Hi, and welcome to Seawall Apartments,
our independent, family-run hotel.
Dad started the business in 1977 and we have 3 generations of family members living and working here - all our staff feel like family, too; It's a very friendly atmosphere.
Rachael (that's me), Jayne, and Sophie are in the front office 7 days a week - we're the ones who will greet you on the phone.
My husband, David, brother, Sam and Alan look after the maintenance and refurbishment of the apartments. Alan's wife Jenni is head housekeeper who manages our delightful cleaning crew. Being community-minded, we like to use all local tradespeople and we are proud to use local disability service provider, Minda to do our laundry.
Buildings with a history
Seawall Apartments is a diverse collection of 7 quite distinct historic buildings which make up our 22 different apartments, right on the beach front at Glenelg.
The apartment called The School House is part of a 1889 terrace. From 1912-1937 it was run as a boys school, called Holdfast Bay Preparatory College and many famous Adelaide families sent their boys there. Jimmy Melrose, the aviator, whom the reserve out the front is named after; Frankie Bickford of the Bickford's drinks company; Walter Lund, the famous concert pianist; winemakers Tom Angove, and John and Bob Seppelt; Dick Rymill of the grazier family; John Bray the Chief Justice and many more.
Fishermans Cottage is one of the original buildings in Glenelg, dating back to 1840. The 2-storey Art Deco building called Olive Court and the 2 large houses on the seafront were built in 1910.
An eclectic collection of heritage pieces
Seawall Apartments has evolved with us over the years, and today it's a unique and quirky mix of old and new.
Out the front to greet you is Percy the Shark. Rescued from the local Magic Mountain fun park when it was demolished, Percy was part of the putt-putt golf game, and has been with us since 2004. Guests and passers-by just love having their photo taken with him.
Dad's a bit of a collector, so we have all sorts of interesting examples of maritime history around the place. The big old cray-fishing boat dates back to 1920 and was bought by dad on a whim while holidaying on Kangaroo Island. The large tables and chairs out on the front deck are built from 100-year-old pontoons from the local Patawalonga River. We have a propeller from an old Port River tug boat (reputed to have been scuttled for the insurance), boats galore for the kids to play in, anchors, penguin sculptures and more.
All the mod cons
No matter which of our 22 apartments you stay in, you'll enjoy the works of art, both paintings and sculptures, many commissioned by local artists. The historic buildings are lovely and we've been careful to keep the character, but we've also made sure we have all the modern conveniences for our guests to enjoy - including air conditioning, new kitchens and bathrooms with lovely hot spas.
Come and visit us
We'd love you to come and stay with us at Seawall Apartments, so please contact us. Send us an email or give us a call. We'd be more than happy to say hi, answer your questions, tell you all about our different apartments and help you choose the one that's perfect for you.
