Into the Blue
Chosen as one of Time’s Greatest Places of 2019, Lekkerwater Beach Lodge in De Hoop Nature Reserve is offering guests a unique marine safari experience.
Earlier this year, Natural Selection added the first South African property to its portfolio of luxury lodges and camps on the continent. Perched on a rise on low-impact stilt platforms, Lekkerwater overlooks 6km of private beach in the eastern section of De Hoop Nature Reserve, which is a few hours from Cape Town. After the existing building was destroyed in a lightning-induced fire in the reserve in 2015, Natural Selection took over the concession, and co-founder Colin Bell and his wife Heather tackled the redevelopment of the site.
“Despite having access to a large stretch of private coastline, the new design had to stay within the exact footprint of the original property,” explains Heather who, together with Karin Lategan from Formist Design Studio, was responsible for the interior design. “This demanded some creative problem-solving when it came to the layout and how best to accommodate guests and staff.”
The result is seven individual en-suite cabins, each with a private balcony and wood-burning stove, and a communal lounge/dining area. As with all Natural Selection properties, it’s been built and operates with a consideration for the environment. Heather shares more about the project…
WHAT IS UNIQUE ABOUT LEKKERWATER?
Directly offshore is the De Hoop Marine Protected Area, which stretches for 51km along the coast and for 5km out to sea. It’s an extremely important sanctuary for marine life, and the bay in front of Lekkerwater has one of the highest densities of southern right whales during the whale season from July to November, when they come to mate and calve.
There are not many places where you can lie in bed and watch whales and dolphins frolicking in the waves, dine under the stars on a private beach with your feet in the sand, or explore pristine and unpopulated beaches and abundant fynbos. A unique feature of Lekkerwater is that all guests arrive on the same day, and stay for a minimum of two nights.
WHAT WAS YOUR INTENTION FOR THE INTERIORS?
We strove to create a sanctuary where guests can feel part of the natural surroundings, where they can open the doors to the outside or cocoon themselves indoors, depending on their mood and the weather. Our intent was to incorporate the diverse storyboard of the area, including the history of the lodge (and our country), the marine life, the amazing and unique fynbos, and the bird life.
We wanted guests to feel at home immediately. We chose materials inspired by nature and a muted palette, with shades of blue reflecting the surroundings. The vision was for a mix of unique finds, collectibles and curious bric-a-brac, soft fabrics and throws, textured rugs, and sentimental treasures. Being eco-friendly and socially and sustainably responsible was also part of our core objectives.
WHERE DID YOU TURN FOR INSPIRATION?
The lodge needed to blend in as seamlessly as possible with the environment. The history of the area was another key guide. Early Khoisan hunter-gatherers lived harmoniously with nature along these shores, and caves to the east of Lekkerwater have revealed scientific evidence of homo sapiens ancestors. The first Portuguese explorers and navigators sailed past Lekkerwater in the 1400s, followed by the ships of the Dutch East India Company in the 1600s. More recently, Lekkerwater was ex-president FW De Klerk’s “Camp David”. To capture the story of the region, we commissioned artist James Dumo to draw 19 original sketches that form a wallpaper timeline in the dining area.
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”WE STROVE TO CREATE A SANCTUARY WHERE GUESTS CAN FEEL PART OF THE NATURAL SURROUNDINGS.”