After more than a decade as custodians of this remarkable corner of Western Australia, we have some news to share — and we wanted to share it here, in our own words, with the people who matter most to us.
Neil and Libby have made the decision to sell Caves House Hotel Yallingup. The incoming owner is Adrian Fini, a proud West Australian with deep roots in the South West and a genuine appreciation for what makes this place so extraordinary.
This is not an easy moment to put into words. But it is a good one. And we want you to understand why.
Caves House is far more than a hotel. It is a Western Australian icon with more than 120 years of history. We have always seen ourselves as custodians of something remarkable — and it was critically important to us that we find a buyer who understands its heritage significance and its place within the Yallingup community.
We have always believed that Caves House belongs to something larger than any single owner. It belongs to its history. To the land it sits on. To the community that has gathered here for generations. So when the time came to think about the future, the question was never simply who will buy it — it was who will look after it.
We are genuinely pleased that the answer is a West Australian. Someone with a deep understanding of this region, a love for the South West, and a clear intention to protect what makes Caves House what it is. Adrian Fini has committed to preserving the heritage building and gardens, working with the existing tenants of the bakery and general store, and elevating the hospitality experience here. This is a family project, not a development.
We are particularly pleased that the new owner is a proud West Australian with a genuine appreciation for the South West. Keeping this landmark in local hands gives us great confidence that its legacy will be protected and thoughtfully advanced.
Settlement update: Settlement is expected at the end of April, pending final confirmation of the liquor licence transfer date. Caves House will continue to operate as normal in the meantime. All bookings, reservations and existing arrangements remain fully in place.
A place like Caves House isn't built by its owners. It's built by the people who show up every day, who pour the beers and plate the meals and tune the guitars and tend the gardens. It's built by the community that chooses to gather here, again and again.
We want to take this moment to say thank you — from the bottom of our hearts — to each and every one of you.
To every member of our extraordinary staff — front of house, kitchen, housekeeping, maintenance, reception, management — thank you. You are the soul of this place. Your dedication, your warmth, your pride in what you do has made Caves House what it is. The new owners are inheriting something remarkable, and that's because of you.
Live music seven nights a week. That only happens because of the extraordinary talent that has graced our stage. From solo acts on a quiet Tuesday to the big weekend crowd favourites: you have filled this place with something that can't be manufactured. Thank you for making Caves House sing.
The regional produce on our plates, the local wines on our list, the goods and services that kept this place running — so much of it came from people we are proud to call partners. Supporting local has always been fundamental to how we operate. Thank you for the relationships we have built.
The honeymooners and the surfers. The birthday dinners and the anniversary weekends. The regulars at the bar on Friday night and the first-timers who caught their breath at the top of the hill. Every one of you chose to spend time here, and that has meant everything.
To the couples who have said their vows in our heritage gardens, danced under the stars, and made memories here that will last a lifetime — it has been our absolute honour. Those weddings are the heart of what Caves House is about, and we are so glad you chose us.
To the residents of Yallingup and the surrounding hills, the families who've been coming here for generations, the locals who fill the beer garden — you are not just customers. You are the reason this place has a soul. Caves House exists within this community, not apart from it.
Caves House was established in 1903, built by the Government of Western Australia to house visitors drawn to the newly discovered Ngilgi Caves. After a fire in 1920, it was completely rebuilt in the early 1930s in the art deco style you see today — a building that celebrates its era with detailed interiors, uniquely styled spaces, and a character that cannot be replicated.
For more than a decade, Neil and Libby have been careful stewards of that legacy — investing in the property, preserving its heritage character, and continuing to welcome the honeymooners and wanderers and locals who have always found their way here.
Some places are bigger than their owners. Caves House is one of them. It belongs to the Indian Ocean coastline it overlooks, to the Ngilgi Caves it has neighboured for more than a century, and to the people of the South West who have made it their own. That story is not ending. It is simply turning a page.
To every person who has walked through our doors, sat in our gardens, raised a glass at the Long Bar, or simply felt something when they saw this old building lit up at dusk — thank you. It has been the privilege of a lifetime.
We cannot wait to see what the next chapter holds.
Questions or enquiries? We'd love to hear from you: reception@ychh.com.au