Hosts
All People of Singular
Dominic & Lawson
Malabar Hill was dreamt up by old friends Dominic Scriven and Lawson Johnston. Already owner-developers of the boutique hotel gem, Mango Bay Phu Quoc, in Vietnam, they have long conspired to combine unique design, unconstrained comfort and environmental forward thinking. This mindset makes them firm believers that luxurious hospitality and wildlife preservation can go hand in hand.
In their own words: “Malabar Hill is vehicle free with the exception of electric tuk tuks. We use organic, home grown and local ingredients for all menus and are entirely single-use plastic free. We consistently support our local community, via farming initiatives and by helping protect the surrounding natural environment. We believe that experience and understanding of the natural world will encourage future generations in this approach.”
The visionary behind Malabar Hill is Lawson, a well-seasoned Australian designer. His integral approach to concept, architecture and embellishment has been honed by years of travel and exploration in Asia and an in depth knowledge of Sri Lanka and the Hindu, Muslim, Tamil and Buddhist cultures that converge here. As a result, Malabar Hill is an ode to bespoke design and artisan craftsmanship, from locally handmade terracotta roof and floor tiles through to reclaimed timber doors and windows. Lawson’s hands-on method of working with local artisans, tirelessly overseeing production processes and exhaustively searching for the best local design solution has created the hotel in all its unique Sri Lankan glory.
Dominic is a British financier of 30 years in Asia, founding Vietnam’s Dragon Capital in 1994. He has worked to link finance, specifically, and development, generally, closer with holistic notions of environmental wellbeing, with a focus on biodiversity and tourism, in a number of Asian countries.
