Six Senses to tower over Tel Aviv

IHG Hotels & Resorts luxury brand, Six Senses, is to head back to Israel for a second time with a new hotel expected to open in Tel Aviv in late 2025.

Following the 2021 opening of Six Senses Shaharut in the Negev Desert, the planned Six Senses Tel Aviv will result from the combination of five historic buildings to form a new skyscraper development.

Historic incorporation

The original five buildings date back to 1909 – the early days of Tel Aviv as the world now knows it –and are the best remaining heritage of the Ahuzat Bayit settlement, the first in the city. They will be joined together at the edge of Rothschild Boulevard to stretch across an entire city block. Together they are considered the largest and most important preservation project in Tel Aviv.

The heritage buildings will define the base and roots of a new modern 42-floor tower. Once complete, it will house the 10-floor, 140-key Six Senses hotel, as well as 55 branded serviced residences, rising a further 21 floors.

High end offering

The offering will include a spa and wellness facilities over two floors, incorporating a holistic anti-aging centre overlooking the heritage garden; and Six Senses Place, a new kind of social and wellness community with dedicated space for reflection, growth, and reconnection.

Completing the facilities will be a sky pool on the 17th floor housing a cocktail lounge with a panoramic view of the Gush Dan area; a chef’s restaurant, café, and bar; and diverse public spaces, including a lobby atrium which will serve as a plaza between the preserved buildings to welcome guests into a journey through time.

LEED Platinum standards

The project was initiated by Tidhar Group and joined in 2020 by Ziv Aviram, one of Israel’s leading entrepreneurs. He stated: “For me, the decision to partner with Tidhar Group created a special opportunity to be part of this unique and exciting project, enriching the city with the best standards of management, planning, execution, and construction quality. With Six Senses managing the hotel, I am confident it will offer an exceptional experience for guests and residents.”

Gil Geva, Tidhar Group chairperson, added: “Six Senses Tel Aviv, based on LEED Platinum standards, will be the first of its kind in Israel, setting a new standard for real estate development. The preservation project for the five historic buildings is among the most ambitious and complicated in the city, and the property itself calls for one of the most complex engineering projects currently underway in Israel. Together, they reveal Tel Aviv’s unique story, history beside innovation and a vibrant lifestyle.

“We are thrilled to have signed the agreement with Six Senses, whose values correspond with our vision at Tidhar. The group represents and promotes advanced approaches to service, sustainability and wellness, alongside an uncompromising standard of quality and excellence.”

Planned preservation

The planned preservation works will be overseen by preservation architects Amnon Bar-Or Architects and preservation structural engineer Yaron Gal.

The lead architect will be Ranni Ziss from Tel Aviv-based Ziss Architects, who said: “Architecture is a practical way of telling a story, and this story is an exciting one to tell. The original elements in the historic structures have been defined to best preserve them, while the compound is viewed as a whole and integral part of the urban renewal project, with maximum consideration of the unique needs of every modern city complex.”

Interiors by Orly Shrem will connect a contemporary, layered approach with an international character as part of a design that will capture the city’s character and coast. This connection is expressed in classic and clean lines. Spaces are designed using natural materials and soft, warm colours that naturally integrate with the environment and create a home-like and elegant atmosphere.

Purposeful property

Six Senses CEO Neil Jacobs commented: “We’re building the vision for Six Senses Tel Aviv together with Tidhar Group, one of the leading Israeli real estate groups, which means we have passion and purpose running through the property, from the pioneering wellness programming at Six Senses Place to your Sabich served by the sky pool. Six Senses Tel Aviv joins our urban hotels in Istanbul and soon-to-be-opened Rome, with London, Bangkok, Dubai, Lisbon, and Kyoto coming in the next two years.”

The Dubai site will be called Six Senses The Palm Dubai, with the beachfront property on Palm Jumeirah comprising 60 hotel keys and 162 luxury branded residences, and due for delivery in Q4 2024. Elsewhere in the Middle East, Six Senses Southern Dunes will appear in Al Wajh, Saudi Arabia, as part of the Red Sea Development Project. The 76-key is scheduled for completion in Q4 2023.

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