Top 10 best Six Senses Hotels & Resorts in the world

February 3, 2020 4

Monday newsletters always feature top 10 travel lists to inspire.

Today (February 3, 2020): My 10 favorite Six Senses Hotels & Resorts in the world.

I have previously shared my 10 favorite Aman Hotels and my 10 favorite Four Seasons Hotels. Today, I am having a look at Six Senses, another one of the most exclusive hotel brands in the world. Six Senses is an award-winning and very unique hotel group, that offers exceptional guest experiences in remote and exquisite locations, such as majestic mountains, coral-fringed bays, romantic valleys and inspiring city districts. The brand is synonymous with a unique eco-chic design – authentic, personal and sustainable – and all properties are in harmony with their natural or cultural surroundings. A key element of all Six Senses properties is the Six Senses Spa, which offers a layered approach to wellness with treatments that go beyond the ordinary.

Six Senses was founded in 1988 by Sonu Shivdasani and his wife Eva Malmstrom, the visionary leaders of Soneva (my favorite hotel brand in the world). Sonu and Eva turned Six Senses into a world-famous, luxury hotel chain with dozens of resorts and spas. Sonu sold Six Senses in 2012, and since then, Soneva and Six Senses flourish independently. Over the past year, the Six Senses brand has rapidly expanded all over the planet and has also unveiled new properties set to open in the coming years in Israel, India, Ibiza, New York, Austria and Switzerland to name a few. Here’s a list of what I consider to be the 10 best Six Senses Resorts & Spa in the world (so far).

There is more info (with reviews and YouTube clips) below my slideshow. Think I missed one? Share your favorite Six Senses property in the comments section, or take my poll below!

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10. SIX SENSES DOURO VALLEY, PORTUGAL

Add canoeing, river cruises and tree climbing to your wine country vacation at Six Senses Douro Valley, my favorite hotel in Portugal. The 50-room hotel – which occupies a 19th-century manor house overlooking the UNESCO-designated region – takes a total approach to well-being, including yogic detox programs, citrus-based spa treatments and an alchemy bar for blending body products. The estate covers 19 acres and fronts onto the River Douro as it winds through the world’s oldest demarcated wine region. The grape is sovereign here, with a wine library for tastings and an extensive cellar. The hotel has connections with local, historic wineries where you can play winemaker for the day and, during harvest, take part in the traditional stomping of the grapes.

  • Hotel website: Six Senses Douro Valley
  • Other accolades: Six Senses Douro Valley also features in my top 10 list of the best hotels & resorts in Portugal.
  • Tip: get complimentary benefits when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, daily breakfast, early check-in, late check-out, and $100 USD resort credit).
  • Review: read my review of Six Senses Douro Valley here.

9. SIX SENSES CON DAO, VIETNAM

A 40 min flight south of Ho Chi Min City, Con Dao is a breathtaking location, which has been protected for decades as a national and marine park. Six Senses Con Dao is the only five-star resort in the archipelago islands. The resort is located along an enormous private beach with sweeping views of snap-worthy islands against the dramatic backdrop of the Lo Voi Mountains. The intimate, all-pool villa resort is contemporary in design and reflects the essence of a traditional fishing village. The spa and dining options are world-class. With a passionate commitment to supporting and protecting the environment, Con Dao has been built with the very lightest ecological footprint. It will be very, very difficult to return to ‘real life’ after a vacation here.

8. SIX SENSES YAO NOI, PHUKET, THAILAND

Six Senses Yao Noi sets the highest benchmark for island resort living in Asia. Located beyond Phuket in awesome Phang Nga Bay, there’s a sense of privacy and adventure. 55 elevated pool villas present generous personal space and a variety of views. Sea view villas offer glorious vistas over Phang Nga Bay, while mountain view villas face a plantation of rubber trees. Natural materials used in the modern architecture, together with excellent personal service, support the Six Senses philosophy of creating exceptional experiences. There are dining options aplenty at Six Senses Yao Noi, with several restaurants and bars, and an international wine cellar. There’s also an excellent Six Senses Spa and many excursions and activities are offered.

7. SIX SENSES FIJI

Known for its idyllic crystal clear waters, white sandy beaches, thick tropical forests, and excellent climate, Six Senses Fiji is located in a magnificent secluded bay on Fiji’s Malolo Island. The private golden sand beach frontage stretches over 2,100 feet (650 meters) in length. The 5-star Six Senses Fiji Resort offers 24 spacious pool bures (villa) all with private plunge pools, plus an additional inventory of residences, offering from two to five bedrooms. With several food and beverage outlets serving delicious, locally inspired dishes, watersports including sailing and surfing, Six Senses Spa with a yoga pavilion & Alchemy Bar, and a weekly activity schedule taking you on out-of-the-ordinary experiences, there is something for everyone at Six Senses Fiji.

  • Hotel website: Six Senses Fiji
  • Other accolades: Six Senses Fiji also features in my top lists of the best luxury resorts in the South Pacific.
  • Tip: get complimentary VIP amenities when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, daily breakfast, early check-in, late check-out, and FJD 100 resort credit when staying 3 nights or more).

