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— Niki: “We’ve pretty much left it as it is. There’s no fence or obstruction between the paddy fields and the garden. It’s just miles and miles of green expanse.”
Interview By: Welcome Beyond
— Please tell me a bit about the history of Maya and its restoration.
Niki: “I began to restore Maya in 2009 back to its original condition. It was in definite need of some loving attention. My main goal was to protect the building because it is very rare to have a building like that in this particular area.
When I discovered it in 2004, it was a dilapidated old Colonial bungalow dating from the late 19th to early 20th century. It features an architecture very typical of that era, with Dutch and British influences and was originally owned by a very high ranking family that had presided over the village. In a way, it’s quite grand to the village.
I wanted guests to experience staying in a lovingly restored heritage property. You can go to so many places and stay in nice, modern villas, but there is something unique and special about staying in a building that is 120 years old, yet doesn’t lack any of the modern creature comforts.”
When I discovered it in 2004, it was a dilapidated old Colonial bungalow dating from the late 19th to early 20th century. It features an architecture very typical of that era, with Dutch and British influences and was originally owned by a very high ranking family that had presided over the village. In a way, it’s quite grand to the village.
I wanted guests to experience staying in a lovingly restored heritage property. You can go to so many places and stay in nice, modern villas, but there is something unique and special about staying in a building that is 120 years old, yet doesn’t lack any of the modern creature comforts.”
— Maya exterior and pool
— What was your inspiration to buy a property in Sri Lanka?
Niki: “I was living in Singapore at that time, and my husband and I would go to Sri Lanka for holidays in the late ‘80s. I fell in love with the whole area around Tangalle because it was so beautiful and unspoiled. I started to think about getting some land on the beach, but couldn’t find anything I liked. When I was shown this property it grabbed my attention immediately.
And even now, when you first look at it through the gate, it really is quite amazing to have that open expanse. There is an immediate impact. Although we’ve tidied up the garden, we’ve pretty much left it as it was. It’s really unspoiled and it leads onto these paddy fields which go as far as the eye can see. There’s no fence or obstruction around Maya, it’s just miles and miles of green expanse. It’s quite stunning.”
And even now, when you first look at it through the gate, it really is quite amazing to have that open expanse. There is an immediate impact. Although we’ve tidied up the garden, we’ve pretty much left it as it was. It’s really unspoiled and it leads onto these paddy fields which go as far as the eye can see. There’s no fence or obstruction around Maya, it’s just miles and miles of green expanse. It’s quite stunning.”
— Maya bathroom
— Together with a Sri Lankan architect you restored Maya. What was your approach to the design?
Niki: “I decided to add on a whole new structure, making sure the two buildings at Maya blended together, even though they were built 100 years apart. It was quite a challenge because we didn’t want them to look different.
The other key thing was breaking the mold and putting more than just old, lovely Colonial pieces in it, which was a bit boring to me. I turned the tables and decided to make the old house very contemporary. There’s so much warmth there because it’s mixed up just a bit with some lovely old pieces scattered around here and there, which stops the house from being too modern. A lot of the guests have found it very refreshing because it’s an unexpected surprise.”
The other key thing was breaking the mold and putting more than just old, lovely Colonial pieces in it, which was a bit boring to me. I turned the tables and decided to make the old house very contemporary. There’s so much warmth there because it’s mixed up just a bit with some lovely old pieces scattered around here and there, which stops the house from being too modern. A lot of the guests have found it very refreshing because it’s an unexpected surprise.”
—
— Please tell me a bit about the rooms and facilities at Maya.
Niki: “We have three rooms in the new wing and two in the old wing. They all have en suite bathrooms with rain showers and are situated around the swimming pool.
The bedrooms and bathrooms in the new wing are bigger and the bathrooms also open onto the courtyard. You can feel as though you’re showering with nature. However all of the rooms open to a private courtyard so you get the feeling that the room and the courtyard are one.
There’s a large open pavilion adjacent to the swimming pool, a dining table that seats 12, lounging sofas and a music system. There is another dining room in the old house, which opens to a veranda with its own music system, DVDs, and board games.
We have 11 staff, which includes two security guards, three gardeners and six house staff. The guests always comment about what a good staff we have. They leave happy because the staff has taken great care of them during their. I’m very lucky to have such a great team.”
The bedrooms and bathrooms in the new wing are bigger and the bathrooms also open onto the courtyard. You can feel as though you’re showering with nature. However all of the rooms open to a private courtyard so you get the feeling that the room and the courtyard are one.
