[4][5][6][7] NIHI Sumba was built in 1988 at Nihiwatu by Claude and Petra Graves and acquired by Chris Burch and James McBride in 2012.
[8][9][10] The history of NIHI Sumba traces back to the early settlers who named the beach Nihiwatu, meaning "mortar stone," after its isolated rock formation along the tide.
[11][12] In 1988, Claude and Petra Graves established a hotel resort called Nihiwatu, later renamed NIHI Sumba.
[13] In 2012, the resort was acquired by Christopher Burch,[14] an American entrepreneur, and James McBride, a South African-born hotelier, transforming it into a globally acclaimed destination.
[26][27][28] NIHI Sumba has garnered international acclaim and numerous prestigious accolades, including being ranked fourth on the Travel + Leisure Readers' 5 Favorite Resorts in Indonesia of 2023 list,[29] and securing the 18th position in The World's 50 Best Hotels on Condé Nast Traveller’s Gold List 2023.