ELEPHANT HOUSE

New evocative website for a luxury guest lodge servicing South Africa’s Addo Elephant Park.

NATURE MEETS NURTURE

The brief →

Elephant House is a popular and much-loved lodge in the magnificent Sundays River Valley. It is family-run and prides itself on its farmstyle cooking, understated comfort, personal service and old-fashioned hospitality.

Owners Clive and Anne approached me because their website at the time was a dated 90s throwback which could not be viewed properly on any hand-held device. Their criteria was that the new site had to be responsive, unique, didn’t look like every other hotel’s website, and that it reflected instantly the personality, warmth and heartfelt hospitality of the lodge.

The only element Clive and Anne wanted to keep in its original form was their logo which has deep sentimental value.

The brief →

Elephant House is a popular and much-loved lodge in the magnificent Sundays River Valley. It is family-run and prides itself on its farmstyle cooking, understated comfort, personal service and old-fashioned hospitality.

Owners Clive and Anne approached me because their website at the time was a dated 90s throwback which could not be viewed properly on any hand-held device. Their criteria was that the new site had to be responsive, unique, didn’t look like every other hotel’s website, and that it reflected instantly the personality, warmth and heartfelt hospitality of the lodge.

The only element Clive and Anne wanted to keep in its original form was their logo which has deep sentimental value.

Elephant House website shown on a tablet and smartphone.

The solution →

The Elephant House property is filled with verandahs overflowing with over-stuffed couches, rugs, antiques, aged photographs and art. Welcoming places to meet up as a group or to snuggle up alone with a book, they represent to me the true soul of the lodge.

So I brought them front and centre. A verandah is the first image you see on the new site’s homepage and they are celebrated throughout. I sought to capture their dense layering of cushions, collectables and antiques by adding layers of old stamps, handwriting and photographs to every page. So although the structure of the site is modern, it features old-fashioned cues alongside beautiful photography.

The solution →

The Elephant House property is filled with verandahs overflowing with over-stuffed couches, rugs, antiques, aged photographs and art. Welcoming places to meet up as a group or to snuggle up alone with a book, they represent to me the true soul of the lodge.

So I brought them front and centre. A verandah is the first image you see on the new site’s homepage and they are celebrated throughout. I sought to capture their dense layering of cushions, collectables and antiques by adding layers of old stamps, handwriting and photographs to every page. So although the structure of the site is modern, it features old-fashioned cues alongside beautiful photography.

A typical Elephant House website page
A typical Elephant House website page
A typical Elephant House website page
A typical Elephant House website page
A typical Elephant House website page

GIN MEETS TONIC

A typical Elephant House website page
A typical Elephant House website page
A typical Elephant House website page
A typical Elephant House website page
A typical Elephant House website page

FARM MEETS TABLE

When we asked Russ to create our new website, our only instruction was to ensure that it was different to all other accommodation sites. And he did just that! Russ has that rare ability to not only ‘think outside of the box’ artistically but also to be able to read the needs of the target audience which is so important. Another great advantage is that he has access to some of the best photographers. Ever since Russ created our new website we have seen a tremendous increase in traffic. Russ is a fantastic person to work with – such a pleasure.

CLIVE READ

Owner, Elephant House, South Africa

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