Luxury stay in Simon's Town
If you’re looking to be spoilt, Tintswalo at Boulders Boutique Villa is one of Simon’s Town’s best-kept secrets
Three penguins dart their heads in different directions, looking like stock exchange traders keeping tabs on the day’s market swings. Another penguin trio swims in with the tide to the shallows before clambering jauntily onto a rock.
These delightful feathered fellows are the headline act for guests at Tintswalo at Boulders Boutique Villa in Simon’s Town near Cape Town. The location could not be closer to the natural action, with a private gate accessing the boardwalk that links popular Boulders
Beach to the quieter penguin habitat of Seaforth Beach.
Nine double suites in this home-turned-villa have spacious proportions and a maritime theme in keeping with the Simon’s Town naval base nearby. Tintswalo at Boulders opened in October 2018, offering guests welcoming comfort and authentic South African hospitality in a luxury setting with space to put their feet up in a range of relaxation areas.
The rumour goes that the original foreign owner built his mother a home alongside his family home – that is why the suites and various communal spaces on different levels are all in close proximity. The views incorporate the calming ocean and indigenous fynbos vegetation.
FAMILY OWNED
Owners Lisa Goosen and her mother, Gaye Corbett, also own Tintswalo Atlantic on Chapman’s Peak near Hout Bay. They bought the Simon’s Town property after they were tipped off by an estate agent cousin.
Goosen and Corbett renovated the interiors themselves, aiming for a luxurious décor style with a touch of glamour in the form of Persian rugs, leather, florals, mirrors and metals. Some of the original furniture was repurposed.
According to Goosen the colours of the outdoor environment guide their interior colour schemes and they have fun throwing it all together.
“My mother and I work closely with Caroline
Wright, a decorator and long-standing friend,” she says. “We literally hunt fabric houses until a specific fabric grabs us for a particular space. It forms our anchor for that room, and we then build the interiors around it.
“Mostly when the finished product is done, it fits perfectly. But sometimes it doesn’t and then the fun
begins again with moving furniture around the house.”
SHIP SHAPE
The suites at Tintswalo at Boulders have a formal feel, each individually decorated and named after a famous ship. Water Witch on the top floor has an expansive deck and astounding views.
Downstairs, the classic atmosphere of Mary Rose is enhanced by dark wooden furniture and a four-poster bed overlooking the garden.
A velvet armchair in aquamarine hues in the Mayflower suite, also on the ground floor, makes for a calming spot to sip a flat white and enjoy soothing views of the ocean beyond the shrubbery border.
A small swimming pool on the top deck is an option on windless days.
This family-run business operates on a bed-andbreakfast basis, and its local and international guests range from young romantics to retired adventurers.
“Tintswalo at Boulders can serve as a base for activities that typically include seeing the penguins, swimming at Seaforth Beach and visiting Kalk Bay and Cape Point, which is only 20 minutes away,” says Goosen. “But often guests don’t leave the villa and end up extending their stay because they’re so relaxed.”
tintswalo.com/boulders/villa/