The Divine Villa Talpe UNAWATUNA

The Divine Villa sits on a hillside in Talpe, a few kilometres east of Galle, on two acres of walled tropical garden overlooking rice paddies and a wide strip of the Indian Ocean. The elevation is the first thing to land: the infinity pool runs along the upper terrace with the ocean directly in the sightline, and the view from the living room, the pool deck, and most of the bedrooms covers enough of the horizon that the word panoramic is the correct one rather than a marketing exaggeration. The villa was designed by Sri Lankan architect Manjula Kalhara de Silva for its French owners, and the result is a building that spans four levels with a confident mix of colonial and contemporary, local antiques and polished stone, and enough individual spaces that a group of twelve can occupy it without feeling like they are sharing the same room.