Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas has announced plans to open its first resort in Israel in September 2020.
Nestled into a cliff in the Negev Desert, Six Senses Shaharut will feature 60 suites and villas including a three-bedroom retreat, all offering panoramic views of the surrounding landscape. The resort lies within the small community of Shaharut – translating to the moment just before dawn – to the south of the desert, which covers more than half of Israel.
Its architecture has been designed to integrate the desert topography while preserving its natural terrain. Villas will be built from, and inspired by, local rocks and pigments, while landscaping will utilise regional cacti and indigenous desert blooms. Exterior lighting will be thoughtfully considered to avoid light pollution at night, preserving the clarity of the starry sky. Many furnishings will also be sourced from a partnership with local community artisans.
Meanwhile, an all-day restaurant will serve a fresh buffet breakfast, a la carte lunches and seasonally themed dinners. A poolside bar and grill will open for lunch and dinner, while a juice bar and alchemy bar will be located at the spa. There will also be a multi-use function room accommodating up to 100 guests. Fresh ingredients will be harvested seasonally from the resort’s own gardens or from local farmers at the nearby kibbutzim.
A Six Senses Spa will offer a layered approach to wellness, offering a range of signature massages, restorative therapies, facials, body treatments and personal journeys. The spa will be the pivotal point for Six Senses Integrated Wellness, which is based on the preventative principles of Eastern medicine and the result-oriented Western influences. This approach will allow in-house experts to measure and analyse key physiological biomarkers in order to provide guests with lifestyle and nutritional advice, as well as a personalised programme of spa treatments, fitness and wellness activities. Facilities will include an 18m indoor pool, 25m outdoor lap pool, fully-equipped gym, yoga studio with desert views and a nail bar.
“We are very excited to announce this magical Six Senses project in the desert of Israel. Working with Arava Vineyards on Six Senses Shaharut has allowed us to align with a company that shares our vision of sustainability and wellness,” says CEO Neil Jacobs. “We could not ask for a better partner or a more perfect setting to showcase the best of Israel.”
Elsewhere, the resort will be home to a desert activity centre incorporating Six Senses’ brand-wide ‘Earth Lab’ scheme, which will showcase its sustainability efforts to reduce consumption, produce locally, and support communities and ecosystems.
Guests will be invited to visit the Earth Lab to reconnect with the natural world and learn some simple life-hacks that will allow them to make a difference. There will be functioning camel stables with an arena and grooming area, as well as an open-air amphitheater created from the natural terrain contours and transformed into a Cinema Paradiso beneath the stars. A tented Bedouin dining experience will also be created at the heart of the resort, complete with a fire pit for late-night feasting using centuries-old sand cooking techniques. In respect of the environment, the property will only feature electric cars throughout.
Completing the offer, an immersive activities programme includes off-road driving, mountain climbing, mountain biking, camel safaris, craft workshops, bird watching and wine tours. The resort town of Eilat, located on the Red Sea, is also just a 60-minute drive from Shaharut and features calm waters and abundant sea life for snorkelling. Overnight camel camping can be arranged by the hotel team, while dune walking with Bedouins will include fascinating storytelling and desert lore. Trips further afield can be arranged to Petra, Masada, Mount Karkom and the Dead Sea.
The journey to Shaharut will form part of the story. Flights to Eilat from Tel Aviv take 50 minutes followed by a 45-minute transfer to the resort from the new international airport, Ramon – which opened in early 2019. Driving from Tel Aviv or Jerusalem will take around three-and-a-half hours or three hours from Petra in neighbouring Jordan.
