Casa Tikiri - Boutique Hotel
Italian design sensibility dropped into a lush Sri Lankan garden. Warm earth tones, handwoven textiles, SMEG kettles, outdoor showers under palm trees. Calm, design-forward, genuinely personal — built and run by Alice and Stefano, an Italian couple from Lake Como who quit their jobs and moved here in 2021.
Book the restaurant for dinner even if you're not staying — it's open to outside guests (adults only) from 6-10 PM
Why It Matters
Built from scratch by two Italians during Sri Lanka's 2022 economic crisis, entirely custom-designed down to every mirror and lamp. Featured in Vanity Fair, Marie Claire, Travel & Leisure, and Elle Decor within two years of opening. Listed on Tablet Hotels. The paddy lodge suites with private pools overlooking rice fields are a genuinely rare product on the south coast.
Casa Tikiri is an Italian-owned, adults-only concept spanning two distinct properties just 500 metres apart on Sri Lanka's south coast: the seven-room Boutique Hotel, 300 metres from Kabalana Beach, and the newer Paddy Lodge (opened March 2025), a four-suite hideaway set among rice fields. Both share the same Italian-soul-meets-tropical-Sri-Lanka aesthetic — handcrafted furniture, open-air bathrooms, and terracotta-and-pink colour palettes designed around the jungle, not despite it. A complimentary tuk-tuk runs between them daily from 7:45 AM to 10 PM.
Where You'll Stay
11 room types available
Dakuna
Dakuna means 'right' in Sinhala — the rightmost of Paddy Lodge's three private-pool suites. Two-level layout with private plunge pool, rice field views, open-air bathroom, and ground-floor lounge. Same high-design standard as Vama and Madha.
Deka
Deka means 'two' in Sinhala and is one of two larger suites at the Boutique Hotel. Shades of green and pink throughout. A handwoven traditional sofa, a large wooden table, and a resident little blue rabbit sculpture. The open-air shower is tropical and surrounded by plants. There's an egg chair facing the pool and a private veranda with two traditional chairs at the back.
Eka
The first room (Eka means 'one' in Sinhala). An intimate room overlooking the inner courtyard. Compact but fully equipped with air conditioning, rain shower, and private veranda. Part of the Boutique Hotel's five standard rooms, each with its own personality.
Hatha
Hatha means 'seven' in Sinhala. A small room overlooking the pool, done in terracotta orange, soft pink, and deep green. Features a large handcrafted wooden mirror and an open-air bathroom surrounded by tropical flowers. Private veranda with two traditional chairs facing the garden.
Hathara
Hathara means 'four' in Sinhala. One of the five intimate rooms at the Boutique Hotel, each designed individually with natural materials, soft tones, and open-air bathroom elements. Pool views available.
Haya
Haya means 'six' in Sinhala. A large bedroom overlooking the pool, featuring a real palm tree growing through the open-air shower — one of the more unique design details in the hotel.
Madha
Madha means 'centre' in Sinhala — the middle suite of Paddy Lodge's three private-pool villas. Same two-level layout as Vama and Dakuna: open lounge on the ground floor opening to a private pool, open-air bedroom and bathroom on the upper floor with rice field views. Each suite has a distinct colour palette.
Paha
Paha means 'five' in Sinhala. A larger bedroom overlooking the pool, with an outdoor bathroom surrounded by tropical flowers. Natural materials, warm tones.
Thuna
Thuna means 'three' in Sinhala. The second large suite at the Boutique Hotel, with a generous separate living area and an open-air bathroom featuring tropical plants. Same attention to handcrafted detail as Deka, with a distinct colour palette.
Uda
Uda means 'above' in Sinhala — and true to its name, this is the upper-floor open-plan loft of the Paddy Lodge. An elegant, light-filled space with rice field views and horizon lines, designed for those who love air, light, and space. A quieter, more budget-accessible Paddy Lodge option without a private pool.
Vama
Vama means 'left' in Sinhala, which is exactly its position in the Paddy Lodge. A two-level suite: the ground floor opens onto a private plunge pool surrounded by nature with a comfortable lounge sofa; upstairs is a bright open-air bedroom with rice field views. Large open-air bathroom designed for long showers. Peach and coral tones with handcrafted furniture throughout.
The Property
Eat & Drink
2 venues on property
Restaurant
Spa & Wellness
Treatment Menu
On Property
How you'll actually spend your days.
Casa Tikiri hosts and facilitates small, curated retreats — from yoga immersions to creative workshops. Guests can join upcoming scheduled retreats or enquire about hosting a private retreat at the Paddy Lodge space.
The hotel's location between Galle and Mirissa makes it a solid base for day trips to Yala National Park (wildlife safaris with leopards and elephants) and Udawalawe National Park. Sinharaja Rainforest Reserve is also accessible.
The Rooftop Shala at Paddy Lodge can be rented privately for yoga sessions, workshops, or events.
Come earlier than dinner service for a sunset aperitivo in the restaurant garden. A nice way to ease into an Italian-inspired dinner under the stars.
Kabalana Beach is a 3-minute walk (510 steps, per the hotel's own description) from the Boutique Hotel. The beach has surf lessons available directly on the sand — ask the owners for surf school recommendations.
Scheduled yoga and mat Pilates classes held on the rooftop shala at Paddy Lodge, overlooking the rice fields. Open to guests of both properties. Check the schedule on the website.
Amenities & Practical Info
The details that matter for planning.
Bar available at the property for guests and dinner restaurant visitors.
Outdoor infinity pool at the Boutique Hotel, surrounded by palm trees, tropical flowers, and jungle. Accessible to Boutique Hotel guests and Paddy Lodge guests (via tuk-tuk). Daytime pool access reserved for in-house guests.
Each of the three Paddy Lodge suites (Vama, Madha, Dakuna) has its own private plunge pool overlooking the rice fields. The Uda loft does not have a private pool but has access to the Boutique Hotel pool.
All rooms at both properties have air conditioning.
Minibar fridge included in Paddy Lodge suites. Boutique Hotel rooms have minibar fridge and SMEG kettle with tea and instant coffee.
Most rooms feature open-air or semi-open-air bathrooms with hot water rain showers. Haya room famously has a real palm tree growing through the shower.
A paid airport shuttle service is available, primarily serving Koggala Airport (5 km away, ~10-minute drive).
A free tuk-tuk service connects the Boutique Hotel and Paddy Lodge. Runs daily from 7:45 AM to 10:00 PM. Covers the 500-metre distance in just a few minutes.
BUILD YOUR CASA TIKIRI - BOUTIQUE HOTEL PLAN
Rooms, dining, spa, and resort experiences — organized into one trip plan.
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