Project · Sella, Alicante, Spain
Casalvia
A sanctuary in the Aitana Mountains
The vision
Concept Development: Boutique Hospitality Prototype
Casalvia is an internal venture and live-testing ground for modern boutique hospitality. Located in the Aitana Mountains of Spain, this project allows me to actively design, build, and test guest experience models from the ground up. It serves as a practical laboratory for restorative architecture, operational efficiency, and tech-enabled guest journeys.
Sella sits in the foothills of the Aitana range — the highest peak in the province of Alicante — surrounded by almond groves, terraces, and silence. It is precisely the kind of place that asks something of you, and gives something back.
The project is a long-term restoration of a historic village property, guided by the belief that spaces have memory — and that memory, tended carefully, becomes sanctuary.
The project
Three pillars
The Guest Journey (Stay)
Developing a hyper-targeted hospitality model for high-performance athletes. The operational focus is on 'recovery-first' design, anticipating guest friction points before they occur, and testing lean-service models for remote locations.
- Designed for athletes and active guests
- Recovery-first approach to hospitality
- Access to Aitana range routes and trails
Spatial Design & Heritage
Partnering with Studio Hermanides ↗to explore the intersection of heritage vernacular and contemporary comfort. This pillar tests how spatial memory and 'timeless eclecticism' drive property value and guest retention in rural markets.
- Heritage architecture, contemporary comfort
- In collaboration with Studio Hermanides ↗
- Every room with a distinct character
Distributed Operations Model
Researching and developing scalable, trust-based operational models for remote asset management. Exploring how community-rooted services can efficiently manage distributed hospitality assets (like second homes) without heavy corporate overhead.
- Trusted care for absent owners
- Rooted in the local community
- Transparent, personal, hands-on
Follow the journey
The Build-in-Public Case Study
Casalvia is being built in public as an ongoing case study. I document the strategic decisions, vendor selections, and operational challenges of launching a boutique property from scratch.