Indagare Insider: Hotelier Arnaud Zannier on His Latest Projects

Based in Ghent, where he lives with his wife, Julie Vanderndriessche, and three children, Arnaud Zannier is the owner and creative force behind Zannier Hotels. This collection of properties includes Le Chalet, in the French Alps, Phum Baitang, in Cambodia, 1898 The Post, in Ghent, and Omaanda, a new lodge in Namibia. What’s next for the man who’s made a name for himself creating deeply intimate properties around the world? Sonop Lodge, a second property in Namibia that opens this July, and a resort in Vietnam, slated to open in mid-2020. Arnaud unpacks his favorite destinations around the world and the inspiration behind his work.

How do you decide on a location for a property? Our first hotel, Le Chalet, was a real estate opportunity that we could not pass up. The rest came into being organically. When I visit a new place, I know right away whether it’s a good fit for one of my hotels. I’m not looking at the market or competitors, I just think about what I would like as a guest in that particular destination.

How do you think luxury travel has evolved since your early projects? Before the financial crisis of 2008, people were more concerned with showing off their wealth. Now, people are increasingly seeking experiences over labels. Priorities have shifted, and we are happy to go back to basics—as long as those basics are authentic and impactful.

Omaanda is built in the Owambo style, with natural clay walls and thatched roofs. Was there a deliberate effort to make it authentic in terms of the surrounding culture? Yes. The best compliment about the resort came from one of the workers who helped to build it. He told me it reminded him of his grandmother’s house, that we had captured the traditional spirit. This was the best thing anyone could have said to me.

Wasn’t it Angelina Jolie who first tipped you off on Namibia? Yes, she was our first guest at Phum Baitang. She and her family took over the hotel for five months, while she was in Cambodia directing for Netflix. My staff was pretty excited, and I was, too, because she really understood what we were trying to do with Zannier Hotels. We were having a drink together one evening, and she asked me if I had ever been to Namibia, a place she obviously knows well and loves. I booked a flight there just based on her recommendation.