Six Senses rebrands and expands

Tented encampments, floating suites and expansion in to five continents are planned for Six Senses, following a consolidation of its brands in to four categories, according to CEO Sonu Shivdasani.

After toying with Latitudes and Hideaway sub brands, the group is now going with its top marquee — Soneva by Six Senses — and grouping its other resorts under a standard Six Senses branding. Larger hotels will remain under the Evason brand (such as Hua Hin and Phuket in Thailand, Nha Trang, Vietnam and Ma’in, Jordan), while the new destination spa in Phuket has been recently restyled as the first Six Senses Sanctuary.

Thirteen resorts are currently operational, in the Maldives, Thailand, Vietnam and the Middle East, with three more opening shortly — in the Maldives, Vietnam and Jafre, Catalonia, Spain.

The aim, said Shivdasani, was to establish up to 10 hotel clusters around the world, with between five and 10 resorts in each cluster: “That way, the resorts can share best operational practices and it is beneficial for the hosts (staff) who can move between the resorts more easily”.

Ideally, each hotel cluster would be served by an international airport, typified by Dubai serving as a gateway to Oman: “We have a global hub in Dubai with Emirates and other airlines, but can offer a remote experience (at Six Senses Zighy Bay) — and it is also good for the hosts to be able to have access to a city such as Dubai.”

Within the region, Six Senses’ plan for an additional resort in Jordan is on hold, but the group is looking at a possible tented encampment near Salalah, after trialling the tent concept at Zighy Bay.

“We are also looking at this for a backwater site near Galle in Sri Lanka,” said Shivdasani. “We are partnering with Aitken Spence for a resort where only the main public building will be permanent and the accommodation will be in tents.”

An 80-unit resort announced last year for Dutch Bay in Kalpitiya in the north-west of the island has also been put on hold, but Shivdasani said that, as part of that cluster, Six Senses management was also looking at a resort on the Andaman Islands in the eastern Indian Ocean.

Other clusters planned in addition to the existing four include Madagascar, Mauritius and Mozambique; the Caribbean and Brazil; Greece and Croatia, and Spain, Portugal and Morocco.

In the North African country, Six Senses has a spa going in to the Baglioni hotel opening in Marrakech this year, but is looking at more remote destinations for its own resorts: “We have a resort planned at Essaouira on the Atlantic coast and we are also looking at Ouarzazate on the edge of the Sahara,” confirmed Shivdasani.

In other project news, the proposed Soneva Nisi resort on Milos in Greece is still awaiting the go-ahead, but new developments have been confirmed in Jamaica, Turks & Caicos islands and Brazil, as well as a possible tented encampment in the Algarve.

Meanwhile, Soneva in Aqua will take to the seas late this year when the first of a fleet of 30 boats will be launched and based at the group’s Thailand resorts: “We will eventually have three to four vessels in Thailand, in the Musandam and at other destinations where we have resorts,” said Shivdasani.

“They will be 22-metre vessels where we have taken local designs such as the dhow and dhoni as our inspiration, featuring modern design in a large suite, living and spa areas, as well as ample deck space — the boats will be fully crewed with a personal chef and spa therapist.”