Frequently Asked Questions
Before you request the report
The most common questions, grouped by topic. If your answer isn't here, the full report or the assistant in the corner of this page can help.
The Basics
What am I actually investing in?
A 90% equity share in a single residence: either Aether Nest (women-only) or Aether Den (men-only) — twin co-living residences in South Lombok, each with 12 identical double pods (24 guests max). These are two separate investments, not one combined package — you choose one, the other, or both if you want.
Why two gender-separated residences instead of one mixed property?
This is a positioning choice, not an Indonesian regulatory requirement. Gender-segregated co-living responds to real demand — perceived safety, social comfort, community — from a segment of solo travelers and digital nomads that traditional mixed hostels don't always serve well. Both residences share the same unit economics (same pods, same ADR, same cost structure): it's a market segmentation choice, not two different financial models.
How is the investment structured, and how much?
One consolidated investment of €649,000 per residence (90% investor / 10% Aetherial Studio), including a 5% agent commission on capital raised. This is not divided into smaller individual tickets on the public page — if you're considering a smaller or shared ticket, raise it directly with the team.
What exactly is a "double pod"?
A compact private accommodation unit for 2 guests, in a co-living format rather than a traditional hotel room — all 12 units in each residence are identical (same size, same finish), with access to shared signature amenities (pool, warung & café, co-working space, vlog/podcast room, gym, sauna, yoga terrace, mushollah). This is what simplifies the model compared to The Aether Lodge, which has three different lodge sizes.
Who is Aetherial Studio?
A hospitality development studio founded by Christian B., based in Indonesia — the same studio and team behind The Aether Lodge, a glamping resort already fundraising in the same region. See the Concept and Team sections for more.
Am I investing in real estate or an operating business?
Both, structurally. The PT PMA company holds the land (via HGB title) and the built structures, and also operates the co-living business. Your return comes from the residence's operating profit, not from renting out a pod you own directly.
Legal & Structure
Do I own the land directly?
Not freehold directly (Hak Milik is reserved for Indonesian citizens). The standard, legal route for foreign investors is a PT PMA (foreign-owned company) holding land under Hak Guna Bangunan (HGB) — a strong, registrable, mortgageable right. This is the structure used here, identical to The Aether Lodge's.
Are Aether Nest and Aether Den the same legal entity?
No — each residence is its own investment and, based on the structure already used for The Aether Lodge, each would be carried by its own PT PMA. Investing in Nest gives you no rights over Den, and vice versa. Confirm the exact structure (separate entities vs. a shared parent company) with the team before committing.
Are nominee arrangements used here?
No, and it never should be. An Indonesian citizen holding title on a foreign investor's behalf is not legally recognized and is unenforceable in court. The PT PMA + HGB structure is the only route used here.
What's the minimum paid-up capital for a PT PMA?
The threshold was lowered by BKPM Regulation No. 5/2025 to around IDR 2.5 billion (~USD 150-170K) — a recent, favorable change that lowers the barrier to entry per entity incorporated, relevant if Nest and Den are indeed two separate PT PMAs.
What are the annual compliance costs for a PT PMA?
Not detailed on the public site at this stage — request a precise figure (bookkeeping, quarterly LKPM reporting, audits) from the project's legal/accounting counsel before committing.
Do I need a KITAS or visa to be a director/commissioner?
This depends on your actual role in the company and your physical presence in Indonesia — to confirm with the project's legal counsel based on the governance structure chosen for your entity (Nest and/or Den).
What happens if the investor passes away — inheritance?
Shares in the PT PMA are a transferable asset under Indonesian corporate succession rules — but the precise mechanics (inheritance tax, share transfer) are not detailed publicly. To clarify with legal counsel before committing.
Money & Returns
What return can I expect?
Annual ROI ranges from 14% (Conservative, 55% occupancy) to 22% (Optimistic, 85% occupancy), with 18% as the Target scenario at 70% occupancy. See Performance for the full breakdown — these are projections built on an illustrative model, not guarantees.
Is the financial model based on real quotes?
Not yet, unlike The Aether Lodge whose model is based on a real construction quote. The €649,000 budget for Aether Nest & Aether Den is an illustrative model built on the same Aetherial Studio cost structure (15% development fee, 14% management fee), pending real vendor quotes for the pod format — this is explicitly flagged in Investment Terms.
What is this 5% agent commission?
A commission paid to a third-party agent on the total amount raised, already included within the announced €649,000 — it is not an additional charge on top. Ask the team for the exact detail of who receives this commission and at what stage before committing.
Are there fees beyond the €649,000?
The Aetherial Studio margin and the 5% agent commission are already included. Any separate platform, legal, or transaction fees are not yet itemized on the public site; confirm the complete fee picture during the legal review step.
