Luxury within reach: One of the world’s best hotels gets an affordable sibling

Can you catch lightning in a bottle twice? Chris Burch, the creator of one of the most luxurious hotels in the world, certainly seems to think so.

NIHI Sumba, Burch’s resort in southeastern Indonesia, is the stuff of luxury hotel legend. It’s a favorite of staff at TPG, including The Points Guy himself, who after a 2017 visit said NIHI’s combination of exploration and relaxation was one that would stay with him the rest of his life.

It’s easy to see why. NIHI bills its Sumba Island location as one where “rugged luxury meets unregulated freedom.” It’s a place with tailor-made luxury experiences that nestle in extraordinarily well with its surrounding community — a property that shows luxury doesn’t have to mean gold-plated anything. Instead, it can be all about the surrounding beauty and activities.

Initially named Nihiwatu after the surrounding beach, the resort was launched in the 1980s by original owners Claude Graves (a surfer) and his wife, Petra, who set the stage for NIHI’s ethos. The couple launched the Sumba Foundation to give back to islanders and build out a better health and infrastructure network across Sumba Island. The foundation grew through resort guest donations and involvement and now includes an educational component, work training and business opportunities for islanders.

Burch, an American entrepreneur known for his role in launching and growing brands like Faena and Tory Burch, bought what is now NIHI in 2012 in partnership with hotelier James McBride, who is now CEO of NIHI Hotels.

The duo expanded the resort into today’s ultra-luxurious iteration by reportedly spending tens of millions of dollars, adding private villas with views of the Indian Ocean, a world-class spa and other luxurious amenities. At the same time, the NIHI team adheres to sustainable building practices and pays homage to Sumbamese culture with the resort’s grass-thatched roofs, local art and a general mindset to rely on nearby resources

Beyond the beauty of it all, NIHI’s experiential component is a major draw for its guests. Private butlers can arrange everything from horseback riding and swimming — even horseback spear throwing, or Pasola — to yoga and cooking classes.

Long story short: The resort is as much about giving back and preservation as it is about providing a one-of-a-kind, ultra-luxury experience.

Sure, it’s not the easiest place to get to: take a flight to Bali, a $605 flight from Bali to Tambolaka airport organized by the resort and then a 1.5-hour drive (or a private helicopter charter). Nor, with rates at times later this year going for close to $3,000 a night, is it the most affordable. And Burch and McBride know that.

“The key to the hotel business is being curious, and when young people go to NIHI, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience. They blow their whole budget,” Burch said in an interview with TPG, alongside McBride. “We need to offer the same experience to these younger people that can’t afford to pay more than $450 a night, but they [still] want that feeling.”

Recognizing that, Buch and his team decided to create a new, more affordable brand that they say will pack…