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.