Double platinum

As part of our unwavering commitment to the environment, we aim for LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Silver certification at a minimum for all new hotels. Issued by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI), LEED is the world's most widely recognized green building rating system, providing a framework for healthy, highly efficient, and cost-saving green buildings to benefit the environment, local communities, and all who visit. In order to qualify, our properties are put through a rigorous third-party review and certification process.

Platinum success in Saudi Arabia

We are thrilled that Six Senses Southern Dunes, The Red Sea, our flagship Saudi Arabian resort, is the first hotel in the Kingdom to be awarded the highest available accreditation, a sought-after LEED Platinum certification, thanks to its sustainable construction and operations, plus our ongoing commitment to local communities, heritage, and culture.

Here are a few of the ways it proves that planet-friendly initiatives are people-friendly too:

• Solar power

  • Our electricity is completely generated by solar energy, and we run a thermal energy storage system and 100 percent electric cars and buggies. We use LED lighting, intelligent control and automation systems throughout the resort.

• Architecture for life

  • Our architecture is designed to maximize natural light and minimize energy requirements, with smart filtration systems for superior indoor air quality. In addition to using local native stone and boulders, innovative solutions were brought to life in the build, including a non-disruptive self-shading canopy oasis inspired by a desert flower to nurture native plants and birdlife.

• Plastic freedom

  • Our water plant bottles still and sparkling water in reusable glass bottles and we follow a plastic-free policy throughout the resort.

• Food steps not miles

  • Following our ‘grown in, not flown in’ mantra, fresh food comes from local farms every day, which not only minimizes travel emissions and supports local food producers but also ensures the food on your plate is as fresh, delicious, and nutritious as possible.

• For fox sake

  • We preserve the natural and untouched desert topography and natural habitat for endangered wildlife, including the Arabian Red Fox. Duney, our resort mascot made from earth-friendly materials, can be purchased with all proceeds going directly to rewilding projects in collaboration with local partners. As with every Six Senses resort, 0.5 percent of total hotel revenue is allocated to a Sustainability Fund that goes towards meaningful and measurable local initiatives.

• Community skills

  • Embracing the local community’s skill and enterprise, many of the hotel furnishings and elements, such as signs, have been sourced from local artisans. We also promote the rich tradition of sadu weaving, helping local artisans showcase and sell their products in our Artisan Pods, as well as supporting their online business endeavors.

• Waste not, want not

  • Water plays a pivotal role in the desert, and Six Senses South Dunes, The Red Sea, reduces water consumption with efficient fixtures and fittings. All resort wastewater is treated at the on-site STP (sewage treatment plant) and reused as greywater, while rainwater is collected and reused.

• Be the change you want to see

  • Join us at Earth Lab for a variety of hands-on and light-hearted workshops to learn lifelong sustainable skills. Activities include creating jewelry from upcycled glass, making natural toothpaste from miswak, producing natural henna, and crafting beeswax wraps. Whatever you make, you can take home with you as a precious reminder of your vacation.

Going for Gold at Six Senses Rome

Six Senses Rome, our urban oasis in the beating heart of the Eternal City, is hidden behind the ancient walls of the Palazzo Salviati Cesi Mellini, UNESCO listed and protected by the Roman municipality. With a host of historical preservation measures to take into consideration when restoring this sublime old building, we are delighted to have achieved LEED Gold, making us the first luxury hotel in the city to do so.

Showcasing sustainability through culture, community, and ecology was our goal from the beginning. The main façade, which overlooks Via del Corso, was carefully restored back to its grand origins while various historical architectural layers have been preserved throughout the building, from the central staircase to the 600-year-old marble columns in the main entrance, and the 1,700-year-old baptismal font dating from the 4th century that can be seen from our ground floor.

As with all Six Senses properties, our spa reflects local heritage and culture while harmoniously blending new ideas and contemporary wellness methods. You’re in for a treat at Six Senses Rome where we have recreated a traditional Roman bathing experience with plunge pools to warm you up and cool you back down to promote healing and a deep sense of well-being.

With the highest possible energy and water efficiency, the hotel is supplied with 100 percent renewable electricity. Meet us in our dedicated Earth Lab to share ideas, join activities, and learn more about a sustainable world.

LEEDing the way at Six Senses Vana

At Six Senses Vana, sustainability is a way of life, which is evident in the design, art, materials, water management, plastic freedom approach, and textiles made with natural fibers. Sensitivity to ecology has always played an intrinsic role in thinking, creating, and maintaining harmony with the natural world. Interiors ensure natural ventilation in enclosed areas, and exteriors are lush, left to their most organic and natural form.

Six Senses Vana effortlessly brings a regenerative travel experience to life, offering a tangible connection to the local community and wildlife projects, infusing your Vana journey with purpose and positive impact.

From the outset, the retreat was conceived as a green building project to be a part of the existing landscape and ecosystems which include sal forests, mango plantations, lychee trees, and all the animals, birds, and insects that call them home. Awarded LEED Platinum status in 2015, we are India’s first retreat to have attained this environmental design standard.

Sustainable Operations Guidelines

Never content to rest on our laurels, we are always looking to improve our sustainability metrics and this year our Six Senses Sustainable Operations Guidelines have been recognized by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council® (GSTC®) as officially meeting their renowned GSTC Industry Criteria.

Our Sustainable Operations Guidelines have been developed to ensure that all Six Senses properties share the same commitment to balancing economic, environmental, and social profitability while remaining resolutely harmonious with local communities and ecosystems. 

Vice President of Sustainability Jeff Smith explains how our ambitions make it happen, “Our sustainability goals go beyond protection, as we act as a regenerative business to add value to all local stakeholders (whether human, animal, or plant) with the aim of giving back more than we take. Our comprehensive roadmap encompasses regenerating vital ecosystems on land and underwater and supporting local communities while moving toward zero waste, plastic freedom, and reduced-carbon stays.

No matter which Six Senses resort you choose to lay your head at, you can sleep safely in the knowledge that we continue to define luxury through the eyes of sustainability for the benefit of you, our guests, as well as our hosts and local communities. 

A final word from Jeff, “Sustainability is at the heart of all that we do, and it’s important to clearly define exactly what we aim to achieve. Over the past three years, my team, with great support from our operational departments, have upgraded our policy framework, Six Senses Sustainable Operations Guidelines, and we are thrilled to have achieved GSTC recognition status.”