Sri Lanka’s chic new beach-side villa

If you like quaint fishing villages, visiting with locals and (most importantly) the beach, you’ll like where we’re going with this. The newly opened Eight The Residence, Ambalangoda is just 30 minutes from the historical town of Galle and sits directly on the road to the beach town of Hikkaduwa—home to miles of pristine beaches.

Housed behind high walls for privacy, this isn’t your usual boutique hotel. Think of it as a home away from home, if that home is part of a big fancy beach house. There’s even a kitchen you can use if you’d rather stay in, and plenty of nearby seaside restaurants to pick from if you want to head out.

There are five bedroom suites, two of which come with excellent ocean views and their own private plunge pools. The decor is charmingly rustic, and all your modern-day comforts like rain showers, plush four-poster beds and Wi-Fi are present and accounted for.

Rooms start from USD175 ($236) and can go up to USD1200 ($1,621). Head here for more info.