Resort chain Six Senses plans India entry

Six Senses Resorts & Spa, a $100 million global resort chain, is set for India debut. The company, headquartered in Bangkok and run by NRI Sonu Shivdasani, is scouting the Indian market for properties for either joint development or a management contract.

The company currently has ten properties spread over Asia and Europe and is in the process of putting together plans for four more. "We are pretty much interested to tap into the Indian market. The discussions with a few players here are in active stage and we look forward to close a deal in the near future," a spokesperson for the company said.

Six Senses is a resort and spa management and development company operating properties and products branded as Soneva, Evason Hideaways, Evason, Six Senses Spas and Six Senses Gallery. "We have equity in several of the properties under management and development. Six Senses Spas are a key element in the resorts and are being developed in additional locations," the official added.

This move by Six Senses to scout the Indian market comes on the heels of Singapore-based Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts entering into a pact with Bangalore-based Brigade Group to set up a resort in Chikmagalur amidst coffee plantations.

Commenting on the India move by Six Senses, the spokesperson added that an option which they are also looking at is to put up their own spa in an established hotel chain before venturing into expanding their operation in India. "The market is huge in India with global hospitality chains spelling out aggressive expansion plans here. We are not in the mass market, hundreds of keys kind of a game player and we feel that there is market for companies like us," the spokesperson said.