Claire Camplisson, Managing Director, Casa Collective Ltd

Posted in People on 14 July, 2024

Under the leadership of Claire Camplisson, hospitality company, Casa Collective Ltd has entered a new era of growth. With 15 properties across two brands, Claire discusses the boutique collection with community values at their core, as she prepares for Casa Cook’s next opening.

WORDS BY Emma Kennedy

Rooted in Greek hospitality, the first Casa Cook hotel launched in Rhodes in 2016. Making its debut as Thomas Cook’s first (and only) boutique offering, it thrived and survived the holiday company’s subsequent demise in 2019. Acquired by Goldman Sachs Asset Management in 2023, the adults only brand now consists of five – soon to be six – properties, dotted across the Mediterranean and Africa, forming part of Casa Collective Ltd with sister brand, Cook’s Club Hotels.

Like most successful leaders in hospitality, Claire’s work history covers a lot of areas within the industry. Following a degree in Art History at UCL, she promptly went to work in F&B managing a portfolio of pubs in West London, before taking a career break, and becoming a teacher in Vietnam. One year turned into five and a return to hospitality, that culminated with plans to buy an old French-colonial villa in the heart of Ho Chi Mihn City to convert into a boutique hotel. Fortunately, common sense prevailed and instead she opted for an MBA in hospitality at the esteemed EHL hotel school in Switzerland.

Casa Cook Mykonos- Casa Suite With Jacuzzi

Putting her dream of a villa in Saigon on hold, Claire returned to London and started working for a hotel asset management company, working across operations, producing feasibility studies and market analysis and “generally getting to know the industry.” Expanding her knowledge and experience she went on to join a real estate advisory company as Director of Hotel Asset Management, before transitioning to a fund focused on European hotel investments. Joining Goldman Sachs in 2022 as their in-house hotel asset manager, on the acquisition of Casa Collective in 2023 she embraced the chance to step into the role of Managing Director.

Could you start by telling us a little about the intention behind Casa Collective?
Casa Collective is our corporate entity which forms the umbrella under which our Casa Cook and Cook’s Club hotel brands sit. Our intention is to build a collection of hospitality brands with community values at their core. Casa Collective unifies our existing brands and will help to drive the launch of new brands – one of which will be announced later this year. It also provides a platform for our corporate partners to explore branding and partnership opportunities. Staying true to the ethos behind our existing brands; community, design and experiences, we have fifteen hotels in operation, our sixteenth property launching in December, and ambitious plans to continue our growth in the years to come.

The guest suites and private terraces at Casa Cook Mykonos, whisper hand-crafted at every turn

In a busy marketplace, what do you believe Casa Cook’s guests are looking for?
Each of our hotels has been very carefully designed by our creative team to emphasise the harmony and interplay between architecture, design, local environment and human interactions.

This translates to an experience on property where guests can find their own peace with private pools, yoga, and calming earthy décor. They also have the option to interact with others by dining at our paréa tables (from the Greek philosophy of ‘being in the company of friends’), sharing ideas, food and drinks together. Our guests are inspired by the locale, they want genuine experiences, they want to connect with themselves, with their surroundings and with each other. Our partners are always local hoteliers, and they manage the hotels with an abundance of passion for their own food, music and culture, wanting to share this with their guests. Each hotel follows our Casa Cook brand standards, but at the same time, each hotel offers something unique to experience based on their location. There is a distinct laid-back aesthetic to Casa Cook’s properties.

Could you describe the design intent behind them?
Our design language intentions are inspired by each region’s architecture and neighbouring surroundings, with details that respect local heritage and culture. We believe in the art of simplicity and the transformative potential of design, with minimalism central to our ethos – a testament to the belief that true luxury lies in the essence of the experience rather than in excess. Casa Cook has its own dedicated design team with Remo Masala at the helm, who was the original creator of the Casa Cook brand. When a partner signs up to adopt the Casa Cook brand, they benefit from Remo’s expertise and vision directly. We are very selective about the locations and properties that we work with and like to let the location speak to us.

Lobby & Front Desk

What is the business model of Casa Cook?
The Casa Cook brand operates under a franchise model, with approval required for proposed operating partners. The franchise approach is ideal for our brand, as we like to partner with local hoteliers who have a deep knowledge and passion for their destinations. These partners benefit from our support in positioning their properties to be unique and competitive.

