NEW YORK—Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas, which operates 11 resorts and 28 spas in 19 countries under the brand names Six Senses, Evason and Six Senses Spas, will open its first U.S. property within The Eleventh, a mixed-use development that will consist of two towers along one square block in Manhattan’s West Chelsea neighborhood between the High Line and the Hudson River. The hotel is slated to open in mid-2019.
The 137-key hotel will occupy 10 floors of the East Tower of the project located on 10th Ave., between 17th and 18th Sts. HFZ Capital Group, headquartered here, is developing the project, while Copenhagen- and New York-based architectural and design firm BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group) designed the towers. The mixed-use development will include the five-star Six Senses hotel, approximately 240 condominium residences and high-end retail shopping.
“The development is setting a new precedent for architecture, design and lifestyle in downtown Manhattan, in a world-class location squarely between the innovative High Line and the Hudson River,” said Neil Jacobs, CEO of Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas. “Six Senses will bring something completely unique to the New York City hospitality space while helping to realize the developer’s vision for The Eleventh. The developer, HFZ Capital Group, shares Six Senses’ commitment to a forward-thinking, environmentally conscious ethos that makes no compromise on quality and service, making this the perfect partnership for us.”
According to Ziel Feldman, HFZ Capital Group chairman and founder, the project is being built on “one of the only square blocks available in Manhattan. What makes the space unique is that every hotel room and apartment have views of both the water and the cityscape along the High Line. The building was designed with somewhat of a curve that maximizes a 360-degree view. When you have a square block and you are the highest buildings in the neighborhood, you have that advantage.”
He continued, “The whole project is about 900,000 sq. ft. and the hotel makes up approximately 150,000 of it. We have about 90,000 sq. ft. of retail and office space. There will be a rooftop pool, an indoor Olympic-sized pool, parking and different parks both in the courtyard between the towers and on multiple levels of outdoor space.” HFZ Capital Group is also redeveloping the Shore Club in Miami’s South Beach.
So why was New York chosen for the company’s first property in the U.S.? “Six Senses has been looking for a New York opportunity for several years as this city is absolutely the perfect location for both a brand entry into the United States and to launch the first urban Six Senses hotel,” Jacobs said. “The U.S. is one of our major outbound markets to our resorts, and our presence in New York will further increase brand awareness.”
Feldman noted that Six Senses is “a resort type of operation coming for the first time to an urban environment” and said the location of the project “is surrounded by the natural things you would expect to see at a resort area, such as water, greenery, open air and life.” He also said all residential buyers will have access to “all that Six Senses has to offer.”
The hotel’s location will automatically give it a different look and feel than other Six Senses properties, which can be found in countries such as Portugal, Thailand, Oman, Seychelles and Vietnam. Yet, Jacobs said it will have the same characteristics of the brand’s other hotels.
“This project is a fascinating and exciting contrast to the typical Six Senses locations where we operate resorts in settings with azure waters, UNESCO heritage listings and lush rainforests,” the CEO noted. “Although the location is a far cry from these natural environments, there will be no compromises on our commitment to community, wellness, sustainability and design values that translate beautifully to a New York hotel in this amazing location.”
He added, “Six Senses New York will have the same touchpoints and DNA as other Six Senses properties, with some creative adaptation, of course. It will deliver the same high level of personal service and lifestyle quality for which the brand is synonymous, with a layered and innovative wellness offering that speaks to Six Senses leadership in this arena.”
While it is too early to discuss how New York City will inspire the design of the inside of the hotel, Jacobs pointed out that The Eleventh itself has traits inherent of the city.
“The towers’ design draws inspiration from New York City’s classic modernist structures and cultural institutions, while also playfully skewing the traditional skyscraper form with their rotating appearance,” he said. “The stone and metal facades will add a dynamic yet harmonious twist to a vibrant West Chelsea neighborhood that has become known around the world for its groundbreaking contemporary architecture. The towers are approximately 300- and 400-ft. tall, making them far taller than surrounding buildings and create expansive vistas of the High Line, Hudson River and Downtown and Midtown skylines.”
