Tamsin Johnson knows how to capture a mood. The Australian interior designer, famed for her effortless blend of old-world charm and contemporary ease, approaches every space with a collector's eye and a storyteller's heart. Her latest escape? Nihi Sumba — a secluded island retreat on Indonesia’s remote frontier, where raw wilderness meets refined luxury. For RUSSH, Johnson opens her personal travel journal, sharing sunlit snapshots and sensory reflections from her time on the island.
Designed and curated by...
The interiors are a US-based designer, Susan Colley. She has done previous work for Chris Burch (who owns NIHI). Colley sourced almost everything in Indonesia to keep things authentic.
I stay here because...
It is the best hotel in South East Asia! And it is really out of the fray. Also, P.Johnson does a very selective series of collaborations with what we feel are the best hotels in the world. This collaboration is next off the rank.
My last visit was…
April for my birthday. We took the kids and had a ball (and it is worth noting it is very kid-friendly). The sunset horse ride was sublime, really something special.
What I love about the room...
It’s spacious, has all the amenities you want, and it flows very well. The design is not ostentatious, it’s chic, and appropriate for the setting.
Amenities worth a mention...
Most importantly, if you surf, you have one of the best and uncrowded surf breaks in the world (‘Occy’s Left’) right in front of the resort. To make it a bit easier, two jet skis are on standby to tow you out like a pro.
It’s the details that count...
There is a happy hour at the surf shack where, in the evening, all the guests emerge from their days out surfing, fishing or hiding in their villas. They also host a big party on Saturday nights, and its lots of fun! There is a very strong engagement with the local villages. The indigenous Marapu people live a relatively isolated life and so their culture and traditional beliefs have been unchanged for millennia. The Sumba Foundation is ever-present during your stay. The hotel’s focus is putting back into the local community via a non-profit with the goal to help to ease the burden of poverty in Sumbanese communities. Their typical ikat (dyed textiles) are famously bold, and their people make and sell these as one of the retail arms to raise money for things like healthcare. The Foundation is doing fantastic work on the island – malaria has almost been eradicated, and they have improved the healthcare across the island with nine clinics.
Room service order...
The NIHI donuts, for the kids of course.
What to expect in the mini bar...
Gin, vodka and whiskey.
Places nearby worth visiting...
The off-site spa, which takes two hours to trek to through rice paddies and off-road, only to arrive in a remote paradise for a two-hour spa-safari. You then have breakfast or lunch on a remote and private beach before your treatment. You can also choose to take a car or ride a horse to the spa if you’re not up for trek. There is also a chocolate factory where our two children learnt to make chocolate and spent a little too much time.
The one thing I returned home with....
A relaxed and happy mindset after nourishing family time. Sumba is on the edge of wilderness and you really sense that despite the luxurious comforts of the hotel. It’s a unique, raw but warm feeling. A perspective shift that you take with you after you leave.
