Interview with Aaron le Boutillier, founder of Tree Roots Retreat in Rayong
Aaron le Boutillier is no stranger to this website as I have written about him and interviewed him several times (about his book, his passion, and his expertise). So, in this interview, Aaron returns on my platform with more stories and even more passion, and talks about his latest “project” at Tree Roots Retreat in Rayong and the philosophy behind it.
I’m going to start by bringing up your huge personal library… What you did is actually borderline insane: you’ve opened it to the public at Tree Roots Retreat!
Yes, as a child, my Mum used to collect books and as a result I have found a connection to my childhood by being surrounded by them. I have always found something magical about the smell of old books too, so to share this with the public is a big buzz for me.
How did Tree Roots Retreat come into being?
It started, like many projects, with a crazy idea! I was already living in my traditional teak house that I had built as a surf sanctuary at Mae Rum Peung beach and I thought I could expand on the concept of having friends down to recharge and relax. I ended up buying a plot of land with the idea to create a place where people could have an experience through nature, books, design and a variety of physical exercise such as boxing and Brazilian jiu jitsu. From that the idea turned into what you see today.
What’s special about it? After all, there are hundreds of resorts in Rayong.
I feel the main difference is that Tree Roots Retreat is not just another resort with sun beds around a pool and all the normal trimmings of a hotel experience. We are looking to make people’s eyebrows rise when they walk in, when they open the doors to their bungalow and smile. When they walk through the gardens they see nature everywhere living in harmony with the retreat and, most importantly, a place which offers experiences through our various packages.
So training, self-defense, mindfulness still have a huge role in your life… Why do you think it should be the case with others too?
Actually I don’t, I’m not looking to push my passions onto other people, I am simply looking for people with similar passions or an eagerness or openness to explore new possibilities to come and enjoy that journey here at the retreat.
Rayong is an amazing province which offers great vistas and great opportunities for more adventures. Tell me more about your new surfing school!
I grew up surfing and my original idea for moving here 6 years ago was because I missed the surfing lifestyle and energy. A good friend of mine has recently moved his Surf School to a new location and I was keen to fill the gap he left behind. Nothing pleases me more that seeing the enjoyment of someone catching their first wave.
If you’re like me and prefer the mountains, surfing can seem a bit daunting. Who’s surfing for?
Surfing is absolutely for everyone. The surf here is always small and fun and I think everyone should at least catch one wave in their life and feel the adrenalin of being carried by mother nature. It can be very additive and also being in the ocean can be very therapeutic.
How does this new surfing service align with what you’re doing at Tree Roots Retreat?
I am always looking to create an experience. That can be through the design of the retreat, through the movement, mindfulness and meditation of our physical activities which is where our M3 logo comes from; so surfing also encompasses those three M’s!
You run a security business with offices in Bangkok and Singapore but yet you seem to be craving for an escape in nature…
Yes, everything I do, I am passionate about. My security company continues to grow and I enjoy the relationship between my two companies. It really gives me a good balance of corporate life and the serenity I find at Tree Roots.
On my recent stay at Tree Roots I realized that the place is an escape for the madness of everyday life and a way of recharging one’s batteries. Is this what your other guests felt like too?
Yes, when we read the reviews, we can see that the majority of our guests enjoy the serenity here. Many pick up a book for the first time in years, many do some gentle exercise for the first time in years and all of this is a welcome escape from the Mon-Fri 9-5 lifestyle.
You’ve got great reviews on Trip Advisor and Booking.com. How do you handle customer satisfaction?
I handle it terribly! If someone is not happy or reviews negatively, I take it to heart. I am not the cold-hearted businessman that is unaffected. Tree Roots has my soul in it and as a result it can be hard when things don’t go the way I had hoped. I am very happy to say that bad reviews are an extremely rare occurrence.
Thank you for your time and I really hope to hang out with you again at Tree Roots Resort.
We look forward to seeing you back here too.
Follow Tree Roots Retreat on Facebook to get a feel of what the place is like!
