Fogo Island’s Juxtaposition

Fogo Island has another side….an intentionally contrasting side. One of art and architecture, where life is lived in the contridiction. And I hate to say it, but also what appears at first glance to be obscene opulence. But I was quick to judge it seems, as it bears further examination.

Mention “Fogo Island,” and those who are familiar will chuckle and ask tongue and cheek, “So did you stay at the Inn?” Fogo Island Inn, built in 2013, a 29 room luxury hotel, is getting a crazy amount of press these days. In fact, just this past month, Travel & Leisure ranked it as the best hotel in Canada, and #12 in the world overall. It’s helping put the island on the map. But for greater reasons than I first thought.

One must either be a guest or book a tour to approach the property.

One must either be a guest or book a tour to approach the property.

Each suite has floor to ceiling windows. There are 34 windows in the largest of the suites.

Each suite has floor to ceiling windows. There are 34 windows in the largest of the suites alone.

Having spent a good part of my career in the travel industry, curiosity got the better of me...besides, the tour was free.

Having spent a good part of my career in the travel industry, curiosity got the better of me…besides, the tour was free.

The giant white imposing four-story building on stilts amidst an island of ramshackle fish stages clinging to the shore for life seems as oddly out of place socioeconomically as it does physically. After the cod moratorium in 1992 whereby all commercial fishing was halted abruptly, the outport communities have all but fallen into extinction. So how could a failed economy support a multi-million dollar inn?

My first reaction to learning about this absurdly priced inn on an island of struggling fishing communities is “How very ‘one percent.” And when I say absurdly priced, I mean laughable, ridiculous absurdity. Rooms “start at” $1,675CAD/$1,325 US per nite based on a two night minimum, and range all the way up to $2,875CAD/$2,272 US. Per night. For a hotel room. And if you want the “big suite,” Room #29, that price is not even listed. “If you have to ask…”

The main lobby. Pretty plain for over a thousand bucks, eh?

The main lobby. Pretty plain for over a thousand bucks, eh?

All furniture is hand made locally. It's interesting, but not my taste.

All furniture is hand made locally. It’s interesting, but not my taste.

Looking down over the dining room. There are guests down there, so we are only allowed to get so close. I am starting to feel a bit voyeuristic.

Looking down over the dining room. There are guests down there, so we are only allowed to get so close. I am starting to feel a bit voyeuristic.

But it’s not as bad as my first impressions lead me to believe. It’s a bit of an experiment in “social entrepreneurship.” The Inn is a community asset whereby 100% of operating surpluses are reinvested into the community to help secure a sustainable future for Fogo Island.

The Inn, as well as its philanthropic organization, Shorefast Foundation, is the brainchild of Zita Cobb, multimillionaire who has reportedly sunk forty million of her own funds into the foundation. Raised as one of seven children on Fogo Island, she left to get an education, returning years later as one of the highest paid female executives in North America, having made her fortune in fiber-optics manufacturing. Her first attempt at giving back to the community was a scholarship fund, only to realize she was paying young talent to leave the island. So instead, the foundation’s intent is to attract talent to Fogo Island.

The stilts or "shores" as they are called are meant to resemble a fishing stage.

The stilts or “shores” as they are called are meant to resemble a fishing stage.

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The Library.

The Library. There are some interesting aspects of the furniture. Note the table between the two chairs. Its two ends are opposing pieces cut from the same piece of wood.

The list of day's activities on the chalk board. There are guided tours, hikes, and evening entertainment included in the cost.

The list of day’s activities on the chalk board. There are guided tours, hikes, and evening entertainment included in the cost.

The Inn offers free tours at 11:30am each day. They show groups of eight around while guests are shuffled off for the day’s activities. These are very popular tours typically filled two weeks out, but sometimes it pays to be a “party of one.” Having spent a career either negotiating with, reporting on, or staying in hotels, my past-life curiosity is killing me. I can’t resist the urge to see what a thousand dollar a night hotel looks like. I snag the last remaining spot for a week out. The Inn is at full capacity, so we only visit the public rooms; the library, art gallery, and 35 seat theatre were we watch a video about the projects of the Shorefast Foundation.

