Set amidst the breathtaking natural beauty of Malaysia’s iconic highlands, Sutera Sanctuary Lodges has become known for its refined luxury, authentic experiences, and unforgettable hospitality. Recently honored by Luxury Lifestyle Awards as Best Luxury Mountain Resort in Malaysia for 2026, the resort captivates discerning travelers from around the world with its exceptional service, unique accommodations, and deep connection to nature.

Leading the company’s strategic growth initiatives is Ms. Lian See Kueh, Corporate Director of Strategic Business Development at Sutera Sanctuary Lodges. With a strong focus on strategic expansion, market activation, and sustainable growth, Lian plays a key role in identifying high-value opportunities that strengthen the brand’s market positioning while enhancing operational excellence and guest experiences. Her expertise in aligning business development with long-term brand equity continues to support Sutera Sanctuary Lodges’ evolution within the luxury hospitality landscape.

Alexander Chetchikov, President of the World Luxury Chamber of Commerce, leads our interview, bringing over 17 years of expertise from the Luxury Lifestyle Awards and deep insight into the evolving world of luxury.

Alexander Chetchikov: Congratulations on Sutera Sanctuary Lodges being recognized as Best Luxury Mountain Resort in Malaysia for 2026 by LLA. From a strategic business development perspective, what does this international recognition mean for the brand’s future growth opportunities?

Lian See Kueh: Thank you so much — this truly means a lot to us. When we found out, honestly, the first thing I thought about was our team on the ground, the guides, the housekeeping staff, the kitchen crew. They are the ones living and breathing this every single day. So this recognition really is a validation of their hard work and dedication. For us as a brand, it opens doors — it puts Sutera Sanctuary Lodges on the radar of international travelers and partners who might not have known us before. We see it as both an honour and a responsibility to keep raising the bar.

AC: As Corporate Director of Strategic Business Development, your role focuses heavily on identifying high-value growth opportunities. What key priorities are currently shaping Sutera Sanctuary Lodges’ expansion strategy?

LSK: At the heart of what we do is this idea of bringing world-class conservation-tourism to places that truly deserve to be experienced.

Right now, we are focused on a few key areas:

• Expanding into Sarawak: Sabah has always been our home base, but we see enormous potential across the border. We are working with public and private partners to bring our eco-tourism model into Sarawak — starting with areas where the landscape and conservation mandate are a natural fit for what we do.
• Growing within UNESCO-designated sites: Managing Kinabalu Park has taught us so much about how to operate responsibly within a World Heritage site. We want to apply those lessons to other similarly significant protected areas. It is not about copying and pasting — every site has its own character — but the principles carry over.

• Niah National Park: The caves at Niah are extraordinary — archaeologically, ecologically, spiritually. We are developing new premium accommodations there, along with upgraded dining, a pool, and social spaces. The goal is to give guests a proper base from which to really experience Niah, not just pass through it.
• Tanjung Datu: This is one we are very excited about. Tanjung Datu is one of Malaysia’s smallest but most pristine national parks — a real hidden gem. We are developing a boutique eco-retreat there with private villas, a spa, and a restaurant. The kind of place where you feel genuinely away from the world.

And underpinning all of this:

• Every new build uses passive cooling and biophilic design — we work with the environment, not against it. Growth should not come at the cost of the very things that make these places worth visiting.
• Each new site we activate has to advance both conservation and community — those two things are non-negotiable for us. ESG is not a box-ticking exercise; it is genuinely how we make decisions.

AC: Sutera Sanctuary Lodges has built a reputation for combining luxury, heritage, and nature. How do you ensure that future developments and market expansion remain aligned with the brand’s core identity?

LSK: This is something we think about very carefully with every new project. Because it’s so easy in this industry to get carried away chasing growth and then wake up one day and realise your brand has drifted. We never want that to happen to Sutera Sanctuary Lodges.

So we have put in place quite a deliberate process to make sure our identity stays intact, no matter which new location we enter:

• Before any design work even begins, we require rigorous Environmental Impact Assessments. The footprint of our buildings is determined by what the land can sustain, not by what would look most impressive on a brochure.
• We insist on using local, sustainable materials — things that feel like they belong in the landscape, not imposed on it. When you step into one of our lodges, you should feel the forest around you, not feel like you’ve left it.
• Every guest experience — the guided tours, the stories shared over dinner, even the interior design of each room — is built around the specific character of that park. Kinabalu Park feels different from Niah, and it should. We celebrate those differences rather than trying to make everything uniform.

Operational Excellence & Service Standards

• Signature Hospitality Training: Our people are trained not just in service techniques but in how to connect with guests in a way that feels natural and genuinely warm — which, honestly, comes quite easily to Malaysians.
• Community-First Sourcing: We prioritise working with local farmers, artisans, and suppliers. If we can source it from within the community, we will. It’s good for the local economy, and it makes the guest experience more authentic.
• Low-Density Models: We deliberately keep our guest numbers small. We are not in the business of packing in as many rooms as possible. The whole point is that when you are at our lodges, you feel like you have the place to yourself — because in many ways, you do.

AC: You oversee the site activation process for new opportunities and initiatives. What are the most important factors in ensuring successful and impactful market entry within the luxury hospitality sector?

