When the trip came to its end, we were in the south and just longing for a special and calm space where we could basically do nothing after the various sightseeing and beautiful impressions of the weeks before. While travelling, many people told us that they were heading to Mirissa and also the travel guide and some blogs wrote positive things about this place so we booked a hotel for two nights and went there. And although it has some nice things to offer it just wasn’t what we were looking for. Too touristic, too crowded, too much noise. Thankfully, we met a friend on our way to Mirissa who told us about this beautiful hotel right next to the surfcamp he was staying at: Vanina Villas. I took a short look and after the first night at our hotel in Mirissa we just packed our bags and left for Meddawatta, which is close to Matara. Within two minutes it was clear that this has been the best decision of our holidays. This hotel is honestly close to perfection. The decoration of the common areas and each villa is composed by the italian architect & designer Piero Trionfera. The hotel is RIGHT next to the beach and what a beach that is. Many of the beaches we saw before were either unsafe for swimming because of currents or quite packed and touristy. But this one was just plain perfect. Almost deserted for most time of the day except early mornings and evenings, when some surfers appeared to catch some waves. The break there is perfect for beginners and we had so much fun to give it our first try. Also, there are no rocks or reef where you could hurt yourself. There has been very light and fine sand which mixed with sparkling black sand here and there. There is almost no infrastructure and tourism except some shacks where you can rent a board and buy some drinks. There are sunbeds and umbrellas provided by the hotel for their guests but no commercial rentals. This is how Mirissa must have been years ago I imagine. I was able to visit each Villa and all of them are incredibly beautiful. But our beach Villa was my favourite by far. From the terrace you could watch the sea and surfers and there is a small garden right in front of it where you’ll find additional sunbeds and even hammocks. Also, it has the most beautiful outdoor bathroom. The french owners of the place Myriam and Jean-Hervé have been incredibly sweet and helpful. You can really tel that they’ve put all their heart and spirit into that place to make it as awesome as it is. Damn, I could go on and on about how much I loved the stay but I’ll try to make it short: there is a fantastic pool which has been one of the two most clean and clear ones we saw during our travels, the staff has been very lovely, you can attend yoga and surf lessons and there is a nice restaurant with breakfast, lunch and dinner options. The vegetarian and vegan options are limited but just go ahead and ask Jean or Myriam and the will be happy to make some suggestions. To wrap it up: Vanina Villas was truly the highlight of a three weeks trip. I rarely say that as there is so much on my list I wish to discover but I really hope to come back one day sooner than later.

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