Guilt-free getaways
May 5, 2021 - Even if you’re Mary Poppins, you may just sometimes want to leave your kids at home. Here are some scenic ways to escape, from cultural immersions in Istanbul to Beach Clubs in Samui, surfing in Bali and discovery in Con Dao, Vietnam.
Of course, it’s a personal decision whether to leave your children at home, or who you leave them with, while you go on a romantic vacation. But if you do decide on some time away as a couple, or even on your own, here are some ideas to refresh and restore, which may be especially welcome following this past year.
Sometimes it isn’t what you do but how you feel about it that stays with you. That’s why, while staying at our resorts, we craft personal, emotional and always memorable experiences for couples.
Eat, Explore, Love
In terms of cultural immersions, our Ottoman-era “Pearl of Bosphorus” Six Senses Kocataş Mansions is a perfect base for exploring Istanbul. Located away from the downtown hubbub in the prestigious Sariyer district, and with prime views overlooking the water, it serves as a peaceful urban resort, having been carefully restored and returned to the golden era of La Belle Époque.
What better way to start your cultural journey than with the culinary delights prepared by celebrity chefs Richard Sandoval and Mehmet Gürs? Restauranteur Richard Sandoval is the inspiration behind the Toro Latin Gastro Bar, which serves up an eclectic and delicious range of Pan-South American and Asian cuisines in a venue that is no less impressive (next to an old Ottoman cistern). Celebrity chef Mehmet Gürs will surprise and delight locals and guests with his new concept restaurant later this year. Watch this space for more!
With its beautiful and spacious guestrooms, duplexes and suites, fabulous dining options, leafy courtyards, and upcoming Six Senses Spa opening later this year, Six Senses Kocataş Mansions offers everything you need for a relaxing break away from the city. However, if you’d like to venture further afield, the Experiences Team is delighted to organize tailor-made boat tours and excursions to historical parts of Istanbul, along with sightseeing and guided tours around Sarıyer to discover local markets, Turkish coffee workshops, castles and lighthouses, and even fishing with local fishermen in the Black Sea. You can even combine your trip with a stay at our sister property Six Senses Kaplankaya on the beautiful Aegean just north of Bodrum. What’s not to love?
Drift Away at Six Senses Samui
Overlooking a secluded cove with a pristine beach and azure seas, Drift at the Beach is our “come as you are” beach bar and pool side lounge. It’s an ideal venue to soak up the sun, join a yoga session or lie back and watch your favorite movie under the moonlight. It’s open daily for Thai and European tapas, fresh catch of the day and prime cuts served with fragrant herbs and salads picked from the resort’s organic Farm on the Hill.
Drift at the Beach also lends itself to romantic beach-side weddings and celebrations. There’s even a gorgeous two-bedroom Beach Reserve right next door for extended families or as an extra private living space.
Sharing views over the bay, why not drift even further into bliss and surrender to an indulgent treatment in one of the private salas or spa villas at Six Senses Spa? A firm favorite is the Secret La Stone Four Hands treatment, a hot stone massage using smooth, heated basalt stones. The warm stones are placed on tension-prone areas that will be soothed with the right amount of pressure to encourage muscles to warm up and relax. This is the ideal remedy for chronic muscle tension and concludes with Reiki.
Watery Wonders in Bali
Many of our locations offer a host of sporting activities on and under the water but check out Six Senses Uluwatu, Bali, for some memorable ways to get your feet wet. The island is famous for world-class surf breaks and our 4-hour sessions include return transfer from the resort to a choice of swells depending on whether you’re a beginner or a pro. There’s also a choice of tropical yacht experiences, accommodating up to 12 people for a day trip or four people overnight in two cabins.
Bali offers one of the world’s richest and bio-diverse underwater ecosystems, so it’s only natural that we offer bespoke guided dive programs with all equipment included to suit all abilities too. Head inland for an exhilarating rafting adventure surrounded along a beautiful stretch of river with exciting level two and three rapids. Once your knuckles aren’t so white, and you’re bobbing along in the shallows once more, look around you at the waterfalls and rainforest and above you for rare birds gliding overhead.
Perhaps most simple of all, forget breakfast in bed … don’t forget to book your floating breakfast in your private swimming pool. Pass the juice!
Discover Vietnam
Six Senses Con Dao is delightfully remote yet only a 45-minute flight from Ho Chi Minh City. From February to July, the waters are at their clearest for diving. From May to October, turtles come to nest on the beaches, and you are invited to take part in early morning hatchling releases. All year round, however, Six Senses Con Dao is a prime springboard to discover the region’s local life and complex history.
Some of the best highlights can be reached via a gentle hike, accompanied by bird song and the occasional long tailed macaque monkey. Your guide can take you on paths less traveled too, such as along the coast to Dam Tre Bay and through dense forest to Bay Canh Lighthouse and views over the archipelago South Sea.
Closer to home, you are always welcome to tour our Earth Lab and organic farm to see our sustainability impacts on a daily basis or join one of our workshops promoting a greener lifestyle.