Six Senses Southern Dunes, Near+Far rating: 9/10

Why Stay At Six Senses Southern Dunes

Six Senses Southern Dunes was the first resort to open as part of The Red Sea – Saudi Arabia’s 28,000-square-kilometre giga project spanning desert and, of course, the turquoise waters of the Red Sea itself. Set in rugged dunes, dunes that are both wild and mountainous, sculpted and undulating, the luxurious resort comes from global brand Six Senses, a moniker known for its flawless wellness retreats – and the experience doesn’t disappoint. Check in to completley switch off, enjoy sunbathing, gazing at the mesmerising desert, using the wonderful, world-class spa facilities, innovative wellness treatments, healthy Six Senses juices and enriching masterclasses. The resort is just a 45-minute drive from the sea, so snorkelling, watersports and a beach escape are also possible in one trip. A new flight route from Flydubai (under three hours) makes this the ideal long weekend escape.

The vibe

Six Senses Southern Dunes gets the perfect mix of a resort escape right – you feel tucked away and left alone, able to enjoy complete privacy in your suite or private pool villa, but there are also social hubs and activities for those wanting to get involved. The resort focuses on a circular canopied communal hub, shaded by towering trees and its own mini oasis, where cafes, restaurants, workshop spaces, and the all-important gelato hub are found just off it. The lobby, a communal lounge, fitness and wellness areas and a little hub with crafts shops selling wares from local artisans all come off here. There’s plenty of greenery and spots to casually take a pew and enjoy the panoramic desert vistas and sunset. A lovely touch is the wild herbs grown around the space, which are used in the kitchen and creative beverage programme.

Location

45 minutes inland from Saudi’s Red Sea coast and part of the Vision 2030 giga project simply known as The Red Sea. This is a retreat for flying in and staying put – wellness, relaxation, rejuvenation etc, is in its DNA – but the sea is just a 45-minute drive away, and its gentle sparkle marks the horizon on a clear day. A water sports and dive centre on the coast allows all visitors to enjoy the Maldivian-like waters. At the resort, there are hiking and biking trails on offer – with the surrounding rugged area spanning volcanic craters, archaeological sites and dunes.

Rooms and Suites

What’s lovely about Six Senses Southern Dunes is that there’s a range of accommodations on offer, and guests aren’t restricted to just luxury sprawling villas to be able to enjoy this innovative resort’s beauty and facilities. There are 36 guest rooms (the smallest a huge 60 square metres, and all with desert-facing terraces and sunbeds) and 40 private pool villas – the former located close to the main resort and the latter dotted around the dunes, accessed by winding sand-swept paths. All accommodation sort of blends in the surroundings, all earthy and tones of brown and beige, with an added flair from British architectural firm Foster + Partners and its signature modernist aesthetic.

Pool villas are the stars, offering from one room to four, and all are spacious and contemporary with private living rooms – complete with lounging and dining areas and an excellent sustenance corner with bean-to-cup coffee machine, teas, a mini fridge of homemade brews and juices, healthy snacks and more. We can’t stop taking photos upon check-in – especially of the decking and terrace, looking onto the creamy-brown dunes with the private plunge pool (the perfect temperature) and loungers and beanbags, and the bathroom, with its indoor-outdoor shower, deep soaking tub with a delicious fragranced bath salts, and the robes – the perfect mix between cosy and brushed and light and breathable. Interiors are a collaboration between Muza Lab and the Red Sea Global design team and respect local materials, artisans and textures with traditional Sadu weavings and prints.

Food and drink

For a lover of simple, wholesome, flavourful, natural food like this reviewer, there are few better resources than Six Senses. Despite its location and limited import capabilities, the food and drink programme is exceptional, headed up by executive chef Nelson Amorim, who wanted the challenge of creating a changing environment. Dedicated Six Senses guests will enjoy the classic ‘Rocket Fuel’ shots at breakfast – a eye-watering mix of apple cider vinegar, garlic and other bits to kickstart the day, and another table of tonics, while all guests will the buffet loaded with cakes, baked goods, fruit, yoghurt, cereals, cold meats and cheeses, veggies and salds and more. The kitchen will whip up any egg dish – but order some of their delicacies, like with brioche French toast with labneh and homemade lemon curd and shakshuka. Bright and airy Bariya is the setting for breakfast, lunch, and dinner – which can be enjoyed in the earthy and colourful dining room or under orange umbrellas on the dune-facing terrace.

The Pool Bar and Grill serves quintessential poolside lunches from the resort’s huge main swimming pool – offering a wonderful vantage point above the dunes, while back at the hub, Merkaz serves Arabic tapas, pastries, bites and a great selection of mocktails, teas and coffees. We enjoy a cooking demonstration at Merkaz’s chef’s table and enjoy a plant-based tasting menu: sweet potato gnocchi with cashew cheese, inventively cooked mushrooms and more.

Every guest needs to enjoy a sundowner and dinner experience at the resort’s fine dining venue, Al Sarab, perched at the highest point of the resort and the most spectacular spot to soak up the pink and orange sunsets and enjoy the canopy of stars – almost within reaching distance. Saudi dishes are inventively made into delicate, moreish plates. Make sure to take full advantage of the 24-hour gelato pod throughout any stay – a colourful wheel of complimentary ice cream and sorbet with flavours like Saudi coffee, pistachio, sumac and cashew and basil and za’atar.

Saudi Arabia is a dry country, but while there’s no alcohol served, a lot of creativity and care goes into a mocktail programme where twists on classics are given a 0 ABV take.

Spa and facilities

It’s easy to spend a weekend in the subterranean spa alone. It’s huge, though cosy and cocooning feeling, spread over 4,000 square metres. Beige walls and dim lights create a soothing experience, and there are treatment rooms, plus a vitality area with sauna, steam, an infrared sauna, and a cold plunge (the latter free for guests to use throughout their stay). Treatments are designed for deep relaxation and healing and comprise different sleep and detox therapies alongside targeted treatments for any concern. After one of the best hotel massages we’ve had – hitting all pressure points – we sip ginger tea in the sunshine buy a huge (and secret until then) bubbling warm vitality pool in the spa garden.

Other treatments include biohacking, where a lounge can be booked for 45 minutes to make the most of an LED face mask, compression boots, infrared bed and more – alleviating any aches from the journey over. A vast fitness suite with spin and yoga spaces sits above the cavernous spa and wellness area, with all the latest and best Technogym equipment. Multi-day yoga and wellness programmes are also popular – think meditation, breathwork and more.

Activities

Six Senses is famed for its Earth Lab, and at Six Senses Southern Dunes, guests can enjoy classes and workshops to educate and delight. Over a weekend, we make a traditional miswak toothbrush and toothpaste and create our own natural body scrub, and there’s plenty more to do. Families and little ones will love the Grow with Six Senses Kids’ Club, which offers splash pads, table tennis, and play areas with workshops that also include paper, henna paste, and beeswax paper making.

Anything to add

It’s easy to hide away in your beautiful suite or villa, but get out and explore the resort and make the most of its fabulous facilities – the spa vitality pool, the main pool area with its terraced loungers, the gelato pod, the Earth Labthere’s – so much going on.

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