In 2012, the billionaire investor J. Christopher Burch purchased a little-known surf resort on the remote Indonesian island of Sumba. After spending three years and $30 million to redevelop and renovate the property, the five-star Nihi Resort reopened under the guidance of the legendary hotelier and creative marketer James McBride. Just one year after opening, it shot to the top of Travel & Leisure's prestigious list of the 100 best hotels in the world. The publication’s readers voted Nihi the number one hotel in the world in 2016 and 2017.