Turbine Hotel and Spa

The Turbine hotel is excellent this was our second visit and we will come again, room and service excellent

The Turbine Boutique Hotel & Spa is a striking blend of industrial heritage and five-star luxury, set on the tranquil waters of Thesen Island in Knysna. Once a working power station, the hotel has been thoughtfully transformed into an eclectic retreat where restored machinery, bold colours, and whimsical details sit seamlessly alongside plush comforts and impeccable service. Lagoon-facing suites offer deep rest and sensory calm, while the Island Café delights with memorable breakfasts in a playful, stylish setting. With its rich history, unique design, and warm, family-friendly atmosphere, The Turbine delivers an experience that is both indulgent and character-filled, making it a truly memorable Garden Route destination.

This gem of a hotel with its unique decor will see us again next year. This was our third visit and each time we had a great stay. The friendly staff and clean rooms and excellent location is hard to beat.

What a different hotel this is. A former power station converted into the most unique hotel. Situated on Thesen Island a short drive from the main town of Knysna, but well situated for the boat trips to the Heads of Knysna.
Our room, number 101, overlooked one of the inland waterways and the swimming pool. A small balcony with table and chairs. The bedroom, very modern in style, still had some of the old dials and pipes from before the conversion, so added to the charm of the room. Our room also had a microwave, no crockery or cutlery, as well as a breakfast bar and stools. It also had a settee and two chairs.
The restaurant appeared to be used alot by business men/women, so was very busy. The menu was ok as too was the food. Breakfast was very strange - we were given a menu but were then told that we would have the continental breakfast which was served like afternoon tea. This wasn't really to our taste, so the second morning we made sure that we ordered from the mcne and refused the 'breakfast tea'.
However, once again, it was the staff that made the hotel extra special. Nothing appears to be too much trouble and every one is always on hand to help.

We really enjoyed our stay at The Turbine Hotel. The team were attentive and friendly during our stay, with special shout-out to the breakfast severs who we had a lovely time with.
The room was fresh and bright - and the hotel is beautiful.
Thank you for a wonderful stay!

Staying at the Turbine Hotel was a lovely experience, especially for a romantic getaway. The hotel staff were welcoming and quickly made us feel at home in the new space. While our room was chic, spotless and well-designed for an action-packed weekend by the sea. We woke up with a view of the marina and a fresh smell of ocean air. The complimentary breakfast was delicious. We were given a cute platter of nibbles while we waited for our orders. Exploring the hotel was super interesting as the heritage of the building is well-preserved. There are some sections that give an industrial feel that takes you back in time. Dinner at the restaurant was scrumptious. We ordered the seafood curry, which was inspired by our home suburb, Bo Kaap. The chef got the dish right, in my opinion. The location of the hotel is great. Thesen Island has a relaxed vibe and lots to explore. We spent time by the ocean, checked out the sea horses and dabbled in the water activities. Overall, this was an enjoyable experience that I would love to repeat and recommend to others.

Food is absolutely delicious, great and friendly service, views are amazing (Feels like you in Mini Italy) . One of the most unique diverse restaurants iv been to in terms of ambiance 💯💯💯

Best food and service experience in Knysna. Bored of the “regular” overpriced, overcooked and underwhelming food experiences so far, we decided on the Island Cafe at the Turbine Hotel.

Bored management with a “no-can-do” attitude much like any of the other popular restaurants like Sirocco - unbelievably bad attitude to client service, but here we were met with a gem of a waitress - Kia - “like the car”.

Great oysters, beautiful granita. Lovely fresh fish and a great prawn dish (thinner pasta would work better).

Overall our best eating experience in Knysna. Worth a visit.

Hotel was clean, staff friendly and efficient, and room was great! Will definitely stay there again.

We’ve stayed at the Turbine three years in a row because our first two visits were warm and welcoming. Unfortunately, our latest stay felt like a marked step down—especially at the front desk. We weren’t recognised as returning guests, and after our reservation email went unanswered, we had to confirm the booking ourselves a week before arrival.

The room showed wear and tear: the in-room info folder was shabby and missing a room-service menu. When we tried to order toasted sandwiches and chips mid-morning, we were told the fryer only switches on at noon—out of step with what a 5-star hotel promises.

