Captain's Rest
Offering an almost magical submission to nature, Captain’s Rest seems to sit outside of normal perimeters of your usual Airbnb.
Words: Emma-Kate Wilson | Photography: Marnie Hawson
Photo - Marnie Hawson.
“A stay for me, even still after all these years, is pure delight and pure magic — like I haven't slept for years,” says Sarah Andrews. Photo - Marnie Hawson.
Captains Rest is a haven of peace and serenity in a stunning secluded slice of world heritage area. Photo - Marnie Hawson.
Perched on a lake on Tasmania’s Wild West Coast, Captain’s Rest looks like a dream-like oasis with tranquillity oozing out of every reading nook, including a clawfoot bathtub with vista views over the bay.
But this Airbnb has a story outside the usual. In 2008, Sarah Andrews, the owner of Captain's Rest, was sailing alone through the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Mexico when a storm rolled in, taking her boat —and home— from her. After this shattering experience, she serendipitously found a run-down cottage in Strahan that seemed to call her name. Sarah had to rebuild from the floor up, a challenge with the nearest hardware shop eight hours away — Captain’s Rest became a labour of love and Airbnb bookings started to trickle in.
The former scientist retrained as a designer so that she could study the industry and succeed over the lacking skills that the most successful Airbnbs have working in their favour: "previous success/being well known, money & location." Somehow Sarah managed to overcome these. "I had to go and study the industry, create new ways of doing things, test them, improve them, evolve them,” she shares. “I cracked the code — and I suppose people noticed.”
Captain’s Rest is set on absolute waterfront in Lettes Bay Village, just outside of Strahan, Tasmania — complete with its own jetty. Photo - Marnie Hawson.
“I tell the stories of colour and texture mirrored from the outside world; it creates such a seamless space with the world around.”
Photo - Marnie Hawson.
“In every space I create, in essence, I love to tell stories, and here the natural world is a big character. ”
Photo - Marnie Hawson.
“My gorgeous parents are retired upholsterers; I was lucky enough to have them make the green cushions for me out of some velvet I've been hoarding for years,” shares Sarah Andrews. Photo - Marnie Hawson.
Sarah designed the cottage with herself in mind, drawing back to her style and things she really wants around her — like the antique oil paintings that line the walls, inspired by her mother's collection. Her parents also had a roll in the stunning, unique velvet green cushions that line the nook looking over the water's edge. Sarah had been storing away the fabric, almost especially for Captain's Rest without even knowing it, and her retired upholsterer parents turned them into the much-loved objects.
These deep greens, blues, and greys within the cottage reflect the harmonious natural environment outside. One of Sarah's favourite feature is the windows which frame, yet distort, the external reality. "I feel like I’m in some kind of painting for days,” the creative thoughtfully reflects, “and that is a feeling I’ve never had anywhere else.”
“Everything has a place, and there is nothing there that is not. It’s about slow, the best of everything, and only just enough.”
A mix of old and new rings throughout the popular Airbnb, from the oil paintings and vintage velvet to brand new (and highly treasured) In The Sac linen and locally crafted furniture. Captain’s Rest continues Sarah’s philosophies of honouring the essence of place and time.
Following the ‘accidental’ success of the Airbnb, Sarah’s lifeline in Strahan continues to provide. The designer has now ended up teaching this model in her The Hosting Masterclass, which combines face-to-face workshops and online classes to 1000s of students. Captain’s Rest has become an example for other like-minded holiday rentals around the world.
“Everything has a place — it’s about slow, the best of everything, and only just enough,” says Sarah Andrews. Photo - Marnie Hawson.
Beauty is in all the little details, designed and styled by owner Sarah Andrews. Photo - Marnie Hawson.
“In every space I create, in essence, I love to tell stories, and here the natural world is a big character,” says Sarah Andrews. Photo - Marnie Hawson.
A mix of old and new rings throughout the popular Airbnb, from the oil paintings and vintage velvet to brand new (and highly treasured) In The Sac linen and locally crafted furniture. Captain’s Rest continues Sarah’s philosophies of honouring the essence of place and time.
Following the ‘accidental’ success of the Airbnb, Sarah’s lifeline in Strahan continues to provide. The designer has now ended up teaching this model in her The Hosting Masterclass(@thehostingmasterclass), which combines face-to-face workshops and online classes to 1000s of students. Captain’s Rest has become an example for other like-minded holiday rentals around the world.
“Seeing everyone else’s success has, in every way, been far more joyous than my own. ”
“A stay for me, even still after all these years, is pure delight and pure magic — like I haven't slept for years,” says Sarah Andrews. Photo - Marnie Hawson.
Captain’s Rest is set on absolute waterfront in Lettes Bay Village, just outside of Strahan, Tasmania — complete with its own jetty. Photo - Marnie Hawson.