5 Questions for Sir Richard Branson
In addition to an airline, the ambitious Briton's portfolio also includes a number of unique hotels and even a fleet of spaceplanes: At the opening of his hotel Son Bunyola on Mallorca, we spoke to Sir Richard Branson about once-in-a-lifetime trips.
November 13, 2023
''Screw it, let's do it!'' is the motto of entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson. With this fearless attitude and ingenious ideas, he has earned himself billions and a title of nobility - and he even made it into outer space.
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You wanted to create the best hotel on Mallorca with Son Bunyola. Have you succeeded?
I hope so. We wanted to create something completely unique, a hotel with a maximum of 27 rooms where you almost feel like you have it to yourself. But we're not quite there yet. Next, we'll revive the old vineyards, the olive grove and the vegetable garden. I think a good hotel has to surprise visitors. You have to take away more from the experience than you expected. The details are also incredibly important.
The journey to get here was a long one - you bought the property over 25 years ago. What took you so long?
We immediately fell in love with this pristine property with over 520 hectares of land and almost five kilometers of coastline. Unfortunately, we weren't allowed to do any renovations, so we sold it again. Once a new planning committee was in place and we were finally allowed to do some work, we bought it back. The renovation work finally started in spring 2021; after two years, we were ready for the opening.
What is your next big dream?
Parallel to Son Bunyola, we have been working on Virgin Galactic, our space line, for the past 25 years. Another flight into space is coming up soon.
What has been your most memorable travel experience so far?
Definitely my first trip into the cosmos, that was by far the most exciting day of my life. I was fearless and felt completely detached in space. The view was so breathtaking, it's impossible to describe. I really enjoyed every single second. It was the fulfillment of a lifelong dream.
What do you think, will space travel be accessible to the general public in the future?
We hope so, and it's also our plan. But it's a much bigger challenge than we initially thought. At Virgin, we are currently building several spaceships at the same time. So we are confident that one day it'll be possible.
Read more: This is how beautiful Richard Branson's new hotel on Mallorca is
This article appeared in the Falstaff TRAVEL issue Fall 2023.