6. SIX SENSES ULUWATU, BALI, INDONESIA

The stunningly beautiful Six Senses Uluwatu Resort is set in Pecatu on the southernmost tip of Bali, which is the home of “Pura Uluwatu”, the sacred temple considered one of the island’s core spiritual pillars. The cliff-top Balinese-inspired Uluwatu resort offers uninterrupted ocean views from every angle. The resort comprises 103 suites and villas, inspired by local design, embracing nature and offering every creature comfort. The Six Senses Spa features locally inspired specialty treatments, multi-day integrated wellness programs and complimentary morning yoga sessions. The resort features multiple swimming pools, an open air event venue, function space, three restaurants including a chef’s table, a cooking school and an extensive organic garden and farm.

5. SIX SENSES ZIL PASYON, SEYCHELLES

Six Senses Zil Pasyon is located on the island of Félicité, one of the most dramatically beautiful and unspoiled islands in the Seychelles. With massive granite boulders fringing the shoreline and picture perfect beaches, it is the island’s dramatic beauty that make it the perfect private island escape. The resort occupies just one-third of the island’s land total – the rest is left to the beauty of nature and wildlife. The resort includes 28 one-bedroom pool villas and a  couple of two-bedroom pool villas ranging from 2,150 square feet (200 square meters) to 5,380 square feet (500 square meters) plus 17 private residences. Six Senses Zil Pasyon offers six dining and bar venues on the island, sport and leisure facilities, three pristine sandy beaches, and a phenomenal spa.

4. SIX SENSES NINH VAN BAY, VIETNAM

Six Senses Ninh Van Bay enjoys a spectacular setting in a dramatic bay that gives the feeling of being on an exclusive private island resort in the East Vietnam Sea. Impressive rock formations, a coral reef, a golden sand beach, a playful stream and the towering mountains behind, all add to the sense of being luxuriously at one with nature. The spa resort presents the reality of the destination, with an architectural style incorporating traditions of Vietnam. The 58 superb accommodations – done in Six Senses signature eco-chic design – are all personal villas with private plunge pools. The restaurants at Six Senses Ninh Van Bay serve international and local favorites plus East meets West specialties complemented by the best local seafood.

3. SIX SENSES BHUTAN

Six Senses manages five individual lodges in five separate valleys in the colorful Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan, which are all operated under the umbrella of one all-encompassing name: Six Senses Bhutan. The lodges represent the heritage and hospitality of Thimphu, Punakha, Gangtey, Bumthang and Paro, respectively, and each one has been thoughtfully designed to fully immerse travelers into the local culture. The serene and luxurious lodges, which vary in style, showcase the diversity and special character of each valley. From sunrise meditations and holistic spa treatments to private astrology readings and butter lamp lighting ceremonies to incredible hikes and treks through pristine forests, the aim is to leave enriched and reconnected.

  • Hotel website: Six Senses Bhutan
  • Other accolades: Six Senses Bhutan also features in my top 10 list of the best hotels in Bhutan.
  • Tip: get complimentary VIP perks when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, daily breakfast, early check-in, late check-out, and one complimentary 60 min massage for two).
  • Review: read my review of Six Senses Bhutan’s Thimphu lodge here, Punakha lodge here, and Paro Lodge here.

2. SIX SENSES LAAMU, MALDIVES

A scenic inter-island plane trip from Malé lies Six Senses Laamu, a palm-fringed paradise island in the Indian Ocean with 97 stylishly sustainable Maldivian villas set over the turquoise waters and in the lush tropical vegetation. Yin Yang, the Maldives’ most famous surfing wave, breaks just offshore. Phenomenal snorkeling is available in the house reef where it is very common to see oriental sweetlips, parrotfish and even green turtles as you make you way along it. The resort’s chefs prepare dishes created from produce grown in the island’s organic gardens, enhanced by tropical vistas. The Six Senses Spa’s highly skilled therapists and visiting practitioners provide a comprehensive range of award-winning signature treatments, rejuvenation and wellness specialties.

1. SIX SENSES ZIGHY BAY, OMAN

Six Senses Zighy Bay is an ultra-luxurious “hidden gem”, located on Oman’s northern Musandam Peninsula, only a scenic two-hour car journey (but a world apart) from Dubai. The setting of this beautiful indigenous village-style resort is spectacular, with dramatic mountains on one side, and a 1.6 kilometer (1 mile) sandy beach on the other. The resort gives the feeling of exotic remoteness, yet offers every comfort, easy accessibility and barefoot luxury beyond imagination. The accommodations are inspired by traditional Omani houses and feature high ceilings, colorfully cushioned living areas, and cloudlike beds made with unbleached cotton sheets topped with your choice of ergonomic pillows. All villas have a private pool, where guests can refresh within the privacy of high cobblestone walls.

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4 Comments

  1. Hey Luxury Travel Expert! On your recommendation, my family and I recently visited Six Senses Ninh Van Bay on holiday and had one of our most memorable trips to date. Thank you very much for your website and the information it provides 🙂

  4. It needs an update: Six Senses Shaharut must be on that list.

    Does Zighy Bay offer Ambassador benefits?

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