When you mention Tintswalo Atlantic to most people in Cape Town, the first thing they will ask about is the fire.

Fire is not something you would ordinarily associate with a top boutique lodge. But the day of 2 March 2015 was a day that forever imprinted this element in the fabric of Tintswalo Atlantic.

The fires that swept across the Cape on those days in March were some of the worst in history, and thousands of kilometers of mountain were burned. Firefighters worked round the clock to put out the blaze and save the various suburbs and homes from the fiery onslaught. And they did a heroic job of this. But Tintswalo Atlantic is one of the the most remotely located lodges in Cape Town. Perched on the ocean-side below Chapman’s Peak, there was no way that firefighters could reach it in time to stop the blaze as it poured down the mountain.

Luckily, the staff at the lodge were notified well ahead of time, and guests were evacuated from the premises. The NSRI team offered to take the staff on a boat to monitor what would happen with the fire, and it was a tragic scene as they watched the blaze engulf the lodge.

But as sad as the whole episode was, tragedy always provides opportunity for growth and renewal. And it was just days before the Corbetts and Goosens, owners of Tintswalo, were on the scene and planning the re-build. In almost miraculous time, just 8 months, the lodge was ready to welcome guests again.

In celebration of this remarkable story, we have created a video of the events that unfolded on that fateful day, and the spirit of the team in the months after, who worked to renew the lodge from ruins to the wonderful place it is today.