20 Middle Street

Protected by lush, walled gardens where you might be found reclining under the wizened mango tree, the house is a beauty. The common areas include lounges decked in soothing grey tones, plump couches and wooden decor, a library and billiards room. The restaurant serves a medley of international and Sri Lankan dishes and leads onto a breezy terrace furnished with cosy rattan chairs. In the garden is a pool and annexe, with a pleasant loggia beneath - the perfect reading nook if ever we saw one.

The rooms are light-filled and effortlessly stylish, donning cool textiles, beige rugs on smooth terrazzo floors, and teak four-posters. All have walk-in rain showers and high-end toiletries. The two rooms in the main house boast a walk-in dressing room and views over the red-roofed houses from a private terrace, whilst the two in the garden annexe are slightly more contemporary in style, with one featuring an open-plan bathroom. There is also a fifth room in the pool house.

Head out to explore the sights of Galle - and there are plenty. Join a third-generation local for a tour round the Fort ramparts, learning absorbing the history along the way. If it's a little sun and sea you're after, enjoy a few hours on the beach, or hop aboard a catamaran cruise to spot whales, dugongs and dolphins. Venture further inland to walk amongst fragrant cinnamon and tea plantations, or enjoy an authentic Sri Lankan meal cooked and served in the middle of a rice paddy.