Ishq Colombo

Ishq Colombo is a calm, walled retreat in a quiet, leafy residential quarter of Sri Lanka’s capital, a short tuk-tuk ride from the city’s restaurants, markets and colonial landmarks. Designed by architect Channa Daswatte, who trained in Geoffrey Bawa’s practice, it mixes traditional Sri Lankan building with Middle Eastern decor, timber screens and open-sided rooms that let the breeze move through. With just four suites, it suits couples and small families who want a private, beautifully finished base at the start or end of a Sri Lanka journey.

Outside, a nine-metre pool runs beside the main veranda, framed by a tall living wall of greenery and reached straight from the dining area. On the other side lies a large courtyard garden with a manicured lawn, mature tropical trees, a lily pond and a small wooden swing near the steps to an upstairs terrace. Shaded loungers and garden sitting areas are scattered throughout, so there is always a quiet corner to read or rest after a day in the city.

Indoors there are two living rooms, one upstairs panelled in wood from floor to ceiling, plus a library, a reading area and a formal dining room with a long table seating twelve. Two guest bedrooms and two larger suites, each suite with its own sitting room, all have king beds, air conditioning, TVs and work desks, and the bathrooms include a freestanding tub. A team of twelve looks after the house, breakfast is included each morning, and the in-house kitchen can prepare Sri Lankan and international lunches and dinners.