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22 | www.travelweekly-asia.com GAME CHANGER NIHIWATU DANCES WITH THE STARS In July, Travel + Leisure chose Nihiwatu on the Indonesian island of Sumba as its No. 1 hotel in the world. Managing partner, South African James McBride, previously a hotelier for The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, brings his unique version of hospitality to the resort. At the same time he raises money for The Sumba Foundation, which helps provide drinking water and education for the local kids, builds hospitals for the community, buys mosquito nets and fights malaria. James McBride talks to Catharine Nicol: How have you created something different? Nihiwatu is whimsical. I don't like formulas. We always wanted to maintain the spirit, the hippy-chic- boho unregulated feel. The dance- on-the-bar-after-dinner, have-fun- feel always remains. That's what makes Nihiwatu special. Everyone wants to dance on the table. I call it unregulated freedom. What is your most recent unregulated freedom creation? We create surprises around every adventure. The biggest one is the Spa Safari. We acquired 100 acres and three beaches; you hike over and are assigned two therapists for you and your partner for the day. You have your hair washed in coconut water, get a massage when and how you want, swim and snorkel, eat grilled fish from our wonderful organic menu. We wanted to create this fantasy that people dream about. So different to traditional hospitality, who is looking for this kind of experience? For people who have been everywhere, Nihiwatu gives them an experience they can't get anywhere else. We have the perfect combination of the people, the real estate, the remoteness and soul. These things aren't man made. They happen or they don't, like you have chemistry with a girl or not. You can't force it. What memorable moments do you draw from your career to come up with your current creation? For me it is the small things. For example, when I first met Mr Marriott I was at The Ritz-Carlton in Kuala Lumpur. He wrote me a hand-written note. The power of the handwritten note today is one of the most powerful things you can do. It's almost more powerful than sending flowers. That's personalisation. I was in Kuala Lumpur in 1997, it was the Asian economic crisis and we had no money. We were trying to work out what we could do that didn't cost money and yet would blow people away. Monogrammed pillowcases! We were the first to do them and they were the biggest hit. Every Tom, Dick and Harry is doing them now but at the time it was revolutionary, it was different, and when people saw it they went crazy. What is your approach to getting the best out of people? Good hospitality is about the power of good people, talented people who get it. I relate that to Sumba. The Sumbanese get the western way, but they're not western. They get speed, that you want stuff now, it's not a manana island mentality. Plus they have the most beautiful smiles, and they love to dance on the bar. Other than being consistent, what is your philosophy of hospitality? Focus on the basics; often the rest will take care of itself. You've also got to be very innovative, constantly reinventing. When I started this journey, 9.9 out of 10 people thought I'd gone completely mad. Four years later 7.5 think I actually got it right. How important is the Sumba Foundation to you and your guests? Through the Sumba Foundation we're able to educate children about malaria, nutrition and how important water is in the world. Guests interact with the villagers and parents love their children to learn about such a different culture while on holiday. They visit a school where children only have one meal a day and understanding what that is and being a part of that is so valuable. In fact, guests come back because of the foundation. They see the child they fed or gave money to, or the new water tank in the village, and they see the change they have been able to effect. There are very few places left on earth like this you can go to that are life-changing, where you get to experience something you wouldn't normally experience. Meet the man behind the multi-award-winning resort's unparalleled experience that draws even the most well-travelled. Top left clockwise: James McBride; Mamole Tree House, one of Nihiwatu's stunning accommodation choices; View from the Nihi Oka Spa Safari.