Claire and Valia Gontard - Somewhere Real, Somewhere Special, Somewhere Lombok

Claire and Valia Gontard are sisters. Born in Hong Kong, they are now in southern Lombok, offering travellers a brand of high-end hospitality that is also warm, personal and in touch with the local community. Claire spoke with mylombok recently about how she and Valia have created a special ‘Somewhere’ in an idyllic setting.

Tell us how the idea for Somewhere Lombok began

We’ve been coming to Lombok all our lives. It’s where our maternal grandfather was born and raised, and we still have family on the island. Beyond the family connection, though, it was the place itself that drew us in. We’ve always loved holidaying here. Lombok has so much beauty, and no crowds (for now) and is only about a 30-minute flight from Bali.

When we started thinking about building something of our own, it made complete sense to start in Lombok, so that’s how the idea came about. We were introduced to the specific plot in Are Guling quite by coincidence, in 2015. Are Guling Bay is a top surf spot on the southern coast of Lombok and the site we found sits on a cliff right above it. It feels secluded, but it’s only about 10 minutes from Kuta and 35 minutes from the airport, so guests can have privacy without feeling cut off.

Where did the name ‘Somewhere’ come from?

We worked with an incredible branding agency, Eight Partnership, who gave us a long list of
options, and that was the one we fell in love with. Love it or hate it, you don’t forget it. Home isn’t
a place on a map for us, it’s a feeling, and it’s what we try to give every guest, wherever in the
world our next ‘Somewhere’ is.

What was the biggest challenge or difficulty in turning the idea into a business?

Having patience. That can be difficult. Building in Lombok happens at a different pace than one would expect. There are often delays and extra costs you can’t plan for, and you have to be prepared for that. It’s also about working within local village politics, so building genuine relationships with the community early on matters as much as the construction itself.

Did you have previous experience in hospitality or was this a total change of direction?

Somewhere Lombok was the first hotel we started, as founders, but not our first experience in hospitality. Valia had worked in the food and beverage industry for a while, and I had managed Kimamaya, a boutique hotel in Niseko, in northern Japan. Aside from that, hosting has always been in our family DNA. As we grew up, our parents constantly had guests to stay, and we both inherited a love of bringing people together.

Tell us about the property and what it offers.

Somewhere Lombok is a 20-villa boutique resort. Each villa is a ‘standalone’, just over 52 m2, with a private terrace and its own plunge pool. There’s also a restaurant, a bar and lounge and an infinity salt water pool that has views over the bay. The resort is a member of Design Hotels and affiliated with Marriott Bonvoy.

How do nature and outdoor spaces add to the experience?

The site itself does most of the work. We’re on a cliff above Are Guling Bay, looking straight out over the surf. There are water buffalo wandering about the property behind us and tropical gardens throughout.
Nothing about the setting is manufactured; we built around what was already there rather than importing or creating a ‘look’.

Has anything surprised you about running the business, or about anything else?

We were surprised at how difficult staffing is. We’d love to hire entirely from the island, but Lombok doesn’t yet have the hospitality infrastructure to support training at a luxury level, so we constantly invest in training our own people rather than simply hiring ready-trained staff.

How do you involve local people?

It’s central to how we operate. 100% of our staff is Indonesian, and 82% of our team is from Lombok itself. We also teach local women skills, such as crochet work that we help sell at the Hotel. We also connect guests with local craftspeople and fishermen who can invite them into their world, rather than keep everyone inside the resort. We host charity events and fundraisers for orphanages and schools. Building trust with the surrounding village community, understanding how they live and finding ways we can help have been as important as anything we’ve built physically.

What is it like to work together as sisters?

The best part is the trust. From day one, we were on the same page and even when we see things a little differently, we always land somewhere better than where either of us started. Valia has an incredible eye as an artist and photographer, and that instinct shows up everywhere in the property.

The hardest part is probably the intensity of it. In the early years, especially, we were both going through huge personal changes, and there was very little separation between being ‘sisters’ and ‘co-founders’.

How do you share workload and responsibilities? Do you have distinct roles?

