Six Senses Botanique to open in Brazil next year
Six Senses has unveiled plans for the opening of its first property in the Americas in early 2021, with the launch of Six Senses Botanique in Brazil.
The resort lies in the Mantiqueira area, 2.5 hours from São Paulo and 3.5 hours from Rio de Janeiro, 3,940 feet (1,200 meters) above sea level and at the confluence of three river valleys in the heart of the Mantiqueira Mountains.
These are known as the “mountains that weep” due to the abundance of springs and rivers.
Enjoying a temperate climate with endless sunny days, Six Senses Botanique combines mountain serenity with local features and modern luxuries.
Formerly known as Botanique Hotel & Spa, the hotel was born out of Fernanda Ralston Semler’s vision to set a new benchmark in luxury hospitality that was completely home-grown, recognising local traditions and culture, as well as its natural setting.
Neil Jacobs, chief executive of Six Senses, said: “Six Senses Botanique will appeal to guests seeking an eco-retreat in nature along with authentic Brazilian design, culture and cuisine.
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“We are also putting together a program of rituals, workshops and festivals, offering time out to focus on living at ease with oneself and others and in a more reciprocal way with the natural world.
“What a wonderful place to breathe in the peace and beauty all around to find harmony and reconnection.”
The hotel was constructed in 2012 by regional architects and designers using indigenous materials such as jacaranda wood, natural stone, and chocolate slate.
The slate is mined just once every 17 months and the hotel’s bearing walls incorporate three-tonne boulders from the adjacent river.
The 120-year-old wooden beams are reclaimed from farms in nearby Minas Gerais. Huge glass panels line the rest of the construct to evoke a sense of the outdoors, inside, with uninterrupted views of Mantiqueira’s valleys and mountains.
When the property adopts the Six Senses brand in early 2021, it will offer seven suites in the main hotel, ranging from 645 to 970 square feet (60 to 90 square meters), and 13 private villas, from 1,184 to 3,230 square feet (110 to 300 square meters), dotted in the hills around it.
A further 14 villas are planned and will be constructed off-site in a modular manner using local materials.
They will be sited to minimise their impact on the surrounding flora and fauna.
Six Senses signature venues such as the Experience Centre, Alchemy Bar and out-of-the-ordinary dining spots will also be added next year.