Lilly Village

Lily Village is a beautifully designed little villa tucked away 1 street back from the beach at Bentota. A quick 100m walk to the beach and 500m to the main town, main beach, bars etc. It is easy to get around on foot, while nice to retire back to a more peaceful location. We were lucky to meet the owner Marie and her three beautiful dogs Arnold the Dachshund, Aston the Retriever and Margery the rescued stray with the warmest temperament. Marie has created a lovely relaxed atmosphere and and great taste in decor - everything is "just so" while still being homely. The bedrooms are clean and fairly simple while the outdoor bathroom was a real luxury. The two staff gave us impeccable service and breakfast (which was included in the room rate) was perfect - good quality bread, homemade jams, beautiful fruit and choice of eggs. They also recommended a great restaurant - Malli's Seafood - which we went to two nights in a row we loved it so much. This was our favourite meal in Sri Lanka without a doubt. One thing I'd like to point out about some peoples reviews about this place - you can't criticise them for not having a pool when they don't advertise having a pool. A) it is 100m from the beach; B) choose a place with a pool if you want a pool; and C) Trip Advisor reviews should be about expectation vs. reality, not about what amenities you think they should have.

We were totally unprepared for how lovely Lilly Village is, when we got our of the tuk tuk, tired and dirty after a long train journey. We were led through the tranquil garden, to the open dining area and given tea and cold drinks. The rooms are peaceful and the ' open air' bathrooms are elegant, with all you need including a hairdryer. Breakfast - fruit plates, toast and eggs was lovely. My only criticism is that there is no-one on the premises between 7pm and 7am so early morning or late night cups of tea etc are unavailable. It is 5 minute walk to the 5km beach. The staff are charming and the decor of the communal spaces is beautiful. We will be back again.

We had the pleasure of staying here for a few days over Christmas, and we weren't disappointed. Everything pleased, from the beautiful decor, garden, amazing food, outdoor bathroom, attentive staff, charming animals; would return again! Was disappointed not to have spoken with the owner.