A TOPHOTELDESIGN exclusive, we examine the breathtaking concept behind Zannier Hotels Sonop, brought to life by a team that included Zannier Hotels and Geraldine Dohogne – Beyond Design.

A remarkable retreat blessed with sweeping desert vistas, Zannier Hotels Sonop offers a luxury experience like no other.

A dramatic desert setting

The 2019-completed Zannier Hotels Sonop is nestled into the dramatic landscape on the southern edge of the Namibian desert in the country’s Karas region. This places the luxury tented camp within an area of complete isolation, just two hours from Sossusvlei’s famous red dunes.

Its ten luxury tents are constructed amid and on top of the landscape’s huge granite boulders, with a view over the seemingly endless landscape. Solar-powered and built on wooden promontories to ensure stability, the camp combines an immersion into the environment with Zannier Hotels’ sustainable luxury philosophy.

A fusion of luxury and adventure

The camp’s eight one-bedroom tents span 42 sq m, while both two-bedroom options cover an area of 75 sq m, which includes space for shared living rooms. Arranged in an oval formation and built on sturdy wooden decks, these tents are designed to provide all of a hotel’s comforts, from air conditioning to wifi.

Recalling the 1920s era of British explorers, the tents take guests back in time through lavish interiors featuring furnishings such as antique desks and objets d’art, including magnifying glasses, binoculars and maps. From the reception rooms to the partially walled bathrooms, each space focuses on showcasing its impressive desert views.

The design firm that helped Zannier Hotels bring this ambitious property to life, Geraldine Dohogne – Beyond Design, wanted to create a stark contrast between the opulence of these suites and the rugged environment they’re part of, heightening the sense of adventure at all times.

While staying at Zannier Hotels Sonop, guests can explore this vast landscape on foot, on horseback, on an electric mountain bike or in a hot-air balloon, before enjoying gala-style dinners featuring stylish silverware and candelabras. Shared facilities within the landscape-inspired hotel include a gastronomic restaurant, a cocktail bar styled like a gentlemen’s club, a heated outdoor infinity pool, and a gym and spa with two double treatment rooms.

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