There’s a large open pavilion adjacent to the swimming pool, a dining table that seats 12, lounging sofas and a music system. There is another dining room in the old house, which opens to a veranda with its own music system, DVDs, and board games.
We have 11 staff, which includes two security guards, three gardeners and six house staff. The guests always comment about what a good staff we have. They leave happy because the staff has taken great care of them during their. I’m very lucky to have such a great team.”
— Exterior seating area
— What are some of the typical dishes you serve and how would you describe the cuisine?
Niki: “Our chef makes incredible Western food but with a twist and a very distinctive Asian flavour to the dishes. A few examples are prawns on a skewer with lime and chili sauce, coconut and butternut soup or homemade ravioli with fresh crab and dill and basil pesto.
He also makes very good Thai food like deep fried squid with spring onions, chili chicken salad with orange sauce, Thai grilled chicken with rice and beans, fish baked in banana leaf, pan fried yellow fin tuna or beefsteak medallions with red wine sauce and mustard mash.
For dessert we offer things like chili cinnamon chocolate pudding or home made ice cream.”
He also makes very good Thai food like deep fried squid with spring onions, chili chicken salad with orange sauce, Thai grilled chicken with rice and beans, fish baked in banana leaf, pan fried yellow fin tuna or beefsteak medallions with red wine sauce and mustard mash.
For dessert we offer things like chili cinnamon chocolate pudding or home made ice cream.”
— Maya bedroom
Niki's favourites:
Maya
Transportation
Eat & Drink
Activities
SightsInterview By: Welcome Beyond
— Please tell me a bit about the area around Maya.
Niki: “The area is not very touristy and the people here are simple and friendly. They’re generally quite conservative and many of them are rice farmers, fishermen or coconut planters. Having said that, they’re well educated and all speak English.
There are enough other small hotels and villas around, so if our guests want to go out for dinner somewhere, they can for example go to a beautiful beach club only 20 minutes away.”
There are enough other small hotels and villas around, so if our guests want to go out for dinner somewhere, they can for example go to a beautiful beach club only 20 minutes away.”
— Maya exterior seating area
— Guests can enjoy complete privacy when staying at Maya. Do your guests ever leave the property?
Niki: “Guests have to do a lot of driving to get here, so by the time they get to Maya, they want to literally chill out, read, eat, sleep and maybe play cricket in the garden. With two acres, that’s one of the benefits. Our staff even makes kites for the kids to run around with.
In the garden, there are lots of animals – birds, monkeys, peacocks, lizards – so there is lots of wildlife to watch. We also have a masseuse on site and we can arrange for a yoga instructor to come around as well. We also offer a well-being package which is a six night/seven day stay.”
In the garden, there are lots of animals – birds, monkeys, peacocks, lizards – so there is lots of wildlife to watch. We also have a masseuse on site and we can arrange for a yoga instructor to come around as well. We also offer a well-being package which is a six night/seven day stay.”
—
— If guests do go out, what would you recommend to see or do in the area?
Niki: “We have a couple of bikes for people to go riding and there’s nice walking in the area too. About 20 minutes away there’s a turtle sanctuary where you can watch turtles come onto the beach and nest and lay their eggs. There are very famous sites like Mulkirigala Temple and Wewurukannara Temple about 30 to 45 minutes away from the property and we’re about 45 minutes away from a place where you can see dolphins and go whale watching.
Udawalawe is an elephant reserve that’s about an hour and a half away that’s very popular. It’s a very nice half day trip. A day trip would be to a bigger sanctuary that has lots of other animals like leopards. It’s about a three hour drive so we’ll pack a lunch for guests for these trips.”
Udawalawe is an elephant reserve that’s about an hour and a half away that’s very popular. It’s a very nice half day trip. A day trip would be to a bigger sanctuary that has lots of other animals like leopards. It’s about a three hour drive so we’ll pack a lunch for guests for these trips.”
—
— To you personally, what has been most rewarding about running Maya?
Niki: “There’s a lot of attention to detail and I’ve put a lot of my own personal things in the house, so it doesn’t look like a generic hotel. It actually looks like a home and people feel very comfortable. They notice that the house is something different, something they haven’t seen before. And our guests help to preserve something of history by staying in a restored building. That, to me, is my biggest reward.
