Not everyone can stay at Discover Collection’s ultra-luxury resorts — its founder explains why

In the hospitality and sustainability sectors, it’s often joked that the most sustainable building is the one that you don’t build. Yet here I am, at a hospitality and sustainability conference in Phuket, listening to Bernhard Bohnenberger deliver his spiel on his newly launched hospitality brand, Discover Collection, which will comprise a clutch of properties built from scratch. 

But Bohnenberger — or BB as he’s fondly referred to — isn’t just any hotelier or developer. He’s come off a 28-year stint at Six Senses, eight of which were spent as president.

A key figure in the company’s global growth story, BB also became known as an eco-luxury trailblazer, thanks to his initiatives that ranged from organic gardens and water conservation to local sourcing and community outreach. 

When one door closes

BB left after Six Senses was acquired by IHG in 2019. Untethered talent at that level doesn’t take long to attract attention, and soon the German-born titan joined forces with American real estate developer/operator Mike Meldman, known for his private residential communities.

Discover Collection was born, touting itself as a visionary platform of ultra-luxury, sustainable adventure retreats for purpose-driven travellers.

“It feels like the right time to create a legacy that builds on everything I’ve learned in my career in hospitality for more than 30 years,” BB explains in an email when asked what made him decide it was time to launch his own brand. It wasn’t an aha or spark moment, he adds, but “more of a gradual realisation that I wanted to build something targeted at one level of clientele”.

The first Discover Collection property, Ras Amud, will open in 2026. Other properties in Kenya, France, Albania, Zambia, Mexico, Bhutan, and other destinations will follow. Ras Amud is set on the Musandam Peninsula in Oman — that pointy bit of land that juts out into the Persian Gulf. For the jaded traveller who’s been there and done that, it might just be the property to renew your wanderlust.

The largely uninhabited Peninsula — just a stone’s throw from the bright lights and urban intensity (insanity?) of Dubai — is characterised by otherworldly jagged cliffs and rugged coastlines, earning it the nickname of Arabian fjords.

The arrival experience — on a boat through this dramatic landscape, a la White Lotus Season 3’s opener — signals leaving behind the daily grind and entering a totally new environment.  

Jet-set, but make it purposeful

Luxury travel, BB says, is no longer about having infinity pools and private butlers — or lying by said pools with champagne in hand. “I feel that increasingly, people want to do things with a purpose… participating and positively transforming the place around them, while transforming themselves.” Building from scratch gives the company a chance to start from tabula rasa.

But not just anyone can holiday in a Discover Collection property: Unusually, the company is based on a membership model. If Aman is the gold standard for exclusivity, and Six Senses the benchmark for wellness-driven sustainability, then Discover Collection aims to pioneer a new ideal of hospitality, one that is “member-driven and deeply experience-based”. 

“Our vision is to build a community of like-minded members who believe in travel as a force for good. Our members aren’t simply consumers of luxury travel, but co-investors in conservation, culture, and regeneration. That sense of shared purpose creates a community that is deeply connected,” BB explains.

If you think you fit the bill, you may register your interest on the website. There aren’t any sign-up or membership fees yet. According to the trade publication Hotel Investment Today, the company will charge a one-time annual membership fee as more of its hotels open. Around 10,000 to 20,000 members are expected to join at the start.

As fitting for a brand in this segment, room rates don’t come cheap; Hotel Investment Today reports that Ras Amud is likely to charge US$3,000 ($3,900) a night for an entry-level room. The properties are all-inclusive, and you can expect to pay even more if the destination includes excursions such as safari trips.

The promise of authenticity and human connection

Each destination in the Discover Collection may look completely different, but the experience’s soul remains the same. “From day one, we work actively with designers, architects, local artisans and artists who are completely in tune with each destination,” says BB.

“Every project is conceptualised from scratch, guided by the local community’s needs and culture — that means no copy-paste. What feels right in Oman will look and feel completely different in Kenya, Mexico, or Bhutan.”

Every project is deeply rooted in its location, from architecture that reflects local traditions to cuisine inspired by regional ingredients. Cultural programming is designed to bring members closer to local life “in a non-invasive and non-patronising way,” BB adds.

Local communities will play an active role in shaping each experience — “we want real human exchanges, where the Maasai lead a walking safari or tour of their village. Everyone is on a level playing field, not an audience watching performers on stage.”

This commitment to authenticity extends to craft and conservation. “In every destination, we’ll be working with local artisans and creatives to help revive and sustain their crafts,” says BB. “Whether that’s a weaving cooperative, a pottery barn or a storytelling tradition, these are the cultural ecosystems we want to nurture back to life.”

To further this mission, the Discover Foundation will reinvest directly into communities “to preserve and enhance the cultural and natural wealth of the places where we operate”.

Ultimately, BB believes that “meaningful travel is not about more amenities, but about memory”. The idea is for members “to feel as though they’re being welcomed into one of their homes rather than staying in a hotel,” he says.

“It’s about genuine connections and non-commercial immersions. I strongly believe it’s when you leave with a story or a fresh human connection — an experience with the local community or wildlife — that it will stay with you forever.”