What if the full amount isn't raised for a residence?
Not specified publicly — ask the team directly what's planned (refund, reduced scope, delay) if either residence (Nest or Den) doesn't reach its fundraising target.
How does this compare to a REIT?
A REIT offers daily liquidity and diversification across many assets; here, you hold a direct, illiquid stake in a single residence, with potentially higher return but much greater concentration risk — one asset, in a format (co-living pod) even less proven than glamping.
What reporting format will I receive as an investor?
Not detailed publicly — ask about frequency (monthly, quarterly) and exact content (actual occupancy, actual ADR, guest NPS, incidents) when speaking with the team.
Do I have voting rights on residence decisions?
Not specified publicly for a 90% stake — to clarify via the shareholders' agreement: which decisions require your consent (budget, refinancing, disposal) and which remain at Aetherial Studio's discretion as manager.
Risk
What if occupancy is lower than expected?
Your return scales down with it — the Conservative scenario (55% occupancy, 14% ROI) exists precisely to show that downside case. There is no fixed or guaranteed return; income is a direct function of actual residence performance.
Is the co-living pod format a proven concept?
Less so than boutique glamping (The Aether Lodge's format). Co-living pods have growing international traction (cities, campuses, digital nomad hubs) but remain a newer, less field-tested format in the specific South Lombok context than a glamping resort. This is a genuine risk factor to weigh, not just a cosmetic variation on the same model.
What is the currency risk?
The investment is in euros, but operating revenue is generated and part of the costs incurred in Indonesian rupiah (IDR) — EUR/IDR fluctuations affect the converted net return, in either direction.
What is the construction risk, given the budget is still illustrative?
Higher than for The Aether Lodge at this specific stage: the €649,000 budget is a model built by analogy, not a itemized bottom-up quote. The real construction cost for the pod format could differ meaningfully once vendor quotes are received — ask where this costing stands before committing.
Timeline & Process
When does construction start?
Not specified publicly — build duration is itself marked as to confirm in this report. Ask the team for an indicative timeline.
Can I invest in just one residence, or do I have to choose both together?
Each residence (Aether Nest, Aether Den) is presented as a separate €649,000 investment — nothing indicates they must be purchased together. Confirm with the team whether a combined investment carries any advantage (pricing, priority) over investing in just one residence.
What's the process to invest?
Not detailed step-by-step on the public site — ask the team for the precise process (required documents, timeline, payment structure) at first contact.
Can I visit the site before investing?
Not specified publicly — ask the team directly, especially useful here given the pod format is newer and harder to visualize remotely than a traditional glamping lodge.
Exit & Liquidity
How do I exit the investment?
By selling your shares in the PT PMA — there is no daily-liquidity exit mechanism like a listed fund. See Exit Strategy for the retained options (share transfer, asset sale, secondary market resale), all marked as draft pending legal validation.
Is there a secondary market to resell my shares?
No organized market — you would need to find a buyer yourself (individual or institutional), with a narrower buyer pool than the primary real estate market. The pod format being less established than glamping may also further narrow the pool of interested buyers.
Can funds be repatriated out of Indonesia?
Proceeds from a disposal can be repatriated in foreign currency through licensed Indonesian banks, with no current statutory cap — see Exit Strategy for sources and full detail.
How is the exit valuation calculated?
On an EBITDA multiple (indicative methodology, pending validation by an independent appraiser) — see Exit Strategy. Since the underlying cost model is still illustrative, the exit valuation is equally so at this stage.
Practical
Do I need to travel to Indonesia to invest?
Not specified as a strict requirement on the public site — this is a reasonable question to raise during the initial conversation with the team.
Can I stay at the residence myself?
Not detailed publicly — unlike a directly-owned villa or apartment, an equity stake in a pooled operation doesn't automatically come with personal-use rights. Ask the team whether any investor-stay policy exists or is planned, for both Nest and Den.
Do I need a visa to visit the residence?
Standard Indonesian tourist visa rules apply for a visit as a guest — this is separate from any investor/business visa questions related to your role in the PT PMA, which should be confirmed with the project's legal counsel.
What is Aetherial Studio's track record?
Not yet published on the public site as a formal portfolio. The Aether Lodge, the studio's first project in the region, is itself still in its fundraising phase — ask the team directly for previously delivered projects, if any, before relying on reputation alone.
What due diligence has been done on this deal?
Less than for The Aether Lodge at this stage: the financial model is an illustrative model built by analogy with the Aetherial Studio cost model, not yet a real construction quote for the pod format. Legal structure and exit valuation are, as with The Aether Lodge, explicitly marked draft pending independent validation. This site is transparent about what has and hasn't been verified yet.