conditioning, dressing areas and wide glass doors, and the bathrooms include freestanding bathtubs. Resident housekeeping staff look after the house, and a private chef cooks to your requests, with massages, private yoga and excursions arranged at extra cost.