Nestled beneath swaying coconut palms mere footsteps from the Indian Ocean, Victoria Villa is an understated five-bedroom villa near Galle on Sri Lanka’s southern coast. Originally designed by acclaimed Australian architect Bruce Fell-Smith, Victoria’s extensive renovation in 2016 by Sri Lankan architectural practice of The Contemporary Design Studio has brought the villa firmly into the modern age whilst sensitively retaining its important sense of history. Staffed by a small team including a chef, this charming beach villa, a cherished family escape, presents modern artwork, shabby chic antiques, and contemporary soft furnishings.

The villa has five comfortable air-conditioned bedrooms; four doubles and one twin. Bedrooms are furnished with whitewashed antique four-poster beds dressed in high thread count linen and have private bathrooms finished in taupe marble with monsoon showers. The master bedroom is an exceptionally spacious suite with a deeply cushioned built-in window seat that offers beguiling views of the sea. Its sandstone and marble bathroom is particularly special and features a freestanding tub, twin washbasins, and a monsoon shower.