Designing the Experience Before the Building

Curating the Guest Journey at an Eco-Lodge

Before a single foundation is poured or a floor plan is drafted, the most visionary eco-lodge developments begin with a question that has nothing to do with architecture: What do we want our guests to feel?

At Terra Nova Create, we believe that hotel and lodge design begins long before construction. It starts with the guest journey — the emotional, sensory, and experiential path that connects a traveller to a place and leaves them changed. By designing from the inside out, we ensure that every aspect of a hotel or lodge, from its arrival experience to its conservation story, is infused with purpose.

1. Experience-Led Development: Building from the Inside Out

Traditional hotel projects often start with space planning, brand positioning, and revenue modelling. In contrast, hospitality design demands a different approach — one rooted in emotion and connection.

“A great lodge isn’t designed around buildings — it’s designed around feelings,” says Paul Gardiner, co-founder of Terra Nova Create. “We begin with the transformation we want the guest to experience, and from there, everything else takes shape.”

Whether it’s a moment of awe on arrival, a deep stillness under an ancient baobab, or a fireside reflection on conservation impact, these moments of emotion are what define a truly world-class eco-lodge.

2. Mapping the Guest Journey

Before design begins, we develop what we call a Guest Journey Blueprint, a visual and narrative map of the guest experience, from first arrival to lasting impression.

This journey typically unfolds across four emotional stages:

• Arrival — The transition from travel to place. Every sound, scent, and view should create a sense of arrival into nature.

• Immersion — Activities and interpretation that allow guests to engage meaningfully with the environment, wildlife, and local culture.

• Restoration — Spaces of quiet and wellbeing that restore balance — through design, lighting, and materials that breathe calm.

• Reflection — The lasting impression. How a guest departs — emotionally, mentally, and spiritually — is the true measure of design success.

When done well, this approach ensures that the experience doesn’t just happen at the lodge — it happens through the lodge.

3. Experience Drives Design

Once the guest journey is defined, it becomes the creative compass for the project team. Architecture, interiors, and even operational models align around it.

For example, at Hiddn in Addo, a Terra Nova Create flagship project, the design process began by scripting how a guest would transition from the vast openness of the landscape into a cocoon of private retreat. This narrative informed everything, from room orientation and material texture to how light enters the space at sunrise.

“Designing the guest journey before the building gives the project soul,” notes Bruce McNicol, co-founder and sustainability lead. “It ensures every decision, from water systems to wellness programming, contributes to a cohesive, intentional experience.”

4. Storytelling and Conservation as Core Pillars

No two landscapes are the same, and neither should be their stories. Each Terra Nova Create project begins with a place-based narrative rooted in conservation, community, and ecology.

Whether it’s celebrating the return of wildlife to restored land or integrating indigenous knowledge systems into design, storytelling shapes the guest journey. It transforms passive stays into active participation, where travellers feel part of something bigger.

A well-told story also strengthens conservation impact. When guests emotionally connect with a place, they become its ambassadors, advocates who carry its message beyond their stay.

5. Designing with Purpose: The ROI of Experience

An intentional guest journey isn’t just about aesthetics, it’s a business strategy. Guests who feel connected stay longer, engage more deeply, and return more often.

According to the 2023 Booking.com Sustainable Travel Report, 76% of global travellers say they want their trips to positively impact local communities and the environment. (Source: Booking.com Sustainable Travel Report 2023).

By placing experience and purpose at the core of development, hospitality developments not only achieve higher guest satisfaction but also generate stronger brand equity and long-term conservation value.

Begin with the Story

At Terra Nova Create, our work is guided by a simple principle: before we draw a line, we write the story.

By curating the guest journey from the very first concept, we design lodges that move people — emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually — while delivering measurable ecological and commercial results.

Because the future of eco-lodge and boutique hotel design isn’t just about where guests stay. It’s about how they feel, what they learn, and what they take with them when they leave.

Interested in designing your next lodge with purpose? Contact Terra Nova Create to begin your journey.