Voaara to put barefoot luxury on the map in Madagascar's Sainte-Marie Island
Voaara, opening September 2024 in Madagascar, is a new barefoot luxury resort, comprising elegant, tropical-style bungalows and villas, introducing a pioneering community-led resort concept to the region.
Located on the island of Sainte-Marie off the northeast coast of Madagascar, Voaara is a celebration of its surroundings. Exceptional water, wildlife, culture and cuisine, paired with a population of just 30,000, create the epitome of quiet luxury; an unspoiled Indian Ocean paradise.
The first property from Owner Philippe Kjellgren, Founder of PK's List and Kiwi Collection. Kjellgren has made it his life's work to become an expert in the world's luxury hotels, staying in over 2,000 hotels in 149 countries, he identified the need for a true barefoot luxury experience.
Now realizing his dream, Kjellgren is taking inspiration from his travels to ensure every element of Voaara is thoughtfully and deliberately chosen to create places and spaces of quality, innovation and authenticity.
Taking its name from two Malagasy words - 'Voarara', meaning forbidden or sacred; and 'Voara', meaning nature or fruit - Voaara illustrates a place of simple elegance and quiet luxury for those seeking unspoiled nature, surrounded by all the luxuries of a five-star resort. The first of its kind in this region, Voaara brings with it an exciting new approach to resort living that not only invites guests to visit, but also to become part of a community, with a limited number of villas available for inaugural guests to purchase.
Set to launch initially with just eight understated, yet luxurious bungalows and one three-bedroom villa - a renovation of the existing resort on the site - this private paradise will eventually be 45 keys in total, through a phased launch. Kjellgren worked with South African-Chilean architect Luis F Mira to design spaces adorned with local materials and reclaimed wood, along with infinity pools.
Voaara provides an exciting new luxury Indian Ocean beach destination, set to eventually host five dining outlets - two due to open August 2024 - with plans that include the addition of a spa later in the year. Ideally located for those looking to book multi-destination travel, Voaara is also perfectly placed for twin stays, with options for those looking for adventure on nearby Reunion Island, safari in Kenya or to explore the Madagascan jungle and more.
Destination
One of only a few luxury hotel offerings in Madagascar, Voaara will be the first to be housed on the island of Sainte-Marie, also known as Nosy Boraha by locals. Sainte-Marie has an incredible history, once a pirate base, and still home to a pirates' cemetery which has graves marked with a skull and crossbones, said to house the bodies of pirate legends William Kidd, Robert Culliford, Olivier Levasseur and Henry Every.
The East coast harbors Bale d'Ampanihy's lagoon, littered with traditional pirogue boats, and off the South coast, tiny islands, Île aux Nattes and Ilôts aux Sables boast stunning coral reefs for diving and sea turtles.
Nature & wildlife
Alongside miles of untouched white-sand beaches, Sainte-Marie is renowned for being one of the best spots in the world to view the humpback whale migration, which takes place between June and October each year. The island's quiet bays and shallow warm waters make an ideal setting for pods of humpbacks to raise their calves before annual migration to colder waters. This year a remarkable 500 humpbacks were recorded with many coming to the waters by the hotel as their safe haven at night.
Quiet barefoot luxury
With inspiration drawn from some of Philippe Kjellgren's favorite hotels - including The Brando in French Polynesia, Six Senses in the Seychelles, and Laucala in Fiji, as well as Uxua Casa in Brazil and Parador La Huella in Uruguay, Voaara is at the forefront of the quiet, barefoot luxury movement.
This is understated luxury using rustic materials and neutral design throughout. The culinary program is inspired by local produce, freshly caught seafood, and a seamless eco-design deriving from the staggering beauty of the island itself.
Community
Voaara is a resort with a community at its heart. Philippe Kjellgren wants to attract a creative and inspiring community of interesting people by drawing in discerning travelers seeking something a little different. Voaara also plans to hire at least 80 percent local staff to not only support the local community, but to ensure local tradition, culture and warmth is celebrated throughout.
In line with this outlook and approach, Philippe Kjellgren and his wife place a large focus on giving back. They support local schools and causes with a portion of the profits from the hotel to ensure people can explore this untouched paradise for years to come.
Owner, Philippe Kjellgren
Kjellgren, who grew up in Africa, first fell in love with Sainte-Marie during travels to the island in mid-1990. Years later he tried, unsuccessfully, to buy a piece of land on the island's pristine beach. Several years after that he returned to find a casual beach resort near that exact spot. Striking a rapport with the owner, Kjellgren invited the owner to hear more about his proposed concept for the resort, which led to the purchase of 100 acres of pristine beachfront property surrounded by miles of untouched beaches; marking the start of Voaara's journey.
A successful serial entrepreneur, and author of several travel books, Kjellgren has an unparalleled knowledge of fine hotels. Founder of Kiwi Collection, the world's largest independent luxury hotel reviewer, and creator of the VISA Luxury Hotel Collection for VISA's premium card holders, Kjellgren started PK's List in 2015. The by-invitation-or-referral-only travel advisory service, an affiliate of SmartFlyer, is aimed at bringing his "Subjective Travel Intelligence" to like-minded travelers around the world, with an accompanying app available in the App store.
Kjellgren has made it his life's work to become an expert in the world's luxury hotels, visiting more than 2,000 hotels in over 140 countries to educate himself. His hotel expertise has made him the go-to resource for everyone from CEOs of leading companies to Royals, to supermodels and celebrities. Originally from Stockholm, Sweden, and raised in Africa, Philippe has lived on 4 continents. When they are not traveling, Philippe and his wife, Vi, reside in London. Voaara is their first hotel project.
About Voaara
Voaara opens in September 2024 on Sainte-Marie Island off the northeastern coast of Madagascar. The new barefoot luxury resort, will comprise elegant, tropical-style bungalows and villas, introducing a pioneering community-led resort concept to the region. Set to launch initially with eight understated, yet luxurious bungalows and one three-bedroom villa - a renovation of the existing resort on the site - this private paradise will eventually be 45 keys in total, through a phased launch. Voaara is owned by Africa-raised Philippe Kjellgren, an entrepreneur and expert in luxury hotels around the world.
