It’s one thing to create the kind of hotel where people go to disconnect – whether that’s from reality, from thinking too deeply, or just from the usual everyday stresses.
What’s nearly impossible is to create a hotel with soul, one that forces you to look, to feel, to connect. And, when you do encounter that special kind of spot, that happens to be both bold and nurturing, we’d be willing to bet that, if you peek behind the curtain, there’s a female founder endowed with those exact same qualities.
This International Women’s Day, we sought out the six women who run some of the most sustainable and soulful hotels in the Smith collection – we asked them about their stories, heard what inspires them and found out what travellers can do now to make a positive difference.
EVGUENIA IVARA
Co-Founder of Cap Karoso, Indonesia
Tell us about the hotel’s journey from concept to opening – what was that process like?
When I look back, what I see most is the story of human encounters. Building Cap Karoso, we crossed paths with everyone from designers to farmers, from a Sumbanese ikat-weaver to a French perfume-maker. Each brought a part of their soul into this project.
What are the facets of the hotel that make you most proud?
I think it’s our meaningful connection to the local communities around us. Our ties to Sumba can be seen in our design, architecture, artworks – every detail speaks of the island.
What’s one particular thing that guests at your hotel should make sure to do?
Explore the surroundings – traditional villages, lagoons, wild beaches or just go for a solo bike ride to get an incredible sense of freedom and adventure. This is what Sumba is all about.
What causes are most important to you?
Universal access to education is key. Practices like bomb fishing, use of toxic insecticides, and plastic pollution could end if the young generation understood the implications for their own lives.
What’s your favourite thing about Sumba?
Sumba has its own pace. Time doesn’t have the same speed here as in our western world. Every time I land on the island, it feels like I’ve been given a superpower to extend time!
NAUSIKA GEORGIADOU
Founder of Skinopi Lodge, Greece
What are the facets of the hotel that make you most proud?
The beauty of the Cycladic islands needs humble and respectful architecture, designed to disappear into the landscape. When I sail by Skinopi and can hardly see the buildings from the sea, I know I have done well.
What’s one particular thing that guests at your hotel should make sure to do?
Have a day at sea, taking our private boat around the island and to the little islands close to us – it’s an unbelievable experience.
What causes are most important to you?
Respect for nature, and trying to save for my children and grandchildren the beauty that I have been privileged to see in my lifetime.
What inspires you?
The wisdom, philosophy and simple life of some of the older locals on the islands, those people who still remain untouched by the hurried life we all live.
What’s your favourite thing about Milos?
The sea. Being on my boat, swimming, diving off the rocks, and sailing back at sunset in the company of dolphins. The fact that after 40 years of exploring Milos and its archipelago, I still discover things, whether it’s a new secret cove or another ancient story, this island never ceases to amaze me.
NICOLE BOEKHOORN & FLEUR HUIJSKENS
Co-founders of Sterrekopje Farm, South Africa
Tell us about your journey from hotel concept to opening – what was that process like?
For years, Nicole travelled the world, looking for a place rooted in nature where people could come to find rest, regenerate and reconnect. As soon as she smelled the air at Sterrekopje and saw the night sky in the courtyard of the farm, it was a yes.
What are the facets of the hotel that make you most proud?
Our philosophy and offering, which is all about deep, transformative rest, allowing yourself to just be. We see our guests change in such positive and remarkable ways over the course of just a couple of days.
What’s one particular thing that guests at your hotel should make sure to do?
All we ask of our guests is to surrender and open up to our way and pace of life. Naturally, magic will happen.
What causes are most important to you?
The main aim with Sterrekopje is to develop meaningful projects to empower women and children. We are hosting our first wise women’s retreat in April and we want to build a reading house for the kids in Franschhoek so that they can dream and learn in a safe and playful setting.
How can travellers make a positive difference right now?
Being respectful first and foremost, of the local culture, the people, the environment.
LENA EVSTAFIEVA
Co-founder of Villa Lena, Tuscany
Tell us about your journey from hotel concept to opening – what was that process like?
I don’t think this journey will ever be finished! We keep developing strands which align with Villa Lena‘s core values, like the Flower Painting retreat which combines the amazing nature around us, the history of the terroir of the Renaissance and Tuscany‘s incredible painting tradition.
What are the facets of the hotel that make you most proud?
Our organic vegetable garden. The water recycling system means that every shower counts and is then used to irrigate the flower gardens. And our continued drive to be as sustainable as possible, from solar panels to smart composting.
What causes are most important to you?
Our artist residency is so important to me, being able to create a democratic space for talents to flourish and exchange.
How can travellers make a positive difference right now?
I think mindful and conscious choices – selecting your hotel based on real facts and achievements and not on green-washing initiatives. It requires more work from the traveller, but only this selective approach will force the tourism industry to change for the better.
What inspires you?
Female writers like Hilary Mantel, Zadie Smith, and Elena Ferrante. So much of hospitality is about understanding human experiences and novels are the best way to process that.
DANIELLA HUNTER
Co-creator of Sanará Tulum, Mexico
What are the facets of the hotel that make you most proud?
The quality of our bedding, the absence of any harsh chemicals or synthetic fragrances, our amenities that we make from scratch and our deep care about the source of our food – at Sanará we think about the impact of all our choices.
What’s one particular thing that guests at your hotel should make sure to do?
Our regular sound healing sessions are a must, and so is a visit to our Wellness Center for a treatment with one of our wonderful therapists.
What causes are most important to you?
For our collective survival, food needs to be addressed. I champion the use of low-impact crops in our menus and we have a regenerative farming project on our Yucatán ranch.
How can travellers make a positive difference right now?
Respect and care for the people who work so hard to create the ‘theatre’ that we experience when we go on holiday. We shouldn’t take it for granted how much they have given up for us to benefit from a perfect stay.
What’s your favourite thing about the Yucatan Peninsula?
The climate in Tulum is very nurturing. It can be hot during the summer, but never feels oppressive. Everything grows here, and I love the amount of greenery and abundance of trees and plants.
RITA SOARES
CEO, Herdade da Malhadinha Nova, Portugal
Tell us about the hotel’s journey from concept to opening – what was that process like?
The story of Herdade da Malhadinha Nova is a love story that started when my family and I bought an abandoned farm in one of the least populated regions in Europe. My first child was born that year, 1998, so from that moment it’s been a life of creation that we all feel very proud of.
What are the facets of the hotel that make you most proud?
That we’ve achieved the highest levels of sustainability and built an entire balanced ecosystem in rural Alentejo.
What’s one particular thing that guests at your hotel should make sure to do?
Ride one of the Lusitano horses that were born here, or take a workshop in the pottery atelier using our own clay – those activities are priceless.
What causes are most important to you?
‘Taking care’ is my biggest mission. Taking care of my family as a priority, of the environment, of my team and their families, and of my guests.
How can travellers make a positive difference right now?
Tourism can definitely be a tool for a better world, it’s all about choices. I choose to spend my money in family-owned projects that are into sustainability and worried about their local communities.
What’s your favourite thing about Alentejo?
It’s the preservation of nature, the horizon, the breath-taking sunset, and the incredible light.
For more inspiring hotels with a heart of green, browse our eco-friendly collection.