A new hospitality brand, Discover Collection, has officially been unveiled, positioning itself at the intersection of mindful luxury, regenerative tourism and membership-led travel. Designed for consumers seeking purpose-driven experiences rather than conventional five-star indulgence, the brand will operate a global portfolio of small-scale properties with a maximum of 50 keys, each developed to have a low environmental and cultural footprint.

The Discover Collection is backed by hotelier Bernhard Bohnenberger, former president of Six Senses, who serves as CEO, owner and co-founder alongside a group of private investors. Under his leadership, the brand aims to redefine what high-end hospitality can contribute to destinations, moving beyond sustainability toward regenerative impact.

“High-end hospitality can be a driver of environmental integrity, conservation and cultural preservation,” Bohnenberger said. “Tourism must transcend traditional sustainability and move toward regenerative models that create lasting benefits for both people and the planet. Sustaining destinations is no longer about minimising harm; it’s about creating net-positive impact.”

At the core of the concept is a commitment to celebrating the spirit of place. Each Discover Collection property will be bespoke, designed to reflect and protect the ecosystems, habitats and cultural identities of its location. Sustainability principles will be embedded across every aspect of development and operations, including architecture, local agriculture, water use and waste management.

All properties in the collection will either be newly built or carefully restored, rather than acquired as distressed assets requiring heavy refurbishment. According to the company, this approach ensures that every site aligns from the outset with the brand’s design, wellness and environmental DNA. Discover Collection will manage each property in equal partnership with its capital partners, reinforcing long-term alignment rather than short-term asset turnover.

The portfolio will be deliberately diverse, spanning tented camps, wilderness retreats, historic châteaux and castles, as well as island and coastal resorts. Selected locations will also include branded residential properties available for purchase, with a portion of proceeds contributing to the brand’s philanthropic initiatives.

Development and wellbeing strategy is being led by Chunxia Gao, global director of development and wellbeing for the Discover Collection. Speaking to Spa Business, Gao said the brand would not pursue older properties requiring major structural intervention, as consistency of philosophy and execution across the collection is critical.

Upcoming properties

The first wave of openings will include around a dozen retreats. The inaugural property, Discover Collection Ras Amud, Oman, is scheduled to open in September 2026. Located on the Musandam Peninsula, the 32-villa retreat will overlook the Hajar Mountains and the Sea of Oman, offering a secluded setting designed around wellness, nature and Omani heritage.

In December 2026, Discover Collection Lemomo will debut in Kenya, combining immersive Maasai cultural experiences with access to the wildlife of Amboseli National Park and panoramic views of Mount Kilimanjaro.

Further ahead, Discover Collection Château de Pommard will open in Burgundy, France, in the third quarter of 2027. Later that year, in Q4 2027, two additional properties are planned: Discover Collection Catoche on Holbox Island, at the northern tip of Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula, and Discover Collection Il Ngwesi in Kenya.

Future destinations are already in planning across Ireland, Greece, Albania, Zambia, Botswana and Bhutan, underscoring the brand’s ambition to build a globally distributed yet tightly curated portfolio.

Wellness at Ras Amud, Oman

Wellness will be central to the Discover Collection identity, but intentionally reinterpreted. Gao described the wellbeing concept as deeply personalised and non-standardised, beginning with the Ras Amud property.

Each retreat will feature a wellbeing centre known as The Sanctuary, deliberately avoiding the conventions of a traditional spa. “There will be no standardised menu,” Gao said. “The journey will be personalised.”

At Ras Amud, The Sanctuary will include five standalone treatment suites, each designed as a private villa with its own relaxation areas and panoramic sea views. Every suite will offer a different configuration of thermal experiences, ranging from sauna and steamroom combinations to infrared saunas paired with Epsom salt ice baths, as well as a Russian banya.

Guests will access The Sanctuary via an underground walkway leading to a courtyard and lounge, with a falaj – an ancient Moorish water-harvesting channel – running through the facility and guiding visitors to individual suites. Upon arrival, guests will undergo private consultations, enabling therapists to customise holistic treatments using local ingredients and essential oils drawn from regional traditions.

Beyond the treatment spaces, Ras Amud will feature a yoga pavilion at the tip of the peninsula for sunrise meditation and guided sessions, a rock garden designed for journaling and sketching, and additional yoga experiences integrated throughout the site.

The heart of the property will be a hara, inspired by a traditional Omani village, hosting food and beverage venues as well as spaces for workshops and communal gatherings.

Membership-only model

Access to all Discover Collection properties will be restricted to members. Annual membership will start at US$3,600 for individuals and US$5,800 for couples, with a one-time joining fee of US$650. That joining fee will be directed entirely to the Discover Collection Foundation, which supports local conservancy and philanthropic initiatives in each destination.

The foundation will also receive one per cent of global membership dues, one per cent of total brand revenue outside membership fees, and one per cent of royalties from residential property sales. Members will have the option to make additional voluntary contributions.

Membership benefits will extend beyond accommodation, including access to “spark events” in hard-to-reach destinations, global cultural programming, and ongoing access to wellbeing practitioners beyond the duration of each stay. According to Gao, the goal is continuity rather than episodic wellness. “We want guests to get results by being consistent,” she said, “not by starting from zero every time.”

Applications for Discover Collection membership are set to open in the first quarter of 2026, ahead of the brand’s first property opening later that year.