And of course, my staff. The guests always comment about what a great staff we have. They leave happy because they have taken great care of them during their stay. I'm very lucky to have such a great team.”
And of course, my staff. The guests always comment about what a great staff we have. They leave happy because they have taken great care of them during their stay. I'm very lucky to have such a great team.”
— Paddy fields
— When is the best time to come for a visit to Maya?
Niki: “The best time is probably November to May but August is also quite a popular time.
The quietest months are May, June, September and October simply because of the monsoon. However, this year in May and June, we had absolutely no rain and beautiful sunny days. You can’t really predict the weather these days. And when it’s monsoon, it doesn’t rain all the time but you might get a sunny day here and there before it rains again. It can get a little windy, but people actually find that nice.
April is meant to be very hot, but on the property, it’s never really that hot because of the paddy fields. It’s so open that we get an incredible breeze that comes through all the time.”
The quietest months are May, June, September and October simply because of the monsoon. However, this year in May and June, we had absolutely no rain and beautiful sunny days. You can’t really predict the weather these days. And when it’s monsoon, it doesn’t rain all the time but you might get a sunny day here and there before it rains again. It can get a little windy, but people actually find that nice.
April is meant to be very hot, but on the property, it’s never really that hot because of the paddy fields. It’s so open that we get an incredible breeze that comes through all the time.”
—
— Thank you, Niki!
Prices are an indication only. The final quote will be the same low price as booking your vacation directly.
There are no fees to book. Please check directly with the owner for special arrangements or information not listed here.
Service
Catered
Accommodation type
Boutique hotel
Location
Countryside
Special requirements
Children welcome
Pets welcome
Wheelchair accessible
Smoking allowed
Transport
Car recommended
Private parking
Good public transport
Prices are an indication only. The final quote will be the same low price as booking your vacation directly.
There are no fees to book. Please check directly with the owner for special arrangements or information not listed here.
Bedrooms
0 Single bedroom
1 Double bedroom
0 Twin bedroom
0 Room w. multiple beds
Additional:
0 Sofabed
1 Extra bed (on request)
0 Air mattress (on req.)
1 Baby cot/crib (on req.)
Bath/shower rooms
1 Bathroom (ensuite)
0 Bathroom (shared)
0 Shower room (ensuite)
0 Shower room (shared)
1 Toilet (ensuite)
Additional:
0 Toilet (shared)
Other rooms
-
0 Kitchen
0 Kitchenette
0 Cooking area
0 Living room
0 Dining room
0 Other rooms
Prices for 2 sharingperson
Lowest price
Highest price
Low season
$ 210
$ 210
High season
$ 280
$ 280
Peak season
$ 320
$ 320
Extra bed per night
$ 50
$ 50
Size: 30 square meters. 5 units available.
Maya has five suites named after trees in our garden. Thekka and Kumbuk are in the Old House, Amba, Ehela and Kohomba are in the New Wing. The 2 rooms in the Old House have 4 poster king size beds, the New Wing rooms have deluxe king size beds and their own private courtyards. Ensuite bathrooms have rain showers and a range of bathroom products using organically grown tropical herbs and spices.
Extra beds (free for under 12s; USD 50 for teenager and adults) and free baby cots can be added to most suites.
The rates include breakfast, 10% service tax, 12% VAT and 1% tourism tax. Driver accomodation and meals are offered at no extra charge.
Low season: May, June, October and November.
High season: March, April, July, August and September.
Peak season: December, January and February.
Please note that during Christmas season, a minimum stay of 4 nights is required. Applicable from December 20th to January 2nd.
Amazing and Affordable Hotels for Honeymoons
Forget your iPod, at this century-old manor house the peaceful chirrups of the crickets and ribbits of the frogs is the only soundtrack you’ll need. There’s plenty to look at, too, like the midnight-blue pool, flower-rich gardens, and patchwork of rice paddies. Choose from the five breezy suites that each have 25-foot ceilings and elegant extras like four-poster beds and private courtyards, then browse through the hotel’s collection of books, CDs, and games (free entertainment is always good!). Maya also houses a restaurant serving delicious takes on local delicacies like marinated wild boar or curried goat.
Room to book: The two main-house suites are identical in layout, but Thekka has better views, while Khumbuk offers more privacy.
Room to book: The two main-house suites are identical in layout, but Thekka has better views, while Khumbuk offers more privacy.
