Villa Baywatch

Villa Baywatch is a six-room villa with a pool on top of Rumassala hill at Unawatuna, looking out over the Bay of Galle, five minutes' walk from Jungle Beach. The Japanese Peace Pagoda stands on its back boundary. It is a small, personal place to stay with a swimming pool, an ocean-view terrace and home-cooked Sri Lankan and Western meals, a short drive from both Unawatuna and Galle.

What are the rooms like at Villa Baywatch?

There are four double rooms and two triple rooms, each with its own entrance, extra-long beds, air conditioning, a ceiling fan, a mini fridge, tea and coffee making facilities, free Wi-Fi and an en-suite bathroom with hot water. The upper-floor rooms have the sea views; the ground-floor rooms sit closer to the pool and garden. The names below are the villa's own.

• Superior Deluxe Room with Balcony – an upper-floor double with a super-king-size bed and a large private balcony with a 180-degree view over the bay. It sleeps two.
• Deluxe Triple Room – an upper-floor room with a queen-size bed and a single bed, and a private balcony with the same wide view. It sleeps three.
• Deluxe Studio – an upper-floor double with a super-king-size bed and views of the sea and the pool, which the villa recommends for longer stays. It sleeps two.
• Standard Triple Room – a ground-floor room next to the pool, with a queen-size bed and a single bed. It sleeps three.
• Standard Double Room – Sea View – a ground-floor double with a super-king-size bed and a sea view. It sleeps two.
• Standard Double Room – Garden View – a ground-floor double with a super-king-size bed, the room closest to the lobby and the one with wheelchair access. It sleeps two.

Mosquito nets, a hairdryer and an iron are provided on request, and there is a safe at reception. With only six rooms, a family or a group of friends can easily take over the whole villa.

What is the food like?

Meals are cooked at the villa for in-house guests, a mix of Sri Lankan and Western cooking, and should be ordered in advance, ideally 24 hours ahead. Breakfast comes in four versions: a Western plate of eggs, sausages, toast and fruit, or Sri Lankan string hoppers, pol roti (coconut flatbread) or kiribath (milk rice), each with curries and accompaniments. For dinner you can choose a Western seafood dinner of baked whole fish with prawns or cuttlefish, or a Sri Lankan rice and curry. Meals can be taken alfresco on the ocean-view terrace.

What is there to do at the villa?

The swimming pool, 4.5 feet deep throughout and with a built-in Jacuzzi, sits beside the ocean-view terrace, which is the place to read, catch up online or watch the light change over Galle. Wi-Fi is free throughout the villa, and parking is free on request.

What is nearby?

The Japanese Peace Pagoda, with its four golden Buddha statues and sweeping sea views, stands right behind the villa, and the forested slopes of Rumassala lead down on a short eco-trek to Jungle Beach, popular for snorkelling and diving. Unawatuna Beach is about 1.5 kilometres away in a straight line, and the villa puts Yaddehimulla, with its guest houses, restaurants and nightlife, ten minutes away by tuk-tuk. Galle Fort is around 15 to 20 minutes by road. For surfing, the villa points guests to Dewata beach and Dalawella, and further afield you can watch the stilt fishermen, explore the Hiyare rainforest, or go whale watching from Mirissa between November and April.

Can I arrive by train?

Yes. The nearest station is Unawatuna, about 1.4 kilometres away in a straight line, and Galle is about 3.4 kilometres away. Both are on the coastal line from Colombo; take a tuk-tuk for the climb up the hill to the villa.

How do I get from the airport to Villa Baywatch?

The villa is about 135 kilometres in a straight line from Bandaranaike International Airport, and the villa itself puts Colombo about an hour away. The simplest way to arrive is a private transfer from Colombo airport to Villa Baywatch, which takes you all the way to the door.

Who is Villa Baywatch best suited to?

It suits couples, families and small groups who want a quiet hilltop base with a view, a pool and home cooking, within easy reach of Jungle Beach, Unawatuna and Galle Fort, rather than a large beachfront resort. For more choice in the area see our places to stay in Unawatuna.