LSK: Luxury hospitality is not a space where you can afford to rush in and figure things out along the way. The guests we are targeting have incredibly high expectations, and first impressions really do stick. So before we even think about opening a new property, there are several things we make sure are in place:

• We sort out the regulatory side early — concessions, heritage permits, environmental approvals. Doing this properly upfront saves so much headache later, and it signals to stakeholders that we are serious operators.
• Infrastructure readiness — utilities, waste management, transport access — all of this needs to work reliably without disrupting the remoteness that makes the location special in the first place. That balance is tricky but non-negotiable for us.
• We work closely with regional tourism boards to build awareness and interest in the destination itself, not just our property. If travelers are excited about visiting Niah or Tanjung Datu, that is good for everyone. We see ourselves as partners in destination development.
• Talent & Hospitality Readiness: We bring in experienced team members from our established lodges to train and mentor hired staff locally before we open. We call them our seed teams. They carry the Sutera culture with them and help new colleagues understand what our standards feel like in practice, not just on paper.
• Local Value-Chain Integration: From day one, we try to build relationships with local artisans, farmers, and community guides. It creates goodwill, it keeps money within the community, and frankly, it makes for a much richer guest experience when the food, crafts, and stories are genuinely from that place.

LSK: The way we see it, personalization is no longer a nice-to-have — it’s the whole point. Today’s high-end traveler has usually already stayed in all the beautiful five-star hotels. What they are looking for now is something they can’t find anywhere else. So we have been intentional about building experiences around that:

• In-Villa Private Chefs: We offer guests the option to have a dedicated chef prepare personalized menus right in their chalet or villa — hyper-local ingredients, your dietary preferences, your timing. It’s the kind of experience that feels genuinely thoughtful rather than transactional.
• We have moved away from rigid resort schedules. Guests can now design their own days — whether that is a private session with a local naturalist, a wildlife tracking experience at dawn, or a chartered boat out to sea. We follow their pace, not the other way around.
• We have been upgrading our more secluded lodges — some are well over 2,000 square feet — with floor-to-ceiling wilderness views and private jacuzzis. There is a growing demand from guests who want real privacy and space, not just a beautiful view from a shared terrace.
• We want our guests to be participants, not just spectators. So we have been embedding hands-on experiences directly into stays — things like orchid propagation within the UNESCO botanical reserves. It sounds niche, but guests absolutely love it. They go home with a story, not just a photograph.
• We have been partnering with local community elders and cultural leaders to lead intimate storytelling walks — botanical, historical, spiritual. These are not scripted tours. They are genuine exchanges, and guests often tell us these moments are the most memorable part of their whole trip.
• We are also being more transparent with guests about the conservation impact of their stay. When people know that their booking directly supports wildlife protection programmes or school initiatives in Borneo’s national parks, it adds real meaning to the experience. They feel like their trip mattered beyond themselves.

AC: Sustainability has become a major focus across global hospitality. How does Sutera Sanctuary Lodges integrate responsible tourism and sustainable business practices into its long-term development strategy?

LSK: Sustainability is not something we bolt on at the end of a project — it is baked into every decision from day one. A few things we are particularly intentional about:

• Buildings that belong: For all our pipeline developments — including the upcoming Tanjung Datu project — we use passive cooling so our structures feel like part of the canopy, not imposed on it.
• Protecting what’s already there: We only build or renovate within pre-cleared, tightly restricted zones. The biodiversity and geology of these sites are irreplaceable — we treat them that way.
• Knowing the land: Our front-line teams and nature guides go through ongoing conservation training. When a guest asks about the ecosystem around them, we want the answer to be rich and real — not a rehearsed script. That depth is something guests genuinely carry home with them.

AC: Malaysia continues to gain recognition as a luxury travel destination in Asia. From your perspective, what unique advantages does the country offer for luxury hospitality growth and investment?

LSK: Honestly, I think Malaysia is still quite underrated as a luxury destination — especially East Malaysia. When you look at what we have here, there are some really strong advantages:

Unrivaled Natural and Heritage Capital

• Today’s high-net-worth traveler is actively seeking out places that feel genuinely untouched. Malaysia’s ecosystems — East Malaysia’s ancient rainforests, our UNESCO World Heritage sites — offer exactly that. And because so much of it is protected, it stays that way. That is a powerful draw.
• While the more obvious markets are already very crowded, East Malaysia is still wide open in terms of quality eco-luxury offerings. For brands like ours, there is real runway here.

And then there is our people. Malaysian hospitality has always had this warmth that is hard to manufacture. Our staff is naturally multilingual, culturally attuned, and genuinely welcoming — not in a trained, robotic way, but in a way that feels real. International guests pick up on that very quickly.

AC: Finally, what is your vision for the future of Sutera Sanctuary Lodges, and how do you see the brand evolving over the next few years within the international luxury hospitality market?

LSK: Our vision is to take what we have built here in Sabah — this model of conservation-led, community-rooted luxury — and bring it to other parts of ASEAN that share the same kind of wild, protected beauty. We have been looking closely at destinations across the region with a lot of interest. The foundation of what we do here translates well, but we are committed to doing it the right way — slowly, carefully, and always with deep respect for the local environment and communities. That is the only way we know how to grow.

Thank you, Ms. Lian See Kueh, for sharing your valuable insights, and congratulations once again on this outstanding international recognition.

To discover the award-winning luxury experience of Sutera Sanctuary Lodges, please visit:
https://suterasanctuarylodges.com.my/