Six Senses to develop Soneva on Greek Island (Greece)
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Six Senses to develop Soneva on Greek Island (Greece)
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Category: Europe - Greece - Industry economy -
Hotel projects
This is a press release selected by our editorial committee and published online for free on 2008-12-12
Six Senses Resorts & Spas is to develop a Soneva-branded resort on the Greek Island of Milos, situated in the Southwest Cyclades, a group of several islands in the Aegean Sea. Soneva Nisi by Six Senses will have a footprint of approximately 188 hectares, or 465 acres, and offer six private beaches in a secluded bay. Milos is one of the largest in the group of islands and has around 4,800 permanent inhabitants, with its capital being Plaka, one of just five villages on the island.
Comprising around 60 private pool villas spread over the undulating topography of the site, the eco–Cycladic building design follows the simple architecture of traditional Greek island housing. Creatively integrated into the landscape and providing complete privacy whilst overlooking the famous sea of the Cycladic archipelago, the west-facing development enjoys beautiful sunsets.
The villas are to have areas of between 90 square metres, or 970 square feet, and 339 square metres, or 3,600 square feet, with twenty of them having their own personal spa villa attached, and six being eco villas.
The resort will feature a central Cycladic-inspired village placed in the heart of the development. Here, guests will shop for items from treasures to fashion, with many local products on offer, and enjoy drinks and food in a congenial atmosphere. Several dining alternatives will cover international cuisine, with Greek specialties well represented. A wine cellar will offer an impressive selection of vintages from both the old and the new worlds.
Supporting Six Senses’ commitment to Slow Life: Sustainable, Local, Organic, Wholesome - Learning, Innovative, Fun, Experiences, Soneva Nisi will feature produce from the region wherever possible, rather than creating a carbon footprint resulting from unnecessary importation. Guest year-round leisure experiences will include a raft of water-related activities such as scuba diving and snorkeling, sailing and windsurfing. There will be tennis, pentangues lanes, an open-air Cinema Paradiso, plus walking and horseback riding tracks to unexplored local areas and mountains.
In historic times, Mílos flourished as a centre of early Aegean civilization because of its deposits of obsidian and its strategic location between the Greek mainland and Crete. Despite its neutrality in the Peloponnesian War, Mílos fell victim to Athens, which conquered the island in 416 B.C. In the 6th century BC, it produced a remarkable series of large vases, with mythological subjects and orientalising ornamentation, and also terra-cotta reliefs. Many fascinating objects can be found in Milos at the Archaeological, Historical and Folklore museums. On a larger scale, explore the ancient Roman theatre and Christian Catacombs. Much excavation has been done on Mílos. The most famous discovery is the Venus de Milo, or Aphrodite of Milos, discovered in 1820 and now on display at the Paris Louvre.
As with each Six Senses property, Soneva Nisi will feature a Six Senses Spa, with a mission to deliver spa experiences that are both unique and memorable. In surroundings conceived to rejuvenate and revitalize, spa therapists will take guests on exhilarating sensory journeys through many forms of holistic healing and sense of wellbeing; through options of body and beauty care, delivering them with serene and reassuring professionalism. Six Senses Spas can be found not only at the group’s own properties, but also in prestigious hotels and resorts in such diverse locations as Barcelona, Bodrum, Mauritius, Dominican Republic, Doha and aboard the legendary Christina O. Imminent openings are scheduled for London and Paris.
The island of Milos has its own airport, with flight distance from Athens International Airport being around 87 nautical miles as well as one of the largest natural ports in the Mediterranean Sea. Soneva Nisi international guests will be met on arrival in Athens and transferred to the resort’s own airplane for the 30-minute flight to Milos.
Soneva Nisi will be only the fourth Soneva, the very high-end brand of Six Senses brand portfolio. Other Soneva resorts are Soneva Fushi in the Maldives – awarded the Best of the Best in the World by Conde Nast Traveller in 2000; Soneva Gili – the first all-over-water resort in the Maldives; and soon-to-be-opened Soneva Kiri on the island of Kood in Thailand. And like Soneva Kiri, Soneva Nisi will offer a limited number of exclusive private villas for sale to individuals who want to extend the Soneva philosophy of Intelligent Luxury and unique lifestyle into their lives.
As with all Six Senses’ properties, Soneva Nisi has an uncompromised commitment to the environment. Travel industry recognition in 2007 included TTG Travel Awards for The Most Environmentally Friendly Travel Group, and PATA’s Grand Award for Social and Environmental Conscience Programme. The recent Hospitality Awards honoured the group with its Best Initiatives in Sustainable Development award. Meanwhile, Soneva Kiri’s sister resort - Soneva Fushi, was listed by National Geographic Traveller in The Most Earth Friendly Retreats in the World’s most Spectacular Wilds, and global travel organization Virtuoso’s Best of the Best awards called it Most Environmentally Friendly.
Soneva Nisi is scheduled for completion in 2012. It is a development of Athens based Αxsite Agrotiki Touristiki Etairia S.A., lead by Andreas Metaxa, with concept from Six Senses Creative and architecture by Habita architects in coordination with local architects. Development of the resort is expected to cost around 70-million Euros, and will create 300 new jobs when operational.
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