"Residents only. Inspection by appointment," reads the stern notice by the guard house at the entrance to Tamarind Hill. Fair enough, since guests staying in this opulent mansion transformed into an exclusive boutique hotel certainly wouldn't want to be disturbed by day- trippers traipsing around gawping in amazement.

Tamarind Hill is actually easy to find, but it is still an unexpected discovery. The track to it is signposted and leads inland from the Galle Road opposite The Lighthouse Hotel. If that elegant Bawa-designed property is for the mainstream then Tamarind Hill (created by Nayantara Fonseka, aka "Taru") is decidedly upstream. To stay there is to announce you have swum against the flow and arrived.
That's not because of the cost, which in international terms and compared with other resorts in Sri Lanka that have a grand opinion of themselves, is reasonable. It's because Tamarind Hill exudes a lavish style, a wealth of good taste that's not over the top. Its sublime splendour could be daunting for the hoi polloi but for those who crave privacy and calm it fulfils aspirations.

I was moved to reach for the dictionary for superlatives because it came as such a surprise. There is no sense of what's in store as the guard opens the gate and you swing into a magnificent cobbled courtyard in front of a beautifully restored mansion. A veranda defined by five wide arches spans its breadth while a low roofed balcony (fronting the many-roomed first floor suite) crowns it. A pavilion on one side houses the kitchen, its twin on the other side contains offices and leisure areas.

Standard room

Guests are welcomed with cold towels and juice in the formal lounge with its parade of cushions on plump settees. I was won over immediately to the hotel's charms by the adjoining bar lounge. Made for serious drinkers, it has a polished wooden bar counter with a brass foot rail and classic revolving stools. There are plenty of casual seats in its lounge as well as on the bar's veranda.

From the opposite veranda, set out as the restaurant, you step through a picture frame door into the formal dining hall with its long table for 18 guests and a wooden punkah with painted panels. The hole for the rope to operate it is preserved in the wall. The original mansion was built by a Sinhalese landowner, Don Johannes Amarasiri in the 19th century. It took over two years to recreate it as a boutique hotel of class.

The top floor of the original house has become a suite, so large it is split into two, The Admiral's and The Captain's, and is ideal for two families. I lost track of the rooms and balconies but from one balcony, there is a distant view of the sea, while another is a private dining gallery.

A garden courtyard with a cloistered corridor embracing it has been created for the 10 new ground floor guest rooms, each wonderfully spacious and furnished differently although all have a strong sense of the traditional. Beds are four-posters, wardrobes are solid wood (some open to reveal a flat screen TV), and the bathrooms are huge with open-sided rain showers.

The 72-foot-long pool

My favourite room is Number 4 whose bathroom extends into a garden with a rain shower while the bedroom opens on to a garden of flowers that has a private path to the swimming pool.

For other guests access is down twin flights of white steps where the 72-foot-long pool seems to soar off into the palm trees. The bar that appealed to me so much in the main house has its counterpart at the top of the steps, with another quartet of swivelling bar stools.

Underlining the stylish essence of the property is an appreciation of guests' demands. Small bells are placed on every table for summoning attendants; meals are served at anytime; WiFi connectivity is available throughout; and at night tiny lights illuminate the tall, white columns, adding glamour to tradition.

The cuisine, prepared by a Sri Lankan chef with vast overseas experience, is light and classical, matching the ambience.

Luckily for residents of Sri Lanka the rates to stay at Tamarind Hill are not as grand as the mansion; while the experience itself is priceless. (www.taruvillas.com; tel: (011) 5769500)