— Martha Stewart WeddingsMartha Stewart Weddings, February 2012
Loving Lanka
We stayed at Maya Villa, and while many of Sri Lanka’s colonial homes have been transformed in to magnificently serene and tranquil retreats, few offer a perfectly private walled, secret haven, with endless views of palm trees, a menagerie of wildlife and a Buddhist monastery for a neighbour. Maya’s single storey, five-bedroom, century-old manor house has been restored and extended into a boutique living space with an open-air dining area, 20-metre swimming pool, and on-site staff, including a chef who would challenge any guest to head past the gates in search of food.
After a day’s excursion into the temples, lounging on the beaches, watching the waves and sampling the local cuisine, the bedroom’s polished cement flooring, bamboo blinds, open-plan bathrooms complete with rain shower, low-rise beds shrouded in mosquito nets, and floor-to-ceiling sliding doors leading to your own private slice of heaven, make it clear why Maya is the perfect end to your perfect day.
After a day’s excursion into the temples, lounging on the beaches, watching the waves and sampling the local cuisine, the bedroom’s polished cement flooring, bamboo blinds, open-plan bathrooms complete with rain shower, low-rise beds shrouded in mosquito nets, and floor-to-ceiling sliding doors leading to your own private slice of heaven, make it clear why Maya is the perfect end to your perfect day.
— Grazia Traveller, DubaiGrazia Traveller, Dubai, January 2012
Villa Maya, Sri Lanka
Tourism has picked up in Sri Lanka and new hotels are popping up fast. Villa Maya opened in the spring of 2011 and is owned by Niki Fairchild, a successful international interior designer from Singapore and graduate of the Parsons School for Design in New York. Together with the Sri Lankan architect Pradeep Kodikara, she turned a dilapidated old colonial bungalow dating from the late 19th century in the coastal area of Tangalle into an intimate hotel. Villa Maya has five exceptional rooms divided between the old house and the new wing. “In the design there are hints of the Dutch and British influences of Sri Lanka but not with too much heavy colonial furniture. It had to be very fresh and modern in atmosphere,” explains Fairchild.
— MonocleMonocle, November 2011
Sri Lanka: Hedendaags koloniaal
Zopas opende in Sri Lanka de Villa Maya, een hotel langs de kust in Tangalle. Drijvende kracht achter het nieuwe boetiekhotel is Niki Fairchild, een Singaporaanse interieurontwerpster die na studies aan de Parsons School for Design in New York de prestigieuze opdrachten aan het opstapelen is. Ze renoveerde een vervallen koloniale bungalow uit de laat-19de-eeuw tot een luxeplek met vijf bijzondere kamers die uitgeven op een grote tuin of de rijstvelden. Een dubbele kamer met ontbijt vanaf 119 euro.
— De Morgen, BelgiumDe Morgen, Belgium, September 2011
The coconut groove of Sri Lanka
Maya, an exquisitely restored Sri Lankan manor house dating from the late 19th century, has been converted into a five-suite villa (available for exclusive use or bookable per room). Surrounded by paddy fields near Tangalle - on Sri Lanka's palm-fringed southern coast - Maya is set in tropical gardens shaded by coconut trees.
The original verandahs, courtyards and lattice work on the doors and windows have all been retained, with a new 20m swimming pool in the central courtyard. Mod cons include DVD player and library, music system on the verandah and Wi-Fi.
Bicycles are available for cycling to the nearest village, Aranwella. Suites combine four-poster beds, 400 thread-count Indian linen and private courtyards with en-suites with rain showers and organic products. A chef cooks daily and there is a wine cellar.
The original verandahs, courtyards and lattice work on the doors and windows have all been retained, with a new 20m swimming pool in the central courtyard. Mod cons include DVD player and library, music system on the verandah and Wi-Fi.
Bicycles are available for cycling to the nearest village, Aranwella. Suites combine four-poster beds, 400 thread-count Indian linen and private courtyards with en-suites with rain showers and organic products. A chef cooks daily and there is a wine cellar.
— London Evening StandardLondon Evening Standard, April 2011
Best rates
You pay the same rate as booking with the property directly. There are no booking fees or extra costs to you. That’s guaranteed!
Direct owner contact
Use the ‘Contact’ button on the left to get information about availability and rates from the owner directly — and also receive the link to the property website with further details.
Our helpline
If you need help, call us on +49 163 737 2509 (Mo-Fr, 10am-10pm CET)
Outside these times leave us a message and we’ll call right back.
Outside these times leave us a message and we’ll call right back.
