Tattarang to acquire Margaret River’s iconic Cape Lodge

Margaret River’s iconic Cape Lodge Hotel will remain in Western Australian hands with Tattarang announcing it will acquire the property as part of an expansion of its world-class Australian lifestyle portfolio.

Set on 40 acres of expansive lawns, gardens and vineyards, Cape Lodge is a significant landholding in the heart of one of the world’s most acclaimed wine regions, centrally located to the town sites of Margaret River, Dunsborough and Yallingup in Western Australia.

Originally opened in 1993 as a six-room luxury bed & breakfast, the Lodge underwent an extensive renovation and refurbishment in 2003 to evolve into one of the finest accommodation offerings in the Margaret River region.

Today Cape Lodge is considered one of the best lodge hotels in Australia, having been voted the ‘Best Boutique Hotel in Australia’ by Luxury Travel Magazine and has been previously listed in the prestigious Condé Nast Traveller’s Gold List.

The property features 22 secluded rooms and a five-bedroom luxury private residence as well as a range of dining, leisure and conference facilities, and the Cape Lodge Restaurant which overlooks the main lake with overwater alfresco decking.

The acquisition by Tattarang includes an 8-acre private vineyard that was planted in 1998 and produces premium Sauvignon Blanc and Shiraz exclusively for the Hotel.

Tattarang Chief Investment Officer John Hartman said Cape Lodge has been an essential component in establishing Margaret River’s international reputation for unique, luxury experiences for national and international visitors.

“We see significant opportunity to further develop the core guest experience at Cape Lodge, including the potential integration of premium wellness services and a refocusing of the vineyard resources, which can further underwrite a global quality lifestyle precinct in the heart of Margaret River,” Mr Hartman said.

Mr Hartman said the Group’s property division Fiveight had acquired the Hotel, with its lifestyle division Z1Z to deliver all hotel and associated operations. The property has been owned by Peter and Joelle Larsen for the last 14 years.

Dr Larsen said he was excited to see the future evolution of the marquee property under Tattarang’s ownership.

“While selling this iconic property is bittersweet for us, we are very pleased to know the Lodge could not have more suitable and capable custodians than the Forrest family who will be able to take the guest experience to even higher levels of performance across all aspects of its operations,” Dr Larsen said.

“On behalf of our entire Cape Lodge family, we are extremely grateful to our many loyal guests who return year-on-year to enjoy the peace, tranquillity, exceptional service and world class cuisine offered by this truly unique place.”

Simone Furlong, Co-CEO of Margaret River’s iconic Leeuwin Estate, welcomed Tattarang’s purchase of Cape Lodge.

“It is fantastic to see Andrew and Nicola Forrest invest in our region as Western Australia prepares to welcome back visitors from across the country and around the world. With outstanding wineries, spectacular beaches and an incredible environment to explore, Margaret River overdelivers as a world-class destination for tourists and the Forrests' investment in Cape Lodge further underscores what a globally-unique offering our region represents,” Ms Furlong said.

Z1Z’s highly diverse portfolio features hospitality, food & beverage, fashion and sport, including iconic Australian brand R.M.Williams, Cooee restaurant and the newly-opened Indigo Oscar.