our story
The family retreat
Every extraordinary place begins with a dream. For us, that dream started when my parents Antonio & Liz Filpi decided to embrace adventure over conventional retirement. After years abroad, they chose Morocco's wild Atlantic coast as their next chapter, drawn by memories of life in Arab countries and the untamed beauty of this coastline.
In 2009, after countless cups of mint tea and complex negotiations, they acquired this remarkable piece of land - 47 kilometres north of Essaouira, where the mighty sand dunes meet the endless horizon of the Atlantic. What began as a personal adventure soon evolved into something far more meaningful.
The danse years
The story took an unexpected turn when my sister, Francesca, fresh from her career with the Royal Ballet, joined our family's Moroccan adventure. Her arrival sparked a vision: creating a sanctuary where dance could flourish against the backdrop of crashing waves and endless sky. The central open-air studio, which remains the heart of our property today, was born from this vision - its sprung floor once alive with pirouettes and grand jetés.
Those early years were magical, filled with the juxtaposition of classical ballet and traditional Moroccan life. Local artisans crafted every detail using age-old techniques, while dancers from around the world found inspiration in our unique setting. The studio, designed to capture the wild beauty of the Atlantic, became a space where art and nature danced together.
reshaping the bubble
Mike and Julianna Filpi now stand as caretakers of this extraordinary coastal property, stewards of a legacy that transforms the original vision of dance into a broader sanctuary of wellness. Where Francesca once cultivated a haven for ballet, they have reimagined the space as a sanctuary for those seeking profound self-care and renewal.
The essence of movement remains core to their vision - evolved, yet honouring its roots. The sprung floor that once echoed with precise ballet techniques now resonates with a more inclusive philosophy of bodily awareness. Yogic movement, meditation and mindset practitioners, adventure seekers, and creative souls yearning for reconnection now find their rhythm in this space where art and nature continue to intertwine.
invisible embrace
Bubble on the Beach is more than a destination - it's an intimate sanctuary where the Atlantic's wild coastline embraces the desert's untamed landscape. We've redefined luxury beyond opulence, creating a bubble of tranquillity where guests can truly disconnect and rediscover themselves.
Our approach to hospitality is deliberately understated. We don't intrude; we attend. Our team provides discreet, almost invisible support - present when needed, seamlessly absent when not. Each guest receives personalised, on-demand care that anticipates needs without overwhelming presence. It's luxury defined by attentiveness, not artifice.
our VALUES
Invisible Hospitality
We practice the art of attentive yet unobtrusive care, creating genuine connections through anticipating needs without overwhelming presence. Our service is felt rather than seen, authentically warm, deeply personal, and intuitively responsive.
Natural Balance
We exist in intimate relationship with our extraordinary landscape, where desert meets ocean. Our off-grid sanctuary doesn't merely minimise impact, it creates a thoughtful dialogue with the elements that sustain us.
Mindful Luxury
We redefine luxury through presence, intention, and meaningful experience rather than material excess. True opulence emerges from connection, contemplation, and the rare permission to simply be.
Cultural Harmony
We exist in balance with Moroccan traditions, craftsmanship, and heritage. Our approach weaves local wisdom with contemporary understanding, creating authentic experiences that celebrate and honour the cultural context we inhabit.
a fluid canvas
WELLNESS SANCTUARY
Our open-air studio transforms into whatever practice serves your journey, sunrise yoga overlooking the Atlantic, meditation to the rhythm of waves, movement workshops that honour both our ballet heritage and contemporary embodied practices. The space adapts: intimate for solo practice, expansive for groups, always maintaining its fundamental connection to this extraordinary coastal setting. Traditional hammam rituals complement modern wellness approaches, creating holistic renewal where body and mind rediscover their natural rhythm.
EXPLORe & ADVENTURE
For those who find peace through motion, our wild coastal landscape becomes a playground for adventure. Atlantic waves invite surfers to dance with elemental forces. Desert dunes call to motocross bikers and quad riders seeking that perfect balance of exhilaration and flow. Coastal trails offer horse riders spectacular vistas where concentration quiets mental noise. Yet every adventure circles back to sanctuary, the infinity pool, the hammam's steam, the gentle unwinding that follows intensity. Here, adrenaline and serenity aren't opposites but partners in renewal.
creative pursuits
Filmmakers, photographers, artists, and writers discover our landscape as both backdrop and collaborator. The interplay of desert and ocean, the quality of coastal light, the authentic Moroccan architecture all become characters in creative work. Our spaces morph from atmospheric film locations to inspiring creative retreats, from styled shoot settings to artists' residencies. Whether capturing images, crafting words, or exploring new mediums, this environment awakens dormant creativity and provides space for artistic vision to breathe.
intimate celebrations
Significant moments deserve significant settings. Our sanctuary hosts milestone celebrations that honour both occasion and environment, intimate weddings where Atlantic sunsets provide ceremony, family reunions that span generations, discovering shared joy, and anniversary celebrations that pair romance with adventure. We craft bespoke experiences: candlelit dinners on private terraces, beach ceremonies at golden hour, poolside gatherings under star-filled skies.
living lightly: our commitment to the earth
harnessing POWER
We exist in profound relationship with the Moroccan sun that shapes our days and powers our nights. Our comprehensive solar array captures abundant sunshine, transforming raw elemental energy into the gentle electricity that illuminates your experience. Battery storage honours the rhythm of day and night, ensuring continuous comfort whilst maintaining our commitment to living independently from conventional grids.
WATER WISDOM
In this arid coastal landscape, water becomes a precious teacher. Our deep wells tap ancient aquifers whilst rainwater harvesting captures seasonal gifts from Atlantic storms. Traditional Moroccan building wisdom, thick tadelakt walls, strategic ventilation, thoughtful orientation, creates natural cooling that honours this resource. Every drop is carefully stewarded, filtered, and used with intention, connecting you to place through the most elemental ritual.
our SANCTUARY [flos]
COMPASSIONATE SANCTUARY
Our story with the
Four-Legged Orphan Sanctuary is twinned with our human need to be cared for in this rugged environment. We've expanded our sanctuary beyond human guests to include animal rescue efforts, embodying a holistic approach to care that extends to all living beings who find their way to our coastal home.
SHARED CARE
10% of every accommodation booking directly supports the Four-Legged Orphan Sanctuary, allowing your stay to extend care beyond human guests. This isn't charity—it's recognition that true sanctuary means creating space for all beings who need refuge, nourishment, and the freedom to simply be.
EXTENDED
FAMILY
Various four-legged waifs and strays have found their way to our bubble over the years. A camel, horses, donkeys, a pack of rescue dogs, a collection of cats and even tortoises, lizards and hedgehogs. Primarily, donkeys and dogs now call this sanctuary home, along with an old horse and a couple of cats. We try not to turn anyone away till they're rehabilitated or re-homed. Each has its own story of arrival and transformation, teaching us daily about resilience, trust, and the profound connections possible across species.
CIRCLE OF GIVING
Guests are welcome to visit and interact with our sanctuary residents, experiencing the joy these animals bring to our community. For those wishing to contribute further, we gratefully accept donations of pet supplies and children's items for local families, extending our circle of care to the broader community that surrounds us.
