Welcome: The Saffron House
The Saffron House occupies one of the finest locations on the south coast of Sri Lanka. Set in nearly three acres of tropical walled gardens 250 metres from Hiriketiya Bay, this fully staffed, four-bedroom villa provides stunning panoramic ocean views, sea breezes, 100 metres of dramatic rocky seafront, simple luxury and complete privacy.
5,000 miles to Antarctica; uninterupted ocean
Directly ahead, across 5,000 miles of uninterrupted water, lies the coast of Antarctica. We have seen blue whales passing within 1000 metres from the bottom of the garden; few places on earth offer such an opportunity. There are monkeys, tortoises, grizzled giant squirrels, monitors, many types of birds, including sea eagles and most evenings the local peacocks arrive to roost in the coconut trees.
The villa lies about 15 kms from the southern tip of the island, about 200 kilometres or three hours south of Bandaranaike International Airport, Colombo. With Yala National Park (to the east) close enough for a day’s tour and Galle easily accessible to the west, this is the perfect location from which to experience all Sri Lanka’s "deep south" has to offer; from elephants and leopards at Yala to leatherback turtles at Rekawa and blue whales at Mirissa.
The entrance lies up a quiet lane, 35 metres above sea level, the highest point on this small headland and sandwiched between two of Sri Lanka’s most beautiful beaches, each just a few minutes’ walk away. Hiriketiya (Horseshoe) Bay, a 250 metres stroll, is idylic, with safe swimming and a year-round surf break. The gardens include desert roses, bougainvillea, heliconia, Japanese araliya, hibiscus, mango, wood-apple and much more. Below the main lawn, a coconut grove slopes down to the dramatic rocky shoreline; all to explore. At night, lights from the local fishing boats compete with fireflies for your attention.
The Villa
The Saffron House mixes traditional and contemporary design, reflected in hand-built furniture, hand-finished floors and simple tropical architecture, all from local materials.
The house is set around a central paved courtyard, about 30 metres above sea level. The courtyard is flanked on two sides by a large covered veranda with an adjoining kitchen, an open veranda for sunbathing and a 6 x 10 metre swimming pool. The pool's infinity edge faces directly south through the coconut trees and over the surf to the horizon.
The main covered veranda is the centre of the house with a dining area by the Koi fish pond and large sofas for relaxing at the south end, overlooking the terrace, the pool and the ocean beyond.
The four bedrooms are cool and airy, with polished concrete floors and contemporary furniture, hand-built from local teak and mango. Thick 12" mattresses and fine linen lie on striking, under-lit polished concrete beds topped with huge mosquito nets. Each room has a selection of thick white towels and coloured beach towels.
The house has broadband Wi-Fi and receives a 4G signal. All bedrooms have mosquito nets, fans and air conditioning. There is a good quality amplifier and wall speakers on the veranda for ipods etc. with bluetooth connectivity.
Staff & Food
The villa has four full-time staff. And Pinky, our feisty dachshund.
Christobel (Chris) Claessen manages the villa. She has many years of experience in hospitality, from private yachts to palatial residences. We are lucky to have her. She's a wonderful cook with wide repertoire in the kitchen, from traditional Sri Lankan cuisine to other Asian and western dishes. She also makes a mean pizza. You can discuss with her your menu requirements when you arrive. She will also prepare picnic breakfasts and/or lunches if you plan a day trip.
Chris is also a mine of information; She will organise day trips and give you sound advice on almost anything!
Pathum looks after the pool, koi pond and shares the housekeeping with Shriyani. Ajith keeps our wonderful garden in great shape. All the staff will make every effort to make your stay a memorable one.
We grow some of what you will eat when staying with us. From fresh herbs, rocket, spinach and tomatoes to mangos, jams, chillies and chutneys. We are careful to select the best produce from the market if we don't grow it ourselves and always buy our fish and seafood locally. Our whole focus is on the freshest ingredients.
For breakfast; fresh fruits, fresh buffalo curd, freshly baked bread and croissants, local jams, eggs (any way), bacon, hoppers, pol sambol, local tea, espresso, etc. In other words, whatever you want. We treat lunch and dinner with the same flexibility.