MOND Hiriketiya: Sri Lanka's Original South Coast Design Hotel
MOND is one of Sri Lanka’s original design hotels; architecturally significant, beautifully considered, and still one of our favourite stays on the south coast. This is our full review, including the rooms, food, location, and what to know before you book.
MOND, Hiriketiya’s original design hotel, had been on our Sri Lanka bucket list for years. Not the someday version of a list, either, but rather the obsessive kind, where it’s the place you visit over and over again when you’re struggling to get to sleep (which is regularly in this household).
The pull was that view. And the food. And then the architecture. We're unashamed fans of tropical modernism, and even bigger fans of Bawa, and something about MOND's concrete and teak appealed to us in a way we've never quite managed to put into words.
Over the years, on our many visits to Hiri, we walked past it, ate breakfast there, and photographed the towering palms from the terrace, and then went back to sleep somewhere else.
And then, on a recent trip back down the south coast, we finally got to stay.
Two nights wasn’t long enough, but it was the sort of slow, sun-drunk few days that are achievable on the Sri Lankan southern coast.
The accommodation sits high on the ridge between Hiri’s horseshoe bay and Dickwella, far enough that the surf-school clamour and sunset celebrations don’t inhibit your peace, but close enough that you can be in the water for a sunrise swim in less than 2 minutes.
Which brings us to the thing that struck us hardest: coming back to a bay we've now watched change for the better part of a decade.
Hiriketiya has changed dramatically, but thankfully MOND really hasn't changed at all.
Since it opened, the bay has gained beach clubs, concept stores, co-working spaces, and a morning line-up too intense for beginners like us. It’s different, no longer our favourite corner of Sri Lanka.
MOND is simply the same, just with more art and an ever-growing Na tree in the courtyard. Same four rooms. Same food (well, the quality… the menu has changed). Same views (although THAT view of the single palm is sadly no longer).
Thankfully, it hasn't been rendered irrelevant, and it hasn't aged out of it; it’s just stuck true to the principles of good design, architecture, and art, with understated hospitality at its heart.
There's a risk with a place you've built up for that long: it can only really disappoint you. But MOND didn't, and, years of anticipation and all, still the most interesting building in the bay.
Here's why you should stay here, and everything you need to know before you book a bed.
MOND HIRIKETIYA | AT A GLANCE
WHERE | On the ridge between Hiriketiya and Dikwella bays, around two minutes downhill to Hiriketiya Beach
WHAT | A four-room design hotel with café, rooftop restaurant and bar, plus a nearby ceramic studio and artist residency
ROOMS | Four ocean-facing rooms each with a private terrace and rain shower
STYLE | Tropical modernism: raw concrete, dark teak, and huge openings designed around the sea breeze
BEST FOR | Design lovers, slow travellers, surfers who want somewhere beautiful to come back to, and anyone who understands that a sea breeze beats air-conditioning
NOT FOR | Families with small kids, anyone who needs a pool, and light sleepers who can't handle warm rooms
FOOD | One of the main reasons to stay - excellent breakfast and coffee by day, sharing plates and cocktails on the rooftop at night
BOOK | Check current rates and availability for each room: EarthShine, Moonlight, Halo, and Crescent.
MOND, HIRIKETIYA REVIEW
THE STORY | WHO BUILT MOND
Jessica and Renato first came to Hiriketiya in 2015, when the bay was slowly starting to evolve from a hidden paradise to a place for in-the-know surfers.
They came back in 2016 to build something, and spent the next two years doing it.
In Hiri specifically, MOND was the first design of its kind, and the ripple effect is impossible to miss, especially lately.
Everything that followed, including the boutiques, the concept stores, the co-working spaces, the beach clubs, the whole aesthetic that Hiriketiya now trades on, arrived after MOND proved it could work.
Not everything that followed has been good for the bay. We've written honestly about that in our Hiriketiya guide.
But MOND itself has stayed exactly what it was: four rooms, a balcony, a kitchen, a studio, and two people (and now a family) who are still here doing it themselves.
THE ARCHITECTURE | CONCRETE AND TEAK
MOND is described by its owners as Swiss architecture built for Sri Lanka, which does a perfect job.
What it actually is, to our eyes, is tropical modernism done well, with the same underlying idea that a building in the tropics should be a frame for air, shade, and view.
The materiality is concrete and teak, and almost nothing else. Cool through the worst of the day, and open to the sea by evening. Deep overhangs where you need them, and openings placed exactly where the afternoon breeze floats from the sea.
Every room has floor-to-ceiling sliding panels along the ocean side. Slide them open, and your room becomes a terrace facing the Indian Ocean. Slide them closed, and you're in a dark, quiet, cave-cool box. It’s genius.
There's no glass between you and the weather, and it's the reason the building feels alive.
TIP | Open the screens fully before bed rather than halfway. Half-open, you get the view. Fully open, you get the sound of the sea
THE ROOMS | WHICH ONE TO BOOK
There’s no real standout room, as they’re all the same.
There are four, and they're named after things the moon does: EarthShine, Moonlight, Halo, and Crescent. All four face the ocean. All four have a private terrace, an open bathroom with a rain shower, a queen bed, and a ceiling fan.
