PRESS

“There’s a lot of velvet and artisan touches…that speak to both the past and future.”

“Philip Blackwell […] has put together collections based around a certain theme or interest, and others dictated purely by the colours of the jackets.”

“The volumes draw on the history of Bahrain, the local culture of pearl diving and architecture to give guests countless hours of pleasure.”

“If a hotel should be a home away from home, but better, then it follows that the book collection needs to be intelligently selected.”

“Each collection starts with a conversation, when Blackwell discovers what his clients’ interests and passions are.”

“Mr. Blackwell’s company Ultimate Library selected about 5,000 books for the shelves, an act of curation that’s literary and visual.”

“Having the right books in the right place that tell the local story, though, significantly increases guest perception and satisfaction.”

“Through Ultimate Library, Soneva Fushi now has its own Barefoot Bookseller on the island who oversees the book collection.”

“My friends think I have the dream job – and they might be right.”