RIYADH: From a farm surrounded by date palms in Al-Ahsa to a multigenerational wellness retreat in the mountains of Taif, ENVI Lodges is bringing a nature-led approach to hospitality in Saudi Arabia as the Kingdom expands its tourism offering beyond major cities.

The homegrown GCC brand, co-founded by Chris Nader, is preparing to open two distinctive properties in the Kingdom, each designed around its natural surroundings and the experiences they can offer guests.

Speaking to Arab News Japan, Nader said ENVI’s concept aligned from the beginning with Saudi Arabia’s ambitions to develop tourism across a wider range of destinations.

“We want these types of boutique luxury lodges in secondary and tertiary areas. We want to activate mountains, farms and deserts,” Nader said.

“It is no longer only about Riyadh, Jeddah, Makkah and Madinah. It is about the new tourism vision.”

ENVI launched at the end of 2021 and began gaining traction the following year, with Saudi Arabia becoming one of the brand’s earliest markets.

Nader said the growth of domestic tourism during the COVID-19 pandemic also demonstrated the potential of lesser-known destinations as Saudis began exploring parts of their own country they had rarely considered visiting before.

“They saw the potential of the domestic market going out, exploring and activating these destinations,” he said.

The brand has since expanded its portfolio across the Middle East and Africa. Its first operating property opened in Zanzibar on July 1, while projects are also underway in Oman and Saudi Arabia.

For Nader, however, the idea behind ENVI goes beyond placing luxury accommodation in picturesque locations.

“What we do with each of the lodges is create an anchor experience around which we develop the guest journey and determine what people will do,” he said.

That anchor can take different forms depending on the destination, from agriculture and wellness to regeneration, wildlife, hiking and adventure.

“However, all of this falls under an umbrella that we call wellbeing,” Nader said. “It is not necessarily wellness specifically, but wellbeing.”

“The moment I place you on a farm, it is about how you feel and how you connect with agriculture, animals, trees and the wider environment.”

“Everything we do is intended to make you feel good, particularly within the stressful environments in which we live.”

That philosophy will take shape in Al-Ahsa, where ENVI is preparing to open what Nader described as the first high-end lodge in the Middle East located on a farm.

“There is nothing else like it, a lodge on a farm surrounded by palm trees, dates and all of that,” he said. “We are very excited to open it.”

The Al-Ahsa property will use its agricultural setting as a central part of the guest experience, while also incorporating the traditions and people of the surrounding community.

ENVI is exploring collaborations with local pottery makers, guides and home cooks, allowing guests to experience Al-Ahsa through people who live there rather than through experiences created entirely within the hotel.

“They do a lot of pottery there, so how can we work with local pottery makers, bring their work into the lodge, sell their products and teach guests how to make or use pottery?” Nader said.

“We want to invite people from their homes to come and prepare genuinely traditional cuisine at the lodge, so guests can experience what it truly tastes like — not something interpreted by a chef who comes from somewhere else.”

Another ENVI property is planned for Al-Shafa in Taif, where the company is developing a 30-villa multigenerational wellness retreat with Sumou Holding.

“We will have 30 villas and an extensive wellness offering centred on nutrition, movement and mindfulness,” Nader said.

The retreat reflects ENVI’s broader interpretation of wellbeing, which Nader said includes not only the relationship between guests and nature, but also their relationship with themselves and the people closest to them.

“There are different aspects to wellbeing,” he said.

“There is the aspect of connecting with yourself. This is something people work on a lot today through mindfulness and meditation.”

“Then there is the connection with your loved ones, your partner and your children. We are missing that a lot.”

One of the biggest obstacles to that connection, he said, is something almost every guest carries with them: their phone.

“For me, being present is one of the most important, but also one of the most difficult, things to do,” Nader said. “To be present, you have to disconnect.”

“At the lodges, we really try to do everything possible to keep you away from this,” he added, explaining that ENVI instead develops activities and programmes that encourage families and couples to spend time together.

A third pillar of the brand’s approach is connecting visitors with local communities.

“You really get to know who the local people are, how you can support them and how you can help them,” Nader said.

That approach is already visible at ENVI’s Zanzibar lodge through its “Pack for Paje” initiative, named after the village where the property is located. Guests are encouraged to bring something with them that can be left for the local community.

“The idea is not only to buy things to take home, but also to leave something behind,” Nader said, adding that ENVI plans to introduce similar community-focused initiatives across its properties.

Food is another part of the experience. At the Zanzibar property, the menu is built around local produce, most food is made in-house, processed sugar is avoided and even the breakfast sequence incorporates principles inspired by biohacking.

“We even developed our breakfast menu so that it is eaten in a particular order,” Nader said. “You activate your gut first, then move on to your protein and healthy fats.”

Nader, who previously served as vice president of development for Kempinski Hotels in Dubai covering Africa and the Middle East, traces his interest in experiential hospitality to his time living in Switzerland, where a stay at a luxury camp in the Swiss Alps introduced him to a different way of experiencing a destination.

A decade later, ENVI combines that interest in adventure with a focus on wellbeing and experiences rooted in their surroundings.

For Nader, the ultimate aim is to create places where guests do more than simply stay overnight.

“That is really the vision behind the brand and how we want it to grow,” he said.