The care and love that our design, architecture, marketing and branding teams show for our partners and our properties is not easily found elsewhere

What do you believe sets Casa Cook apart from the rest?
We are a relatively small team – if you line us up against the ‘big guys’ – but we are personal, passionate and very into the detail. The care and love that our design, architecture, marketing and branding teams show for our partners and our properties is not easily found elsewhere. We are also nimble and responsive, working closely with the unique needs of each hotel and partner! We take great care in understanding what is best for each of our hotels on an individual basis.

Simple and informal, the Blé restaurant gazes out across the Aegean to the island of Delos

As Managing Director of Casa Collective what are you currently focused on?
Bringing these wonderful brands back to the forefront of the collective consciousness and growing them to their maximum potential. Supporting our hardworking and passionate team to pursue their vision for our brands, working with the right partners, and launching our third brand!

What do you feel are the main challenges facing hospitality in 2024?
I think most people would say the same: climate change (especially where our hotels are located, extreme heat in the peak seasons is likely to impact people’s holiday plans); pricing – the seemingly unstoppable growth in the cost for a holiday may have been good news for many hoteliers (and airlines) in the years since the pandemic, but it’s becoming unaffordable for many; flight to quality – guests are becoming far more scrupulous in where they decide to spend their money, so hospitality businesses need to be extremely aware of every aspect of their business and who they are hoping to attract and keep happy.

What is next for Casa Cook?
Our sixth Casa Cook launching in December this year in a whole new destination! as well as new brand partnerships across music, food, drinks and experiences that will benefit all our hotels.

Casa Cook, Mykonos
Following in the successful footsteps of its older siblings, Casa Cook Mykonos, opened its doors in June 2022. Already familiar with the brand, seasoned hotelier Kostas Barkas jumped at the opportunity of taking on the role of General Manager as renovations began. Welcoming us warmly with cocktails and humour, he gave us a brief history of the hotel and its picture-perfect location, before equally smiley members of his team appeared, to glide us off to our suites. From the get-go, the ambience is deeply relaxed, washing away the stresses of the day in the serene surroundings.

Taking up residence in a collection of low-slung whitewashed buildings, the 26 suites and villas linked by walkways evocative of the meandering paths of a Greek village – are all within a minutes’ walk from the central pool. Leaving the heat of the day outside, I am shown into a cool spacious suite with uninterrupted views across the Aegean to the island of Delos. Whispering hand-crafted at every turn, the minimalist space is dressed in earthy tones, with accents of warm greys and indigo. It’s sublimely simple and exceptionally well designed. Inviting platters of fruit on hand thrown pottery plates, rest on a solid oversized coffee table. Windows framed with dark wood shutters throw soft light on rich textiles that hang from the expanse of soft white walls. It is laidback luxury at its authentic best. Outside, on discovering the large sea-facing terrace was private, I sank into the deep comfort of an L-shaped sofa and drank in the view along with my cocktail.

Chatting to Kostas over dinner, I comment on the rare feeling of authenticity prevalent throughout the hotel. “I think it’s because we are very well connected in the community, from the smaller artisans and restaurants to the livelier and more popular places on the island,” he tells me, before giving me a couple of local recommendations for places to eat during our stay – La Petite Taverne Windmills and Kuzina Mykonos – both of which I would heartily pass on to others. However, it is the hotel’s own gastronomic offerings that steal the show. The informal Blé restaurant, on a terrace overlooking the pool and the ocean beyond is a hard act to follow. As one would expect, the food is exceptional – but it’s not just about the food explains Kostas. “It’s also about the service of our kitchen team that stands out, especially from our head chef George. He never hides himself away in the kitchen, he always greets guests, pays a genuine interest in their enjoyment, and shares his culinary secrets. He puts so much love into his cooking – and his passion is clearly visible.”

That passion is palpable throughout the hotel, and for a relatively new brand in the busy boutique marketplace, Casa Cook is already holding its head high. With what appears to be a strong leadership team behind it, I doubt I’m alone in believing it will succeed in its plans for expansion and watch with interest to see where it will make its next appearance.