20 Mar 2020
Six Senses will debut in Italy with Roman bathing pool in UNESCO-listed building
BY Megan Whitby
Six Senses has announced plans to open its first Italian destination – called Six Senses Rome – with traditional Roman baths.
The development is provisionally scheduled to open in Q4 2021.
With interior design by Patricia Urquiola, the 95-room property will feature a spa, restaurant, outdoor courtyard garden and rooftop terrace.
Drawing inspiration from the ancient Roman tradition of communal bathing, the property will include a spa featuring a bathing pool designed to act as a sanctuary of wellness from the busy city, as well as treatment rooms, a fitness centre and relaxation areas.
Six Senses Rome will occupy a palazzo building from the 18th century- named Palazzo Salviati Cesi Mellini, located on Piazza di San Marcello. The structure is protected by the Roman municipality and is UNESCO listed. The façade is being restored, while a central staircase will also be preserved.
The building was constructed on the site of the original palace of Cardinal Giovanni Michiel, nephew of Pope Paul II, which was built in the late 1480s.
Over the centuries the palazzo has served as a residence for the São Marcelo cardinal-elders, Salviati, Cesi and Mellini (hence the name Palazzo Salviati Cesi Mellini) before it was passed to the Aldobrandini family and on to the Order of the Servants of Mary.
“As stewards of such a cultural, historical site, we’re responsible for celebrating its past and conserving its potential for future generations,” said Six Senses CEO Neil Jacobs.
“This is more than a building to me,” he said, “it’s a human project, which is why we’re teaming up with architects and designers who feel as passionate and excited as I do.
“We want this to be a place of harmony and connection for our guests, sprinkled with a lot of love.”
Although mindful of the building’s heritage, the design will have a contemporary style. The ground floor will be a social space for gatherings, meetings, performances and events, while the open kitchen trattoria and bar will lead out to a gallery and seating area, with travertine marble, oak and bronze finishes.
The resort will be crowned with a rooftop terrace with panoramic views of Rome, complete with an organic fruit and vegetable garden from which chefs will harvest ingredients to recreate traditional Roman cuisine.
The destination will feature a restaurant offering a modern interpretation of Italian cuisine, while following the three-part Six Senses ethos of ‘natural ingredients’, ‘local and sustainable’ and ‘less is more’.
Seasonal food menus will be based on natural botanicals and garden-harvested greens.
In addition, guests can learn to harness the power of local herbs, plants and ingredients at the Alchemy Bar in a private or group setting, or learn more about sustainability at the Earth Lab.
The building is owned by the Orion European Real Estate Fund V, which is part of Orion Capital Managers, a European real estate private equity firm.
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