As the name suggests, here’s a hotel in a lofty location – above The Boatshed, now a popular shopping destination on Thesens Islands in Knysna.

From here the glories of the Garden Route are within easy reach, so too a large lagoon, visible from some of the rooms in the hotel. But to call this just a hotel is to sell it short, as there are self-catering private apartments here too, all taking their design inspiration from the elevated location of this completely unique place to stay.

3 different kinds of room to choose from

Lagoon View Rooms

No need for us to explain the standout feature of these seven rooms. Other information you’re likely to want to know is that each room is located at the front of the hotel and accommodates up to 2 guests. Your bed will be a king size and there will be armchairs at the foot of the bed. Your bathroom will have a shower but not necessarily a bathtub as well. But it’s the chance to step out onto your private balcony and take in those views of the water that make these rooms so desirable.

Balcony Rooms

Who doesn’t cherish some private outside space in their hotel room? These 5 air conditioned rooms have balconies of various sizes, with views that please the eye, looking inland and over Thesen Harbour Town, rather than out over the lagoon. A kingsize bed dominates, with exposed wooden beams and wooden furnishings (including a desk and chair) giving the space a rustic edge that generates much welcome cosiness.

The Apartments

The hotel has six 2-bedroom, split level apartments, each accommodating 4 guests. Inside, you have all the comforts you need to relax in style and self-cater when you fancy it (thanks to the kitchenette). The living area which leads out onto your balcony provides you all with private space in which you can gather to enjoy each other’s company and maybe map out your adventures for the day.

Also here for you

Having The Boatshed boutique shops right on your doorstep is sure to delight anyone seeking retail therapy. But beneficial treatments of a more traditional kind are available in La Spa Tranquille which doesn’t need any translation and will offer you opportunities to be pampered. After which you might want to head out for a meal in a famous, perhaps even legendary local eatery – the île de païn bread café – which enjoys a lofty ranking among South Africa’s top ten best.

There’s another food bar in the hotel too that’s open to guests and others, serving snacks, salads, and other dishes that many guests like to wash down with a cocktail or two.

For those times when you’re feeling more active, canoeing on the lagoon is an option the hotel team can book for you. So too the chance to explore the local area on foot or by borrowing the two bicycles the hotel makes available for guests to pedal away. Golfers are sure to be interested to know that the local club is just a 6km drive from the hotel, pun intended.

Back at the hotel, the splash pool is sure to attract you into its waters at some point, so too the sun loungers on the large deck. There’s also a bar and lounge offering other spaces in which you can kick back and enjoy the views.