Our Story
The story of The Room Key is really the story of Lynne and Trevor McLean-Anderson. Before having children, they spent a holiday in Knysna. On their way home to Johannesburg, they decided to take a route that led them via St Francis Bay. They were immediately smitten with the town and decided to revisit it that Easter. When they returned, it didn’t take long for them to fall in love with St Francis again. They decided to purchase a property there, and so the first Room Key seed was planted.
In 2001 Lynne was three months pregnant with their first child when she and Trevor decided to move to Cape Town. Before leaving Johannesburg, Lynne had dabbled in property sales and had developed a taste and love for the world of property. They sold their townhouse and moved to Cape Town, where they initially rented an apartment on the beachfront in Hout Bay.
They took their time to find just the right property to buy. – looking all along the Atlantic Seaboard, to Constantia, Bishops Court and beyond. Finally, Trevor found a plot in prime Scott Estate in Hout Bay on auction. They scooped up the plot, and with Lynne overseeing the project, their Hout Bay Villa was built in 2003. The Room Key had acquired their second property.
It was with an adventurous spirit that Lynne agreed to accompany a friend to see a plot of land in Churchhaven, a remote region within the West Coast National Park of South Africa. Seeing this little patch of pristine beauty, Lynne fell in love with Churchhaven. She put out her feelers, and soon found out how lucky one might be to own property in Churchhaven. The old fishing village is exclusive and highly sought after, and properties are like hens teeth.
Lynne and Trevor scooped up a prime piece of land in Churchhaven on a SANPARKS auction, which became Church Cottage. The Room Key had acquired their third property.
Before long, Lynne, Trevor and their family were spending lots of time there. But this area within the West Coast National Park is so breathtakingly beautiful that Lynne and her family wanted to share it with others. Consequently, they found that Church Cottage was often occupied by visitors, meaning Lynne and the family were spending less time there than they wanted to.
In 2016 Lynne and Trevor acquired another piece of paradise in Churchhaven: Slipway Cottage. This Modern-Moroccan-inspired home was also brought into The Room Key’s fold.
Lynne discovered Peacehaven while visiting a friend who was staying at the Breede River. Lynne and her children spent the weekend boating and having fun on the water. It was magnificent, and Lynne fell in love with the Breede River. Almost immediately, she started looking for properties to buy and found Peacehaven. It became theirs, and The Room Key welcomed another beautiful property into their portfolio.
A standout feature of all The Room Key properties is the welcoming and sentimental feeling you get when you stay in them. All Lynne and Trevor’s holiday homes have been hand-picked and lovingly tended to. Each piece of furniture and item of décor has been selected with intention and care. Attention to detail and love of nature are cornerstones of their offering.
In addition to offering luxurious stays, The Room Key also features Room, Lynne’s line of natural, locally made products, in each property. These products, designed to bring a touch of nature-inspired luxury to every guest, are available for purchase on their website, allowing visitors to bring a piece of their Room Key experience home with them.
The Room Key’s story is where selectivity and serendipity connect. With a selective eye, a sense of serendipity, and a passion for seeing opportunities, Lynne and Trevor have established an exquisite portfolio of holiday homes and luxurious, locally-made, natural products that they love sharing with others.