A couple of months before opening, we hired a general manager. Before that, Valia and I did everything
ourselves: furniture design, the menus, even where the plugs and light switches went. The architects loved our passion but hated how particular we were about every detail. Now, I focus on operations, events, marketing and business development, and I’m still the more ‘hands-on’ from day to day. Valia isn’t involved in daily operations anymore; now the business is running smoothly, she’s able to step back from that side of it.

What has been your most rewarding moment?

Seeing our returning guests. We’ve been open for three years and we’ve already had guests coming back for their fourth stay. It’s the biggest compliment there is, and it’s exactly what we set out to achieve. That’s more rewarding than anything else – more than awards or great press coverage.

Are there particular details, unique features or personal touches you’re most proud of?

Yes, and I think it’s mostly the small things: a jar of fresh cookies delivered to every villa each evening; Bluetooth speakers and beach bags in the rooms; and premium and sustainably sourced amenities. We also have Valia’s photography displayed in the rooms, which keeps the place feeling personal. And of
Of course, the views from our restaurant and pool give guests a sense of tranquillity from the moment they arrive. Also, the weddings we’ve held here have been sensational. Offering a wedding destination is where we’re heading next; it’s becoming a big part of our identity.

What would you say makes Somewhere Lombok stand out?

South Lombok has so much to offer, and we wanted to bring something a little different to the mix. Somewhere Lombok gives travellers a genuinely high-end, but unpretentious, boutique experience. That’s what we’ve set out to create.

It’s also about getting the design right – down to the smallest detail, even if that meant driving the architects a little mad.

Sustainability is a real differentiator, too. It’s not just a marketing line or something bolted on afterwards. It’s sustainability from the ground up. From the start, we worked with Eco Mantra on passive design, rainwater harvesting, recycled irrigation water and waste management, and we used materials such as porous paving and aerated bricks.

Most guests, though, will tell you what stands out is the atmosphere, the experience of being at Somewhere Lombok. They’ll mention the view and the welcome they get – the sense they’re looked after from the moment they arrive. One of our priorities has been service, above everything else. Five-star service and genuinely kind staff who really want to help guests.

Contrast is a word we keep coming back to. It’s secluded but accessible. It’s peaceful, but with world class waves on the doorstep if you want them. We want our guests to relax into a beach-chic, unfussy environment that’s genuinely focused on nature, wellbeing, sustainability and community, rather than a cocooned resort bubble that could be anywhere.

I think all of that makes us stand out.

What kind of guests do you tend to attract?

We have guests from all around the world. We attract people who appreciate warm hospitality. Our biggest clients are wedding parties, couples, and full property book outs for retreats and families.

How do you see Lombok evolving as a tourist destination in the next few years?

We’ve already watched Lombok change so much, and it’s exciting to see the island get the recognition it
Deserves, because of improved connectivity and more people discovering the south.

We’d love to see growth that happens thoughtfully, in a way that protects what made us fall in love with the island in the first place: the pace of life, the community, the nature. It’s so important to respect the local community and surroundings, and make sustainability the core of the island’s tourism rather
than an afterthought for marketing purposes.

Do you have specific plans for the future of Somewhere Lombok?

We’ve just launched a new event space next door. It’s called ELSE, a 1,500 m2 ‘blank canvas’
with sensational views. It’s built to host anything from weddings or romantic proposals to kids’ birthday parties. In a couple of years, we’ll build additional guest facilities and villas with full ocean views. There’ll be a wellness space, an event space, a library and bar – accessible to all our guests. Beyond that, we’re starting to think seriously about international expansion: Somewhere around the world, you might say.

What advice would you give to anyone thinking of starting a hospitality business in Lombok?

Come with patience and expect things you didn’t budget for. Accept that things move at a different pace. And only invest in a project if you, or someone you deeply trust, can be on the ground to oversee construction and operations until things are running smoothly. Lombok has huge potential, but making everything run smoothly is the real work.

What do you hope will be the one thing your guests will remember most after they leave Somewhere Lombok?

That the place felt like somewhere real, not a resort built for tourists to bring their own world with them, but a place where they had a genuine sense of how people actually live on Lombok.

And, selfishly, we hope they’d say the photos genuinely didn’t do it justice.