All furnishings are made on the island, a style referred to as “modern handmade.” Accents are all tied to Newfoundland traditions, including quilts and hook rugs. It reminds me of a combination of a grandmother’s house and a kid’s playroom.

But the Inn is not the only initiative of the foundation. There are also microloans for small businesses around the community. Or my personal favorite, the artist in residence program. The same architect who designed the Inn, Todd Saunders, a Fogo Islander who now resides in Norway also designed four art studios.

The artist studios are tucked away along the hiking trails on the island.

The artist studios are tucked away along the hiking trails on the island. Note black structure on the horizon of the Joe Batt’s Arm trail.

Each of the four artist studios have simple names, this one called "The Long House" for obvious reasons.

Each of the four artist studios have simple names, this one called “The Long House” for obvious reasons.

They are off the grid and accessible by foot only. Supposedly set up for living accommodations, though most artists choose to stay in town and come to the studio to work.

They are off the grid, accessible by foot only. Supposedly set up for living accommodations, though most artists choose to stay in town and come to the studio to work.

If you look closely, there are some large canvases leaning up on the wall on the right.

If you look closely, there are some large canvases leaning up on the wall on the right.

Completely off the grid and hidden away along some of Fogo Island’s more scenic hiking trails, these small studios are provided for artists, writers, musicians on a rotating basis. For all I didn’t care for in the Inn, I fell in love with the artist studios.

This one, along the Turpin's Trail, is called the "Squish House."

This one, along the Turpin’s Trail, is called the “Squish House.”

"Squish" is a Newfie slang term that means "out of alignment."

“Squish” is a Newfie slang term that means “out of alignment.”

I saw one other of the studios called "The Tower," but there was no parking nearby, so no photos. The other one is in Deep Bay, and is called the "Bridge House."

I saw one other of the studios called “The Tower,” but there was no parking nearby, so no photos. The other one is in Deep Bay, and is called the “Bridge House.”

I could not get enough of the Squish House, and studied it from many angles.

I could not get enough of the Squish House, and studied it from many angles.

If there is an afterlife, please let me come back as an artist in residence at the Squish House.

If there is an afterlife, please let mine be an artist in residence at the Squish House.

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It’s an interesting concept, not without its criticisms. Some say the money should have gone to benefit the community directly, such as the building of a swimming pool to teach island children the vital skill of swimming for example. But the Inn currently employs 71 locals who might otherwise have had to leave the island to find employment.

It’s a delicate balance between “Teach a man to fish” versus “Teach a man not to…”

8 thoughts on “Fogo Island’s Juxtaposition

  1. The hotel definitely looks out of place, and I agree with you about the furnishings. Not what I would expect for that much money!
    The artist’s studios are an interesting concept, and with those views would certainly be a place to go for inspiration.

  2. I’m with Gayle, the hotel looks so out of place. I’m not sure where it would fit…Mars!?? Glad you toured the place so we got a peak inside. I so like the smaller artist’s studios.

  3. I like the hotel, and how the stilts echo the fish shacks. The Squish House is really attractive, I could be happy there. It’s interesting how expensive the hotel is – but if they’re staying full, there must be a market for it. Beautiful photos as always.

  4. I had expected nothing as exotic as the Squish house and the artists residences. The artists are a bit as the cabins on the upper cape cod, but much more modern.

    As to getting Squished, the entrance price approaches my entire Newfoundland budget. Thanks again for showing me a place which I could not access, but is nonetheless awesome.

  5. Piling on, I’ve got to say the Fogo Inn looks like the lowest value lodging property one could imagine. My darling wife and I have spent time in our share of boutique hotels and the Inn doesn’t qualify. As a charitable donation to the islanders, that’s a different matter. With you, however, on the Squish cottage. One hopes to find it furnished in best Scandinavian fashion.

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