Six Senses Spa claims luxury beats the recession
Posted on 24 November 2009 with no comments from readers
While in Doha last week I was fortunate enough to review the Six Senses Spa at the Ritz-Carlton’s Sharq hotel. It is something of a landmark in Middle Eastern spas as the biggest in the region at 6,000 square metres and built to resemble the traditional wind-tower cooled homes of the Gulf.
This is luxury with an old fashioned twist. Apparently some of the later contractors came to ask the owners for permission to drill into a historic building, so authentic is the construction.
But that means the interior might be considered a little rustic with its rough finished concrete floors and uneven surfaces. Most people seem to love it. There is also roughly hewn wooden furniture like something bought at the back of an old Arabic souk, and traditional lanterns for lighting.
Wind-tower entrance
Immediately on entering a high wind-tower soars above to the heavens with a cool water pool below, although modern air-conditioning is carefully incorporated in the structure. Changing and treatment rooms are like those of a very old Arabic villa, albeit again with modern facilities.
Six Senses runs both spas and luxury hotels around the world, and CEO Bernhard ‘BB’ Bohnenberger is clearly delighted with the Doha spa.
‘We continue to create uniquely differentiated profitable spas,’ he told ArabianMoney.Net. ‘And we continue to leverage this to our advantage’. BB as he likes to be known says that even in an economic downturn customers are loathed to cut down on their spa treatments.
Next stop for Six Senses in the Gulf will be the spa for the Al Bustan InterContinental hotel in Oman. But there are 30 urban and resort spa projects in hand including the Baglioni hotel in Marrakech and spas in Kuwait, Cairo, Paris and New Delhi.
Brand integrity
According to BB, ‘customers have become more discerning and discriminating in spending on leisure in these difficult times, and our strong brand integrity and positioning helps us to maintain the lead’.
It is certainly hard to fault the Six Senses Spa at the Ritz-Carlton’s Sharq hotel in Doha. The service is immaculate and the choice of treatments considerable.
Your only concern might be getting lost in a spa this size with so many rooms and side passages. But you will have a guide so have no worry and enjoy this spa!
