Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas has confirmed its second property in India will open this autumn. 

The hotel brand has taken over established wellness retreat Vana, which is located in a Sal tree reserve in India’s Mussoorie region. The property is situated at the foothills of the Himalayas, close to Rishikesh and north of Dehradun. 

Six Senses Vana will continue to focus on health and wellbeing, with the brand confirming it will work with Vana’s team to incorporate new experiences to the property’s existing formula.

Personalised treatment programmes will run for a minimum of three days and incorporate traditional practices such as Ayurveda, yoga and Tibetan medicine alongside the latest wellness therapies.

Guests seeking a deeper experience can opt for the Ayurvedic Panchakarma retreats which will run for up to one month. 

On arrival, guests will undergo a wellness screening providing additional analysis and insights, before a personalised programme is created to address a range of concerns including natural healing, yoga practice, holistic weight loss and rest and relaxation. 

Sleep with Six Senses will be available offering guests smart tools to reverse physical or mental exhaustion and promote better sleep. 

The property’s organic gardens are also being extended to offer mindfully prepared menus in line with the brand’s Eat with Six Senses principles of natural, local and sustainable ingredients. 

A new Alchemy Bar will offer guests the opportunity to make their own spa products, while recovery can be enhanced via the hotel’s ‘biohacking’ offering. 

There will also be a lifestyle concept store for sustainable fashion and spa products, courts for various ball games and experiences that encourage movement and reconnection with nature. Exhibitions, visiting artists and performances will be incorporated into the retreat’s programming. 

Six Senses Vana will continue to be committed to sustainability. Energy, water and waste will be managed effectively in LEED Platinum certified buildings, while all textiles and solvents have been soured in compliance with sustainable standards. 

An Earth Lab will offer hands-on workshops and regenerative travel experiences to help guests have a tangible connection to the local community and wildlife projects. 

All rooms and suites will feature balconies and terraces and will look over the sal forest or gardens.

Six Senses Vana joins Six Senses Fort Barwara in Rajasthan. 

Chief executive Neil Jacobs said: “With its ancient healing traditions and spiritual practices, India has long been heralded as the ultimate wellness gateway and, in a gentle but intentional way, this plays to who we are too.

“Vana comes to us with a strong philosophy and loyal Vanavasi clientele manifested by founder Veer Singh. The seed was sown in Veer’s mind through his deep interest in and respect for sustainable farming, traditional wisdom, and nature, which we will continue to nurture under the Six Senses brand. This marriage made in the Himalayas allows us to build on what exists with some of our signature experiences.”

Singh added: “Vana becoming Six Senses Vana is the most natural and logical progression for this precious and beautiful retreat. I am humbled by the care and sensitivity Six Senses has shown to protect and nurture everything good about Vana. I am excited to see how they will deepen and strengthen our current offering and complement it with signature experiences they have successfully tried and tested around the world. I see no reason why Six Senses Vana will not become what we set out to be when Vana first opened: the most iconic wellness retreat in the world.”