Himmapana Villa 4

Himmapana Villa 4 is a calm, contemporary pool home in a boutique estate of twelve villas set among the green hills behind Kamala. The look is pale and restful: white walls, light oak panels laid in chevrons, marble-effect stone and soft grey upholstery, with banana palms and heliconia pressing up against the glass on every side. With four bedrooms and room for eight, it suits an extended family or a group of friends who want a private pool and a quiet base a short drive from the beach.

Outside, a ten-by-four-metre pool lies along the terrace, reached by stepping stones set into the water’s edge and lined with sun loungers against a wall of tropical planting. Right beside it, a sunken lounge with deep cushions and a low table is the obvious place for a late breakfast or an afternoon spent watching the children swim, with the hills rising beyond the roofline. The living room sits under a tall, vaulted ceiling of exposed timber beams, and its glass doors slide back so the sofas, the terrace and the pool feel like one space. A long dining table, a breakfast counter and a fully equipped kitchen with oven, microwave and coffee maker share the same open room.

Three bedrooms have king beds and the fourth has twin beds, which makes it an easy fit for children or friends who would rather not share. Every room has its own bathroom, air conditioning and a TV, and several open onto small garden corners with a rattan armchair among the leaves. The master bathroom has a sculptural freestanding tub beside a window full of greenery. Daily housekeeping, a friendly estate reception and round-the-clock security take care of the practicalities, and meals, massages and tours can be ordered from the in-villa tablet.