Galle, Sri Lanka

20 Middle Street

20 Middle Street Photos

Style

Royal-worthy residence

Setting

Girdled by Galle Fort

Sleeps

8

You’ll know the moment you walk through the vast wooden doors of 20 Middle Street that you’ve happened upon somewhere special. Occupying a prime plot within Galle Fort’s mighty walls, this erstwhile Dutch merchant’s house is as elegant as any of Amsterdam’s finest canal-side homes. Built in 1750, the villa is easily the largest inside the fort, and has high ceilings, swooping stone archways and impeccable, art-filled interiors. Like that well-heeled merchant, you’ll also have a host, private chef and cleaner throughout your stay, ensuring you needn’t lift a finger except to pluck a gilded tome from the shelves.

Smith Extra

Get this when you book through us:

A traditional Sri Lankan dinner

First Glance

Photos 20 Middle Street
  • Traditional Sri Lankan building, with wooden floors, arched windows and grand proportions.
  • There’s a main house, pool house and annexe.
  • Extensive art and antiques collection.
  • Over 12s only (due to the above).
  • Living room with plush sofas, artworks, ceiling fans and lamps.
  • Games and television room opposite the living room, with tribal masks on the wall and a billiard table.
  • Huge dining room that runs the entire width of the house, with a high ceiling, mezzanine floor and lofty doors that lead out onto the terrace.
  • No kitchen for guests to use, just a working one where your chef will be busy preparing your meals.
  • Indoor-outdoor terrace with a lounging space and dining area.
  • The villa measures around 10,000sq ft.

Villa highlights

  • Amazing art and antiques
  • Private chef
  • Within Galle's famous fort

Sleeping arrangements

Photos 20 Middle Street
  • Five bedrooms, one of which has twin beds.
  • Each is spacious, with wooden furniture, a four-poster bed, ceiling fans and neutral soft furnishings.
  • Two bedrooms are on the first floor of the main house.
  • A second building houses two bedrooms.
  • There’s another outbuilding in the garden with a bedroom.
  • Each of the bedrooms has an ensuite bathroom with walk-in rain shower.
  • The bathrooms of the two bedrooms in the main house have twin sinks.

Key kit

  • Air-conditioning.
  • Free WiFi.
  • Laundry (done by the house staff at an extra cost).
  • Daily housekeeping.

Poolside

Photos 20 Middle Street
  • There’s a decking-surrounded pool in the garden, between two of the outbuildings.
  • 12’ x 24’.
  • Four sunloungers.

Grounds

Photos 20 Middle Street
  • Pretty garden with a lawn and several seating areas.
  • Some of the guesthouses are set away from the main house within the garden.
  • The grounds span a quarter of an acre.
  • The chances are you’ll have a private driver – he’ll figure the parking out.

Location

Photos 20 Middle Street
  • The villa is in the town of Galle, famous for its fort.
  • You don’t need a car to get around Galle: everything is accessible on foot.
  • The drive to Bonavista beach will take 12 minutes.
  • From Colombo, and the island’s international airport, the drive should take around two and a half hours.

The Guestbook

Whenever you book a stay at a Smith hotel or villa, we’ll invite you to review it when you get back. Read what other Smith members had to say in 20 Middle Street’s Guestbook below.
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