Fleewinter
3 Bedrooms, Sleeps 6
Lakeside Location
700m to Beach
3 Air-Conditioned Bedrooms (2 Doubles & 1 Twin)
Pool Pavilion
Private Cook
25m Swimming Pool
Wifi
Satelite TV & DVD Player
"Beautiful villa. Superb space to relax. The food was good but not especially varied. The cook was very friendly though, especially to kids which we thought was great." AB -2012
"Mandalay was a beautiful villa which suited us fine not being on the beach. We had a temporary cook for the four nights we were there, who cooked incredible food but enough for ten! The staff were all great and the - manager really helpful." CS April 2010)
Mandalay was designed by Geoffrey Bawa the renowned Sri Lankan architect and the accommodation comprises of three double bedrooms.
The palatial master bedroom occupies the entire top floor of the main house with large doors opening onto a private balcony. The en-suite bathroom is well appointed and has a role top bath. There are two further bedrooms on the ground floor also with private bathrooms. Please note that one of the bathrooms is open air and the other is accessed from the bedroom via an external walk way.
The house is tastefully decorated and was renovated in 2010. Colourful fabrics are offset by the white walls, high ceilings and polished cement floors. There is a small L shaped sitting area in the main villa, however guests spend most of there time relaxing day and night in the pool pavilion.
The pool pavilion sits opposite the main house and has a large open air sitting/dinning area, a kitchen and an outside shower. The pool is an excellent size, child friendly and has lovely views over the lake.
Mandalay is fully staffed, although the staff are not permanently on site. Food will be prepared at your request and can be served in the garden, by the poolside or on the pontoon. Water and fruit juices are always available, but guests are asked to bring their own alcohol or inform the villa staff of their requirements before arrival. You may all want to take advantage of the numerous boutique hotels and local restaurants in the area. The staff can make suggestions and arrange three wheeler taxis to get you from A to B.
The villa also has access to a speed boat which can be taken out on the lake to explore the different islands or go fishing. You can also fish off the garden pontoon and bikes can be provided if you fancy peddling off to discover local villages and paddy fields.
Fifteen minutes away is the historic Galle Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Take a walk around the rampart walls, wander around the cobbled labyrinth-like streets with their period Dutch buildings. Stop for dinner or a coffee in one of the many boutique hotels before you explore the Fort's array of art galleries, antique and gift shops.
Trips to Yala or Uda Walawe National Park for leopard and elephant safari's are also possible from this part of the coast, as well as excursions to the Rainforest, Gem Mines, Hot Air Ballooning, Turtle Hatcheries, Dondra Lighthouse and low lying Tea Plantations.