Age: 42
Gender: Female
Capacity: 20 guests
Experience: 6 years
Interview Type: Telephone
Interview Date: December 17, 2025
Accommodation: Gabgoo eco-lodge
Location: Bandar‑e Rostami, Tangestan, Bushehr
Photo: Reza Gholampour
This interview analysis explores the perspectives of a 42‑year‑old female owner of Gabgoo Eco‑Lodge, a coastal self‑catering accommodation in Bandar‑e Rostami (Tangestan, Bushehr province, Iran). Operating for six years with a capacity of 20 guests, the lodge prioritises affordability, cleanliness, and genuine local hospitality over staged cultural performances. Findings reveal that visitors are primarily motivated by seaside tranquillity and the freedom to cook their own meals. The owner deliberately avoids organising tours or live music, instead allowing guests to discover the coastline, fishing jetties, Jashak salt mountain, and the historic fabric of Bushehr independently. A local woman is employed to prepare traditional dishes upon request, supporting the village economy. The courtyard – with mudbrick walls, fruit trees, and wooden furniture – serves as the main gathering space. Environmental actions include recycling bottles and placing waste bins in the village. The owner actively collects constructive feedback (e.g., improving kitchen sinks) and has appointed a manager. Notable moments, such as hosting an Austrian guest with personalised care, demonstrate how sincere human connection creates international goodwill. This case illustrates a resilient, low‑overhead model of coastal eco‑tourism that is deeply embedded in local daily life.
Key findings from the field interview
1. Self-Catering as a Strategy for Affordability and Flexibility
The owner has deliberately equipped all suites with kitchen facilities, allowing guests to prepare their own meals. This decision significantly reduces the total cost of the stay, making the lodge attractive to budget-conscious families. Unlike many eco-lodges that provide full-board dining, Gabgoo empowers visitors to control their food expenses. Breakfast is offered by the lodge, and lunch/dinner can be ordered from a local woman cook – but the default is self-catering. This model reflects a pragmatic interpretation of authenticity: not forcing traditional meals upon guests, but enabling economic accessibility and independence.
2. Rejecting Staged Performances: No Tours, No Live Music
The owner explicitly avoids organising tours or live local music. She believes that visitors experience authentic culture simply by being in the village – observing neighbourly behaviour, the seaside, and the courtyard. Music is not played because it might disturb neighbours, and guests may bring their own speakers if they wish. Tours are not offered; instead, she recommends local contacts. This contrasts with the first eco-lodge (where the owner’s father led tours). Here, authenticity is defined by non-intervention – letting the environment and community speak for themselves, rather than curating cultural performances.
3. The Courtyard as the Heart of Authentic Social Space
While the suites themselves are not traditionally designed, the courtyard is built in a local style with mudbrick walls, fruit trees (mango, banana), and wooden furniture. Guests spend most of their waking hours in this outdoor space, using the suites only for sleeping. The owner markets this courtyard as the main attraction. This aligns with the concept of “existential authenticity” (Wang, 1999): guests feel they are genuinely living in a rural coastal home, not a hotel. The courtyard becomes a stage for spontaneous social interaction, rest, and connection with nature.
4. Community Embeddedness through Local Employment and Recycling
The owner employs a local woman to cook traditional meals on request, directly supporting the village economy. She also initiated recycling by placing waste bins in the village when none existed, and collects plastic bottles for sale. Guests are encouraged to buy local bread. These actions go beyond token gestures; they represent a deep commitment to environmental and social sustainability. Unlike some eco-lodges that perform “green” practices superficially, Gabgoo’s owner integrates waste management and local procurement into daily operations, demonstrating an ethic of unpolished stewardship.
5. Hospitality as Equal Treatment and Personal Care
The owner proudly states that she treats all guests equally – “whether a king or a beggar” – and initially did not think of payment when hosting people. This philosophy extends to memorable incidents, such as the Austrian guest who was upset by a neighbour’s inappropriate comment. The owner personally visited him, spoke English, escorted him to Bushehr, and refused payment, saying he was a guest. This created lasting cross‑cultural goodwill. Such personalised, non‑transactional care is a form of authenticity that cannot be staged. It echoes traditional Persian hospitality (mehmān-navāzi) and differentiates Gabgoo from commercial competitors.
6. Feedback-Driven Improvement without Compromising Core Values
From the first year, the owner asked guests to write constructive criticism rather than praise. Based on feedback, she improved kitchen sinks and later appointed a manager. However, she has not changed the fundamental model (self-catering, no tours, floor sleeping with some beds) because guests who arrive understand what to expect. Some visitors initially arrive in a bad mood but extend their stay after experiencing the peaceful environment. This shows that the lodge successfully manages expectations while remaining open to practical upgrades – a balance between authenticity and responsiveness.
Mohadese Moradi
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