Independent Minds: Arnoud Oostenbroek & Anouk Brouwer, Tabula Rasa Resort & Spa

Being independently minded is all about having freedom. I think that larger hotel chains mainly operate by strictly following protocols. As a result, they lose a part of their authenticity, which is precisely the opposite – and where the charm derives – of boutique hotels. Due to the small scale nature of our property, we as management are able to respond faster and are more focused to the wishes and needs of our guests, or changing trends for that matter. I feel that there is also greater involvement among the staff of a boutique hotel, compared to those of a big chain hotel. Employees are more involved in the day-to-day operations with the result that they feel more responsibility and ownership. If all goes well, boutique hotel staff members keep each other sharp, which results in more personalised service. This will always have its effect on the overall experience of guests.

We have travelled to many countries all over the world, and have therefore stayed in many hotels. In the earlier days, we travelled on a budget, but when our businesses started to improve we could afford to stay in more luxurious hotels. During our visits, we couldn’t help but discuss what we would do better in terms of interior design, architecture or the concept in general. Since we also enjoyed hosting parties and dinners and always did our best to make the event special, friends and family sometimes joked that we should start our own hotel. I had already considered this myself several times, and had even worked on a concept once. At the time, we lived in the South of France, 20 minutes from Cannes, and if you want to start something of a hotel there – let alone a resort – you need inexhaustible funds. So that was not an option. But the dream and wish always stuck somewhere in my head.

Years later, we travelled through Asia with our three children for six months and also visited Sri Lanka during that trip. We immediately fell for the charm and natural beauty of this island and decided to stay here for a while. I picked up my work as project developer and bought an old English colonial villa that was about to collapse, which we transformed into a luxury villa.

One day, we were looking for a new location to build some villas when we were offered a piece of land on a hill. We couldn’t actually set foot on the land because the jungle was too dense. After we bought a machete from a local shop, we made our way through the jungle – and when we reached the edge of the plot, we were struck by the incredible views of the jungle, the nearby lake and the Indian Ocean.

Before we made it back to our scooters it was decided that this was not the land on which we were going to build two or three villas, but that instead my long-cherished dream of building a resort would come alive right here. This piece of land was calling to me.

We created the concept, made a plan, sold everything, looked for investors, and found a local bank willing to credit the missing part of the proposed budget. Eight months later, we started the construction of Tabula Rasa Resort & Spa.