With a late flight, we asked for a late checkout and were offered only 11:15 (15 minutes past standard) because a “very big and important” group was due—no option to pay for a later checkout either. It left us wondering why our comfort as returning guests felt less important.

We left feeling undervalued. Unless service standards and maintenance improve, we’ll be taking our business elsewhere.

Date of stay: September 2025

This is a stylishly and little quirky converted power station , and turbine museum, with great large rooms and views of the bay or the inlet based on an old timber processing island. This is a perfect location if you plan whale watching or sunset cruises as the meeting points are just a 2 minute walk. Beds are huge and comfortable. The staff across all areas could not do enough for you and the genuinely happy level of service is impressive. Lots of restaurants on the island but the hotel main restaurant had a really varied menu and the food was also very good. Free and easy parking makes this the ideal place to stay in Knysna. If you are in Knysna make time for the Elephant Sanctuary-25 minute drive but well worth it.

A wonderful experience. Absolutely unique hotel right on the water. Stunning g. Jew of Knysna and Marina So well decorated. Beautiful pool area for relaxing.

What a treat our stay was - from the friendly, professional staff, unique dècor & intriguing history to the lovely, warm environment. It was relaxing from beginning to the establishment's efforts & professionalism.

The hotel is very well situated near the island's restaurants, motorcycle museum, and cafes. The staff are exceptional, as are the restaurant and attached pub. The overall turbine theme is both fascinating and stylish, giving each room a unique feel.

What a fabulous hotel , it exceeded our expectations in every way. Friendly staff, magnificent amenities, brilliant breakfast, top notch.

A wonderful stay at a top class hotel. Everybody from the General Manager, to the Head Chef and all of the staff were very professional and friendly.

Excellent accommodation and service. We really were impressed by the size of the bedroom and loved the nightly turn down service. It maybe because of the lack of guests, but the quality of the dinner was certainly not up to scratch. Overall we enjoyed our stay immensely.

A hotel built around old engines and machinery - perfect for my husband, an ex Marine Engineer. He was thrilled when we arrived and he saw the turbo generator outside the front door.
We were taken to the Lagoon Suite across the road from the main hotel, where we spent a very noisy night courtesy of the restaurants and children's play area immediately outside. Next morning we asked if we could have a quieter room. We were shown the Oyster Suite. Our first impressions were that it looked a bit of an afterthought of a room with a badly designed layout and rickety-looking faux-rafters, as if done by an amateur DIY enthusiast. But it seemed a much quieter option.
During the first night in this room we noticed that water was seeping in through the length of the laminate floor in the bathroom. Walking on them caused water to squelch upwards causing wet feet to say nothing of the slippery surface. We informed reception staff who apologised, said it would be fixed immediately and offered a free dinner and wine as compensation. We asked if they would change our pillows because they smelled distinctly of previous occupants. They did, but this made no difference. The replacements also smelled of other people.
Next day the leak was still not fixed so we informed Reception staff. They offered us a very small bedroom without a balcony and said no larger rooms were available. They assured us the leak would be fixed by the following day. We stayed 5 nights in this room and the water (of indeterminate source) continued to seep in, a musty smell permeating the room. We left the windows and balcony door open every day while we went out. At no time did any member of staff ask us if we were comfortable, if the water leak had ceased etc.
On checking out, we were not asked how we enjoyed our stay. We advised them that water was still coming in (which they undoubtedly knew from room service/cleaning) and they should not use the room further until the floorboards were lifted, the leak sourced and repaired.
We paid £2,230 through booking.com for 6 nights in this hotel.
It was a HUGE disappointment, not solely because of the water leaking into our room.
I would not go back.

I had a delightful stay with a beautiful room overlooking the lagoon. I was able to have my early morning coffee on the little balcony and see starfish in the lagoon below. Rooms were clean and well serviced. Bed was comfortable with on demand entertainment. We had a great family dinner celebration in the restaurant, food and service was excellent.

Beautiful and very unique hotel. We were lucky enough to stay in the lagoon suite. The suite is very spacious and well equipped. The washing machine was a bonus as on a garden route driving holiday so very useful to have. The original turbine machinery features incorporated into the hotel were really well done and interesting. Thoroughly recommend this hotel