What you get in each room:
Queen bed
Private ocean-facing terrace
Open bathroom with rain shower
Soap made on site
Ceiling fan and a sea breeze that runs 24 hours
Drinking water and homemade mosquito repellent
Wifi
Breakfast, included
Nothing is shared between rooms, and the communal spaces are the café, the courtyard, and the rooftop, which are open to the public.
On the air-conditioning: there isn't any, and MOND is upfront about that. The house was built for cross-ventilation, deep shade, and the afternoon breeze, and in our experience it works - we slept well, with the fan on and the screens open.
But we'll be honest with you about the way MOND is: if you sleep badly in warm rooms, you will notice, and it may frustrate you.
BOOK |Check current rates and availability for each room: EarthShine, Moonlight, Halo, and Crescent
BOOK YOUR HIRIKETIYA TRIP
STAY |Booking.com allows you to compare rates and availability for the Hiriketiya hotels beyond MOND
GET THERE |12Go helps you book trains, buses and private transfers from Colombo and elsewhere in Sri Lanka
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GET CONNECTED | Grab an Airalo eSIM, so you're online from arrival
TRAVEL INSURANCE | Get a quote from World Nomads
THE KITCHEN | THE BEST BREAKFAST IN HIRI
We’d eaten here many times before actually staying, and always appreciated the unique menu, which is focused on contemporary, seasonal, and designed around ingredients sourced from nearby growers and producers.
The kitchen runs in three parts:
8 AM – 3 PM | Breakfast, brunch and coffee
The coffee comes from Avagaama Farm at 4,500 feet and is roasted locally by Tusker Coffee Co, while the matcha and hōjicha are sourced from Uji, Kyoto.
For breakfast, the Mond Hash remains our pick - rösti, oyster mushrooms, poached eggs, hollandaise and local herbs.
The Peni Pol Pancake, with buffalo curd, mango, passionfruit and lemongrass treacle, is another standout, while lunch starts from 11 am.
3 PM – 6 PM | Tea, matcha and cold drinks
This is the quietest time to visit, particularly if you’re coming straight from the beach.
Alongside fresh juices, there’s a good list of house-made coolers and iced teas, including the Lemongrass Cooler, Rosewater, Lime & Mint (our favourite), and a butterfly pea and tulsi iced tea.
6 PM - LATE | Dinner on the rooftop
In the evening, MOND shifts to cocktails and sharing plates, with the menu split between plant-based dishes and seafood/meat. Around two plates per person is spot on.
From the plant-based side, we recommend the house focaccia with lunu miris coconut butter, Moju Dosa with coconut mallum and coriander chutney, or the smoky aubergine with tahini yoghurt and pomegranate.
Seafood dishes are always a winner, so try the Mahi Mahi aguachile and the Malu Mala - sailfish with kaffir lime and coconut milk.
The cocktail list is also great, although not quite to the Smoke & Bitters level. The Mond Gimlet, with gin, pineapple cordial and lemongrass, is our favourite.
It’s worth knowing that vegetarians and vegans are well catered for, with a large part of the menu plant-based by design. Vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free and nut markers are also clearly listed throughout the menu.
What it costs (2026) | Coffee is around LKR 800 – 1,200, breakfast plates LKR 2,300 – 2,800, cold drinks LKR 1,200 – 1,400, dinner plates LKR 1,200–2,900 and cocktails LKR 2,700–3,600.
For two people, dinner with a couple of plates each and drinks generally lands around LKR 8,000 – 12,000.
THE TERRACE | OUR FAVOURITE SPOT IN HIRIKETIYA
The MOND terrace is the best place in Hiriketiya to sit and read a book, and we’ve done it many times now, both by ourselves and with kids.
It's elevated enough to catch the breeze coming off the water, shaded enough to sit out the middle of the day, and quiet enough that you can actually finish a chapter.
Just the sea in front of you, lounge music on the speaker, and a rosewater, Lime & Mint soda to cool down. Bliss.
BEYOND MOND
STUDIO MOND | THE CERAMIC STUDIO AND ARTIST RESIDENCY
About 300 metres away, in the middle of Dickwella town, MOND runs a ceramic workshop and artist studio.
It sits alongside the fruit stalls, hotels (the food variety) and markets, rather than behind a hotel gate, which is the point.
MOND runs an artist residency alongside the rooms, so there's usually someone working in there. You're welcome to go and look, and you should.
There are objects and pieces for sale, and if you want a souvenir from this stretch of coast that isn't a printed sarong, this is where to get it.
RESPONSIBLE TRAVEL AT MOND
Sri Lanka’s southern coast is seeing both the fruits and the consequences of its growing popularity, and nowhere is this more evident than in Hiriketiya.
Short-sighted development has left the once sleepy cove bursting at the seams, with rainforest razed for new construction at a seemingly endless rate.
On top of things like pollution and rubbish, the development for the most part has not been in keeping with the local environment.
This is where MOND stands out.
The whole building responds to the natural environment, and that’s the whole point of its design.
Designed for cross-ventilation instead of conditioning, solar power, almost no single-use plastic, soap and mosquito repellent made on site, and a kitchen that sources most of what it cooks from within a few kilometres.
