The Sandhya hotel - Ahangama, Sri Lanka

The white sandy beaches that stretch along Sri Lanka’s south coast to the east of Galle have been rich pickings for eager developers in recent years. While most hospitality options follow the typical Colonial-style villa or local surf shack model, one new arrival stands out from the crowd.

Located on a quiet corner of Kabalana beach, just metres from the turquoise waters, The Sandhya is a clean-lined boutique hotel with Scandinavian design sensibilities. Housed in a low-slung rectangular white box of a building, The Sandya’s symmetrical plan offers up nine, elegant ocean view rooms, including one suite.

At its heart, the hotel is anchored by a double height lobby space filled with mid-century modern-inspired furniture designed by Sebastian Conran-trained Linden Davis of Only & Co. Here, floor-to-ceiling windows make the most of the breathtaking view, which can be enjoyed over breakfast, lunch and dinner served up by the hotel’s farm-to-table restaurant.