Villa Augustus

They don’t make water towers like they used to — this one, built in 1881, resembles a castle, and once contained a steam engine to power the pumps as well as housing for technicians. Long since decommissioned, it’s back in business as Villa Augustus, a thoroughly unusual hotel, with some rooms occupying the old tower quarters, as well as others in the gardens, in the old iron reservoir tank, or even floating on the surface of the Wantij river. The pump room is now a market selling fresh fruit, vegetables, and prepared food items, and the restaurant serves a menu of local, seasonal specialties, sourced as much as possible from the hotel’s own gardens.