We love that the café and rooftop are open to the public, and the studio sits in town rather than behind a gate, and the residency brings artists in from the local area as well as overseas.
If you're staying here, do the obvious things: keep showers short, refuse the plastic bottle, cover up when walking through town, and take your rubbish off the beach. Our responsible travel tips cover the rest.
PLAN YOUR VISIT TO MOND
HOW TO BOOK MOND
MOND takes its bookings through Airbnb, hosted directly by Jessica and Renato - you're booking with the owners rather than through a chain.
BOOK |Check current rates and availability for each room: EarthShine, Moonlight, Halo, and Crescent
If MOND is full for your dates, we've rounded up everywhere else worth staying in the bay in our where to stay in Hiriketiya guide.
HOW TO GET TO MOND, HIRIKETIYA
MOND sits on the ridge between Hiriketiya Bay and Dickwella Bay, around 180km south of Colombo. Hiriketiya Beach is roughly 200 metres downhill from the house, with Dickwella Bay on the other side.
BY TRAIN
Take the coastal train from Colombo Fort towards Beliatta and get off at Wewurukannala, the closest station to Hiriketiya. From there, it's around 5–10 minutes by tuk-tuk to MOND.
Not every southbound train continues beyond Matara, so check the timetable before travelling. If your train terminates at Matara, continue by bus, tuk-tuk or car from there.
BOOK | Search and book Sri Lanka train tickets here
BY CAR
Allow around 2.5–3 hours from Bandaranaike International Airport via the Southern Expressway, depending on traffic, and roughly 1–1¼ hours from Galle.
If you're arriving straight from a flight, we'd take a private transfer. It's considerably easier than piecing together airport transport, a train and a final tuk-tuk with luggage.
BY BUS
Buses run along the south coast to Dickwella, including services from Matara and some longer-distance buses from Galle.
From Dickwella, MOND is a short tuk-tuk ride away. It's extremely cheap and very Sri Lankan, but considerably slower and less comfortable than taking a car.
BY TUK-TUK
For shorter hops along the south coast, tuk-tuks are easy to arrange through your hotel, on the street or via PickMe.
From places like Unawatuna, Ahangama or Weligama, though, the distances are longer than they look on the map.
We'd compare the tuk-tuk fare with a private car before committing - for an hour-plus journey with luggage, the latter is often worth the difference.
MOND HIRIKETIYA QUESTIONS
THERE'S NO POOL, AND NO AIR-CONDITIONING
MOND isn't a resort, and it's not trying to be one. There’s no pool, gym, room service or air-conditioning.
The rooms are designed around natural ventilation instead, with ceiling fans, large timber screens and private terraces open to the sea breeze. We loved that approach, but if you need an icy air-conditioned room after the beach, this probably isn't the stay for you.
IT'S UP THE HILL
MOND sits at the end of a quiet no-through road above Hiriketiya. The elevated position is why the views and breeze are so good, but it does mean walking uphill from the bay.
Nothing dramatic, but worth knowing if you've got heavy bags, mobility issues, or simply don't fancy climbing home after dinner.
THE ROOFTOP IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC UNTIL AROUND 10 PM
MOND's restaurant and bar aren't just for hotel guests, and the rooftop stays busy into the evening. The rooms are set back from the main space, and we didn't find the noise an issue, but there's still a public life happening above you until around 10 pm.
IT'S NOT THE ONE FOR TODDLERS
The house sits on a hill, with steps and several open edges. MOND flags this themselves, and as parents of a four- and two-year-old, we'd agree.
It's not somewhere we'd choose with very small kids unless you're comfortable keeping a close eye on them.
BOOK EARLY AS THERE ARE ONLY FOUR ROOMS
MOND has just four rooms, so there isn't much inventory to begin with. During the south-coast high season, particularly from December through April, popular dates can disappear well ahead.
Check current rates and availability for each room: EarthShine, Moonlight, Halo, and Crescent
If your itinerary is locked in, we wouldn't leave this one until the last minute.
HIRIKETIYA ISN'T THE QUIET BAY IT ONCE WAS
This isn't a criticism of MOND so much as Hiriketiya itself.
The bay has changed enormously since we first visited, and by mid-morning the beach and surf line-up can get properly busy. Our approach hasn't changed: get in the water early, then head back up the hill for breakfast when MOND opens at 8 am.
TRAVEL INSURANCE | STAY SAFE IN ITALY
Honest take: if something goes wrong - a medical emergency, a missed ferry, a scooter accident on a coastal road - travel insurance is the difference between a stressful story and a catastrophic one.
After 10+ years of full-time travel, here's what we use:
WORLD NOMADS | Offers travel insurance for independent travellers and intrepid families. Their policies offer coverage for more than 150 activities, as well as emergency medical, lost luggage, trip cancellation and more.
GET A QUOTE | World Nomads
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That, and you're officially a legend.
MOND in Hiriketiya is one of Sri Lanka’s original design hotels; architecturally significant, beautifully considered, and still one of our favourite stays on the south coast. This is our full review, including the rooms, food, location, and what to know before you book.