In this edition of Behind the Stay, we step into the world of Anna and Olivier, two hoteliers who reimagined luxury far beyond lobbies and chandeliers. Their journey, from Morocco to Sweden to the sunlit vineyards of California, led to the creation of Insider Villas. This is their story of love, purpose, and what “true luxury” really means.
Some stories begin with a single place. Ours began with a shared passion.
I (Olivier) was born in Morocco, raised in Belgium, and driven early into the world of travel.
Anna, a true global citizen from Sweden, set out on her own path at sixteen, curious about the world and its cultures.
Our journeys were initially separate, but both ultimately led us into the world of hospitality. And in 1996, under the California sun, they brought us together.
We fell in love in a landscape of vineyards and ocean breezes. That union shaped not only our lives but also the lens through which we see the world of travel: as something deeply personal, intimate, and transformative.
What inspired Insider Villas
For decades, we worked in some of the world’s most celebrated hotels: the Ritz-Carlton, Raffles, The Norman in Tel Aviv.
We learned what luxury really is and, perhaps more importantly, what it is not. Luxury is not chandeliers and over-the-top gestures.
It is the ease of knowing everything is considered before you even ask. It is privacy when you want to retreat, connection when you are ready to engage.
After years of creating these moments for others, we realized we wanted to share them in a more personal way.
We aimed to blend the best of luxury hospitality with private homes, where families and friends could gather, unwind, and experience destinations more intimately. That idea became Insider Villas.
What luxury means to us
Luxury for us means freedom.
The freedom to wake up to the sound of waves instead of alarms.
The freedom to share long lunches under olive trees with people you love.
The freedom to have everything taken care of while still feeling at home.
For us, it has never been about being the most extravagant. It is about listening closely and creating a space where guests feel both seen and unseen, depending on what they want.
The discreet presence of a private chef, the silence of a hidden cove, the joy of discovering a village bakery no guidebook mentions; these are luxuries that linger.
Challenges along the way
The shift from running hotels to offering villas was not an easy change. Hotels come with teams, structures, and established rhythms. Villas require a more tailored, hands-on approach.
Each home is different, and each family’s needs are unique. Early on, we had to learn how to translate the service standards we knew into private settings without overwhelming the simplicity that makes a villa holiday special.
There were moments of doubt.
Would travelers trust us without the safety net of a hotel brand behind us?
Could we convince homeowners to let us represent their properties with the same care they hold for them?
Slowly, through persistence, relationships, and a little stubborn belief, the answers revealed themselves.
Our most rewarding moments
The most rewarding moments are not grand. They are often quiet, private, and unshared.
A message from a family telling us that a week in Mallorca was the first time in years they had truly relaxed together. A guest who tells us they discovered a part of themselves in a place we suggested. These moments remind us why we chose this path.
There is also joy in the personal connections. Over the years, many of our guests have become friends. Some return year after year, watching their children grow against the same backdrop of sea and sun.
For us, this is the true definition of hospitality: not transactions, but relationships.
If you’d like to dive even deeper into Olivier’s journey, you can read his article about the story behind Insider Villas and meaningful travel.
How our locations shaped us
Mallorca is now home, and it continues to inspire us. It is a place of contrasts, vibrant towns and secluded coves, Michelin-starred restaurants and rustic village markets. It is not about choosing between luxury and authenticity, but about embracing both.
Our wider collection across Europe echoes this philosophy. In every location we curate, from Italy to Croatia, we look for homes and hosts that reflect this.
Places where guests can enjoy privacy but also step into the rhythm of local life when they wish.
Advice for those starting out
Build what feels authentic, because authenticity is the one thing guests always recognize.
If there is one thing we’ve learned, it is that hospitality is never about you. It is always about the guest, their story, and their experience. The best thing you can do is listen (to guests), to the local community, to your intuition.
Do not chase trends.
Do not build something because it looks good on paper.
Build what feels authentic, because authenticity is the one thing guests always recognize.
Looking back, and forward
Our journey has been long and winding, shaped by continents, careers, and chance encounters. Yet the essence of it remains simple: we love people, we love travel, and we believe the two are best experienced together.
If there is one thing we carry with us from the grand lobbies of five-star hotels to the quiet terraces of our villas, it is this: true luxury is not about being seen, it is about feeling.
And if our guests leave with a feeling that stays long after the holiday ends, then we have done what we set out to do.
Built a place that’s more story than stars? Share it with our editors →
Olivier Heuchenne, a Belgian native born in Morocco, discovered his passion for travel early on. With a Hotel and Restaurant Management degree from the University of Denver (1991), Olivier embarked on a globetrotting journey, gaining expertise in luxury hospitality. Now based in Mallorca, he combines his global experience with local insights to create exceptional travel experiences.
