Hot on the heels of Omaanda – winner of the Guestrooms award at AHEAD MEA 2019 – Zannier Hotels Sonop comprises ten luxury tents cleverly constructed atop a group of boulders, affording striking 360º views of the southern Namib Desert in Namibia. Founder Arnaud Zannier took inspiration for the hotel’s design from his very first trip to the site and the view from the top of the boulders. He recognised that he had been fortunate enough to discover somewhere very special, likening the feeling to an old discoverer finding a destination, and so the property was designed to resemble a 20th century tented camp for explorers.
The construction process was challenging due to the hotel’s remote location and protected surroundings, with all building materials and interior products manually transported up the boulders by native craftsmen. Zannier Hotels only used a limited number of existing roads to the site too, ensuring the human impact on the fragile flora was minimal. In addition, each piece of furniture, including twelve 30kg handcrafted four-poster beds, had to be carried over the rocks and boulders, thereby avoiding the use of disruptive machinery.
Built entirely on stilts connected through sturdy elevated wooden decks, the tents are covered by an elegant canvas, designed to harmonise with the surrounding environment. Shaped in an oval formation facing out towards the landscape, they cater to today’s discerning travellers whilst also avoiding soil erosion and ensuring the preservation of the insects, fauna and flora that make up the Namibian desert dune ecosystem. Each accommodation has been devised to invite guests to live the life of intrepid explorers from years gone by, whilst the materials and colour palette have been selected to blend into the boulders.
Inside, the tents feature a large bedroom, living room area and a separate bathroom with a large bathtub and rain shower. Furnishings include dressing tables with ornate objects such as small flasks and antique combs. Moreover, the floor-to-ceiling windows allow guests to experience a taste of living in complete isolation, immersed in the surrounding landscape. The bedrooms encompass handcrafted king size four-poster beds, an airy living area with comfortable armchairs, and a telescope for looking out towards the distant surroundings or gazing into Namibia’s dark sky reserve. There’s also private terraces that extend out across large wooden decks, offering awe-inspiring views of the desert.
Zannier Hotels’ interior team also decided to work only with natural textures and materials including dead wood, rocks, mud and thatch to guarantee that nature remained at the forefront of the design. The spa, for instance, has been designed to resemble the rich traditions of the Owambo tribes through its interiors, construction and materials. The Owambo are admired for their respectful attitude towards nature – values that Zannier Hotels maintain.
Rather than buying new furniture, the team also endeavoured to reuse as much as possible – preference was always given to antiques. They sourced more than 550 antiques including binoculars, maps, mirrors, magnifying glasses, bedside tables, carpets, trunks, armchairs and picture frames, as well as unique ornaments such as gramophones, 19th century explorer boots, vintage walking sticks and historical pith helmets. Any new furniture was specifically made from Namibian materials by local architects, carpenters and construction suppliers.
Take a look at the video below for more insight.