Touching on what future guests will be welcomed to when the hotel opens, Jacobs said, “Hotel accommodations will begin at a generous 400 sq. ft. to enable Six Senses New York to deliver the high level of personal service and lifestyle quality for which the brand is synonymous. Six Senses Spas are an integral part of the brand and Six Senses Spa New York will offer a layered approach to wellness with treatments that are an intuitive mix of science and human awareness, where a high-tech and high-touch approach defines service that is crafted around the individual.”
He also noted there will be two restaurants that will “showcase the brand’s popular culinary approach to wellness by serving fresh, seasonal and locally sourced produce and ingredients. Plans are also underway to create a unique private members’ club and innovative meeting space to cater to small groups and board meetings. There is an amazing variety of dining options, so Six Senses is sticking to what it does best by taking this approach to the dining experience.”
The project is being planned with the intent to attain LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification, according to Jacobs. “Hotel guestrooms will be designed and appointed in compliance with the Six Senses brand’s dedication to sustainability and reverence for the environment,” he said.
Besides Six Senses New York, the brand has a number of other projects in the pipeline. Scheduled to open next year are Six Senses resorts in Krabey Island, Cambodia; Fiji; Bali, Indonesia; and Bhutan. The latter, Jacobs said, will be comprised of “five ‘chalets’—located in Thimphu, Punakha, Gangtey, Bumthang and Paro—enabling guests to take an in-depth journey through the kingdom.” Six Senses Yangshou, China is expected to open in 2018, followed by Six Senses Zhuben Hot Springs and Six Senses Fort Barwara, India in 2019. HB
SHOW HIGHLIGHTS
10:45 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
NYC Hospitality Alliance: From Rooms to Restaurants
From chef-driven restaurants to rooftop bars, panelists Bill Bonbrest, TAO Group; Jay Stein, CEO, Dream Hotel Group; Paul Seres, president, Helios Hospitality; and Terence Tubridy, owner & managing partner, In Good Company Hospitality, share their insight about how F&B is enhancing the hotel experience.
1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
What is an ‘Experience?’: Designing Memorable Moments for Guests
Presenter Gray Shealy, executive director, Master’s of Hospitality Management Program, Georgetown University, leads this session, which explores the significance of experience design and how big-picture brand values can be translated into noteworthy, Instagrammable moments that customers use in the new age of inverse, authentic marketing.
3:45 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.
Hotel Purchasing in the Year 2022
Panelists Chip McIntyre, SVP of strategic sourcing, Avendra, LLC; Dan Burgoni, senior director of business development, FOH; Dave Turner, chief evangelist/editor, Tabletop Journal; and Konstantin Zvereff, founder and CEO, Blue Cart, offer their expertise on where purchasing is headed, what to look for in the future from suppliers and what systems will be used to help sort through the plethora of products needed to run a successful hotel operation in the coming six years.
11:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
NEWH Green Voice Session: Biophilia: The Next Phase of Occupant Comfort
Moderator Becca Dobosh, associate, Sera, and panelist Bill Browning, founding partner, Terrapin, discuss current research that shows how biophilic design—elements that connect people to nature in the built environment—are reflected in hotel performance. Get insider insights on how this impacts differentials in room rates and use patterns on common spaces.
1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Contracts and Crisis Management: Making the Numbers Work
Building a successful design business is done contract by contract. Learn how to improve your processes to grow and protect your bottom line. Moderated by Lloyd Princeton, founder and principal consultant, Design Management Co., with panelist Carole Foos, principal, OJM Group.
3:45 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.
Key Owner Perspectives for Turning Prospects into Projects
Moderator Chad Sorensen, principal, CHMWarnick, leads a team of panelists that includes Cecilia Gordon, director, Goulston & Storrs; Stephen Perkins, principal, 3north; and Tim Dick, principal, Three Wall Capital LLC, in a discussion about what really clinches the deal.
