Halala Kanda House

Halala Kanda House is a restored country house located near the southern coast of Sri Lanka. The property holds a sentimental value for its original owner; a rich plantation owner’s son wanted to woo the love of his life and so, he built this colonial house in 1912. When the building’s current owners first came across the property, it was in a dilapidated state. They began to restore the house and the 2-acre estate that surrounds it.

During the restoration efforts, local craftsmen were able to salvage most of the main structure. Some antique furniture were also recovered at the site. The jungle that covered the green areas had been cut, revealing a grove of coconut, mango, and mangosteen trees. The new owners decided to keep them too, and added some more plantations to the mix; tea, coffee, citrus and a garden for spices and vegetables. A large swimming pool and a gazebo were added to the outdoor area. The house was converted into a six-bedroom holiday house, retaining the country estate house feel while adding modern amenities for extra comfort.

Halala Kanda House, also known as Firefly Hill Boutique, is located 15-minutes (by car) north of Weligama, a coastal town. From there you can drive to either Mirissa to visit more beaches or Galle, a city rich with historical buildings.

( sq/ ft.)  |  Holiday Home License:

Bedrooms: Halala Kanda House offers six bedroom suites, accommodating 12 people. Two suites have access to the lounge area, another two are veranda suites and the final two suites have their own private gardens. Four of the six bedrooms have their own ensuites. To maximise the comfort of staying guests, each suit is fitted with an air conditioner, a ceiling fan and mosquito nets draped on the bed’s canopy. There is also a space to relax tucked in the corner of each bedroom, with a couple of lounge chairs and a small coffee table.

Outdoors: The property sits on a 2-acre green estate, originally discovered to have been housing groves of coconut, mango and mangosteen trees. During the building’s restoration process, these vegetation were restored as well, and some more plants were added. Some of those additions were coffee and tea plantations, pineapple groves, citrus trees, pepper and cinnamon vines, and a garden for spices and vegetables. Halala Kanda House features an expansive 23-metre saltwater swimming pool, a welcomed addition for those hotter days. You can relax on the sun loungers set by the patio or by the nearby lawn. On one end of the pool is a gazebo area named The Folly, where you can view the gardens at a distance while enjoying your drink. It is nice and breezy there.

Indoors: The indoor areas of Halala Kanda house have been revamped with a black and white aesthetic in mind. That way some of the antique furniture and collectibles are able to shine on the building’s white walls. The entrance hall lounge greets you as you come into the house, decorated with antiques that date back all the way to the original construction of the house. Its 20 metre barrel vault ceilings further emphasised the grandness of the room. Then you will enter the Room of Curiosities, where you can play board games with your family or enjoy some drinks with your friends. The contemporary-styled kitchen houses modern appliances and a couple of dining tables in its remaining space. For another dining setting, the open air dining pavilion overlooks the garden and the 100-year old tamarind tree.

Staff Quarters: A full service staff is dedicated to make your stay at Halala Kanda House enjoyable. The tea plantation at the estate produces tea to be consumed by guests staying at the villa. Daily breakfast, prepared by the in-house chef, is included in the rental price. You can ask to have other meals made for you at an additional cost. Wifi runs throughout the property. There is off-street parking available. Upon your arrival to Halala Kanda House, you will receive welcome drinks.

Concierge: The Concierge team takes care of guest experiences! We are your personal assistants on the ground and help you with anything and everything from the moment you book with us, at no extra charge.

Payment Terms: 10% deposit payment required to confirm your stay

Balance payable at least 60 days prior to check-in

Deposit:  10% deposit payment required to confirm your stay

Cancellation Policy: Cancel 30 days prior to check-in for 50% refund

House Rules: Check-in: after 02:00 pm | Check-out: until 12:00 pm | Late check-out: until 06:00 pm charged 50% of the daily rate (subject to availability)

Location: A short car ride south will bring you to the coastal town of Weligama, where you can spend a nice day at the beach or do some whale watching. From there, going east will get you to Mirissa, where you can visit the Fishery Harbour or Coconut Tree Hill. Going the other way will lead you to Galle, a historically-rich city with buildings dating back to the Dutch and Portuguese era. You can visit Galle Fort and Lighthouse.

Highlights – A restored 1912 colonial property located near Sri Lanka’s southern coast; Expansive 2-acre green area with fruit orchards and tea and coffee plantation; Houses a mixture of Sri Lanka’s antique and contemporary collectibles; A 23-metre saltwater swimming pool.

Around the villa

Place of worship

1.7 km

Galle Fort

25.4 km

Yala National Park

110.1 km

Bandaranaike International Colombo Airport

172.4 km

Sigiriya

217.4 km