Build me a villa that looks like a yacht,” the owner told the architect. And as he walks around the resulting seven-bedroom, 10,700-square-foot property, Noam Bora Bora, it's clear he got what he wanted. It feels like the ocean is everywhere. Designed and decorated by Ora Architecte and Patrick Raffeneau Design, the property sits moored above the lagoon, with a stepped infinity pool extending down to the island lagoon. Snorkeling is available in the dedicated swimming hole (skinny dipping is optional). But the most amazing feature is half hidden. When we arrived, there seemed to be two square ponds with lots of fish on either side of the entrance. It's only when you go underground that you realize that this “pond” is actually a glimpse of a huge aquarium. This aquarium spans the entire lower level of the building, filling the room with bluish light and connecting directly to the lagoon to allow for smaller aquariums. Fish come and go as they please.
Opening in late 2022, this leafy property sleeps up to 14 people and offers stunning views of the mainland.
The Robb report is exclusive to the property, which Noam Group considers the company's flagship and is part of a small but fast-growing portfolio launched by founder Noam Bounekara in late 2022. provided a first look. His focus is on outstanding properties offered on an outright buyback basis. This is an amazing feat for an entrepreneur who workshopped his company idea (which he launched himself) as part of his master's thesis.
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Bounekara in Noam Bora Bora's living room.
As a teenager, Bounekara trained as a chef by interning at several Michelin-starred restaurants in his native France, before quitting the kitchen to study finance and work at a bank. Still, he always wanted to be an entrepreneur, so he launched his business before completing his degree at Schema Business School in December 2022. After launching his Bora Bora property, Bounekara quickly added three homes in Europe. . They include a 17th-century castle in Normandy, a 4,300-square-foot contemporary home on a hill in Sardinia, and a six-bedroom mansion carved out of a 13th-century monastery on the French Riviera .
The Grand Staircase of the 17th century castle of Noam Normandie.
In a market crowded with countless villa rental platforms, Bounekara's collection stands out. Noam Bora Bora's full house (14 guests) starts at about $27,000 per night and is targeted at ultra-luxury travelers. He personally inspects potential additions to the portfolio and wants to grow them slowly and carefully to cater to the lifestyles of his target customers. “We don’t send people to properties we don’t know about,” he says. Bounekala employs staff directly at the new location to ensure consistency of service. The pre-arrival questionnaire is like an encyclopedia because he really wants to get to know you. (One quirky question is: “After sunset, would you like to spend a quiet evening reminiscing? Or would you rather participate in some kind of festival?”) Bounekara, who moved to France in the 1990s, says her heritage is: “You're very open, you're very welcoming, you're very happy to meet new people. It comes from my North African side.”
A bird's eye view of Nome Vallauris, a former monastery on the Cote d'Azur.
His strategy is working. One guest tried to poach Bounekara's colleague, a chef from Bora Bora, who was working in the restaurant's kitchen. “He said, 'I ate so well that I wanted to enjoy his cooking every day.'” But the chef said no. ” Feedback like this led top agents to send their regular customers to the Nome facility. Nico Contardi of Miami-based Elite Life arranged for his clients to stay in the hotel chain's high-end overwater bungalows nearby, ending with a few nights at Nome Bora Bora. After that trip, “he said he would never go to a Four Seasons again if there was an opening in Nome,” Contardi says. “I have one guy who books it every other month. He's not very impressed, but he's still excited,” he added. “He said, 'I can't think of what went wrong.'”
Outdoor dining area at the group's villa in Porto Rotondo, Sardinia.
After another European villa opens next summer, Mr. Bounekara hopes to move into commercial aviation and perhaps even fine dining, a chance to flex the muscles he worked on in Michelin kitchens. “I've always wanted to open a restaurant. I love secluded, hip restaurants,” he says. And he is undaunted by those who challenge his inexperience. When people ask how old he is, “I just say, 'The younger generation is here.'” …My goal is to do things with heart. ”
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