Just as Rudyard Kipling’s timeless poem ‘If’ inspires, so its namesake soothes; as soon as you walk through the front door, soak in the generous surroundings and take your first glimpse at the beautiful turquoise sea that it so fortunately overlooks you are immediately put at ease. The soft sandy beach is directly accessible from the villa and is one of the island’s finest; typically deserted, it’s washed by a sea that’s superb for swimming in as it’s protected by an offshore coral reef.

The elegant design of IF was inspired by sketches of beautiful Dutch colonial buildings in Barbara Sansoni’s classic book Viharas and Verandas of Ceylon and was the first to be built on this stretch of coastline more than 20 years ago. The interior design echoes the villa’s simplistic build and suitably equips it with only the most essential furnishings, many of which are strikingly beautiful Dutch period antiques. Luxury comes in the form of space, if not in the bedrooms then in the large garden, the huge living room and the handful of places where company or quietude can delightfully be found; the cushion-topped sofa on the ocean terrace is without a doubt one of Sri Lanka’s most splendid spots for savouring sensational sundowners beside the sea.

To one side of the grassy garden is a green-hued swimming pool that’s hidden from the beach by a raised bank of evergreen firs and tropical palms that stretch half-way along the villa’s oceanfront boundary. Beside it is an open-sided pavilion with dining table for ten and relaxed seating as well as the distraction of a pool table. It’s a wonderfully breezy place to pass the time of day and the staff will serve all your meals here (on guest account) from the fully-equipped kitchen that’s conveniently located just behind.

IF can be sociable or serene, depending upon the occasion. A favourite with families, children will adore the villa’s spacious grounds and the lagoon-like sea that can be swum in year-round while serenity seekers will adore its privacy and seclusion. However the villa’s location in Talpe means a generous selection of shops, restaurants and attractions are easily accessible IF you can be prised from your sun bed to step outdoors.

• Air-con
• Baby Cot
• BBQ
• Bed Linen
• Board Games/Toys
• Car Parking
• Main Dining (10 persons)
• Tumble Dryer
• DVD Library
• Ceiling Fans
• Hairdryers
• High Chairs
• Internet (WiFi)
• iPod Dock/Speakers
• Iron/Board
• Equipped Kitchen
• Laundry Service (In-house)
• Book Selection
• Microwave
• Oven/Hotplates
• Swimming Pool Toys
• Extra Bed (Roll away/mattress)
• Safe
• Snooker/Pool Table
• CD Player/Stereo System
• Swimming Pool (Private)
• Towels
• TV (Satellite/Cable)
• Washing Machine
• Service Staff
• Shopper
• Manager
• Masseuse/Spa Therapist
• Housekeeping (Full time)
• Chef/Cook (All meals)

Period	Net Rates
from 1 April 2012 to 15 July 2012	$ 800
from 16 July 2012 to 15 September 2012	$ 900
from 16 September 2012 to 1 November 2012	$ 700
from 2 November 2012 to 15 December 2012	$ 900
from 16 December 2012 to 10 January 2013	$ 1600
from 11 January 2013 to 31 March 2013	$ 900
from 1 April 2013 to 15 July 2013	$ 800
from 16 July 2013 to 15 September 2013	$ 900
from 16 September 2013 to 1 November 2013	$ 700
from 2 November 2013 to 15 December 2013	$ 900

IF is made up of a trio of buildings set within a spacious tropical garden. The biggest is home to the five bedrooms, a TV lounge and a large living room whilst the smallest houses the kitchen. The third building is an L-shaped pavilion beside the swimming pool that’s designed for dining.

Access to IF is through a double wall from the car park that takes you across the shady rear garden via stepping stones to the entrance veranda of the main house. As you step inside you come into a central courtyard with fish pond. Each of the five bedrooms open onto this central courtyard that features, to the left of the entrance and under cover, a large lounger in front of a 32-inch LCD TV.

Of the five bedrooms, three are doubles and two are twins. Each room is air conditioned and features Dutch four-poster beds, ceiling fans, side tables topped with antique artefacts, second doors onto the garden and ensuite bathrooms with twin washbasins, heated towel rails and showers. The two larger double bedrooms additionally feature a walk-in dressing room with lockable safe and come with a shower that’s pleasingly open air.

To the front of the main house is an expansive fan-cooled living room with soaring timber ceiling, a trio of large sofas and a massive Dutch chest filled with beach toys. A deep, pillared veranda wraps completely around this room which to the front is furnished with a collection of rattan chairs and loungers. Across from this veranda is a shady ambalama (resting pavilion) – perfect for yoga practitioners – and a sun deck with built-in sofa that splendidly and uninterruptedly overlooks the sea.

Across the lawn from the main house is a fan-cooled open-sided dining pavilion. Here there’s a broad dining table for ten, a pool table and a further collection of rattan lounge seating that look out over the swimming pool, the garden and the horizon of the sea.

The kitchen stands on its own behind the dining pavilion. Fully equipped, it comes with a centre island, an oven and a storage area to the back with plenty of fridge space for stocking drinks.

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