Villa 73 Unawatuna

Three rooms occupy this walled garden villa on Matara Road, where Unawatuna's beach strip begins its curve toward the rocky headland — the sand is a four-minute walk from the gate.

The property runs more like a private residence than a hotel: a shared kitchen, lounge, and sun deck create communal space, while room service and a coffee house on site cover guests who prefer to stay put. A hot tub sits in the garden. Bicycle rental, bike tours, and a tour desk make day-tripping straightforward; Galle Fort, a 6km tuk-tuk ride west, is the obvious first excursion.

Airport shuttles and car rental are arranged on request. The villa's 9.2 rating across 240 reviews reflects the scale — staff attention that larger resorts in the area rarely match.