EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW AND PHOTOS
BLISSFULLY HAPPY IN MINORCA WITH BABY MILLA
‘Natural, simple, respectful of the environment.” That’s the credo Arnaud Zannier and Alicia Rountree-Zannier live by. It’s behind the beautiful hotels he creates and the covetable swimwear she designs.
And it’s there, above all, in the idyllic home in Minorca that they share with their six-month-old baby daughter Milla.
Just a short stroll from the Mediterranean, their pretty white house is surrounded by pine trees and pasture where cattle graze, just as they did half a century ago.
Back then, the family who lived here made their own cheese and baked their own bread.
These days, of course, it’s easy to pop into the nearest town, Ciutadella, for supplies. But the brick oven is still burning, and an organic vegetable garden takes pride of place.
HISTORIC HOME
Arnaud explains that the property had long been abandoned when he bought it 12 years ago. It formed part of the estate of s José María de Olives y de Ponsich, Count of Torre Saura, whose heirs needed to raise funds to restore and conserve his historic palace in Ciutadella.
They were looking for buyers “who would treat the area’s heritage and environment with respect”, as Arnaud puts it.
As the founder of Zannier Hotels, he has demonstrated that attitude in creating a string of unique properties, from vineyards in France and Portugal to wildlife reserves in Africa and resorts in Asia.
Fans of Arnaud’s destinations include Angelina Jolie, who famously stayed with her children in his Cambodian “village”, Phum Baitang, while shooting the 2017 film First They Killed My Father.
TALENTED FAMILY
Entrepreneurship comes naturally to Arnaud. His grandfather emigrated from Italy to France, working as a bricklayer to support his family.
In 1962, his father and aunt put their sewing skills to work to launch a children’s clothing business, which became one of Europe’s biggest.
Arnaud tells us: “In time, the com
