One of our clients, Lucy, stayed at Six Senses Vana and kept a journal of her stay. It gives a good idea of what the experience at Six Senses Vana is like. At least here is what it felt like for her.
Arriving at Six Senses Vana
Arriving from Delhi to Vana takes a 35 minutes flight to Dehradun airport. This airport is small and modern, and within a few minutes from landing, I was already in a Six Senses car. And then it is a one hour drive from the airport to Six Senses Vana.
Yes, it is Dehradun airport, and Six Senses Vana is in Dehradun airport, and yet it's still a one hour drive.
A scenic drive, between the fields, the small villages and the mountains, alongside the Himalayan foothills. The road is a bit bumpy, it crosses forests, small hills, bridges and a few small towns, but the Six Senses SUV makes it a bliss of a ride.
A first taste of Vana
In the car, there was a sort of smoothie with spices and salt, very refreshing. And of course water, WiFi, fresh towels, snacks and treats: anything to make you feel comfortable during this short commute. The driver drove slowly and carefully, a sense of quietness and serenity even before arriving at Vana.
Six Senses Vana itself is on the edge of the small town of Dehradun, on a hill, and surrounded by forest and nature. The arrival formalities are handled in a dedicated reception building, where the staff kindly explained me a few times that my phone would need to be stored at all times in the public areas of Six Senses Vana.
I guess I didn't show sufficiently clearly that I had understood, because it was repeated again to me in the buggy kart to go from reception to the main building.
There is a bar at Six Senses Vana, and I have used my phone and computer when I needed to and didn't want to stay in my room. But many guests who stayed in the same time preferred to not use their phone at all during most of their stay, a great digital detox. The bar serves great mocktails, without sugar.
And of course you also have WiFi in your room, and there is a business center for those who need. The WiFi at Vana is reliable, I have a few video calls during my stay, with good quality.
First impressions
The interior architecture in the main building is truly stunning. The beautiful pictures of Six Senses Vana are not lying: it's a remarkable piece of design. And not just sweet for the eye: I was feeling very well there, too. I guess it's been really well thought about from an experience standpoint, I really felt the impulse to disconnect from my work and family life for a while, and focus on my own self for once.
The layout of the different spaces makes it easy to connect with other guests if you feel like it, or pay attention to your own sensations and inner journey at other times.
At certain times, I had the feeling that we were all on a spaceship : we were all dressed in white, listening to enchanting music, free of any stress, in a space that is both futuristic and homely at the same time.
The resort itself is relatively big, but the residences, restaurants and wellness buildings are all within short distance, 1 or 2 minutes walk between each place. I like small and intimate spaces, and Six Senses Vana is not really a boutique property, but it felf as if the distance was just right: for example it took just the right time to take a few deep breath in-between the activities in my schedule, while going from one place to the next. The furthest is the Ayurveda center, maybe 5 minutes walk away from my room (which was in Residence 2).
Beneath the Ayurveda center, there is actually the vegetable garden of Six Senses Vana: a very nice one, which produces an average of 150-200kg of fruits and vegetables per month, completely organic and can't be more local. They don't advertise it, but it was lovely to discover it.
The rooms are in 3 separate buildings. My room was within close distance from the main area and the consultation spaces (Residence 2, as mentioned previously). And it was facing the forest: a Forest King room.
I believe this is the ideal configuration for a solo stay, with plenty of space (roughly 50 sqm including a balcony). Also a beautiful interior design. Super quiet: no civilisation noise at all, except sometimes on Saturday night, a vague sound of music and partying in the distance, from the citizens of Dehradun. Nice amenities, and a sweet price for such a level of comfort and service.
The only cheapest option is the garden-view room, it is the same design, but the windows and balcony open to the garden instead of to the forest. I loved the view over the forest, seeing birds and animals from time to time, and I guess this room category offers a little extra privacy too.
Starting with a Swedish massage
As I arrived in the late afternoon, I was immediately invited to have a welcome treatment, a Swedish massage. It was delivered by a skilled female practitioner. My welcome massage felt very, very good. In my experience, it is not so common to receive a genuinely good massage in India, so this is worth noting. Indians are good for therapeutic massages, but not necessarily for making those massages feel good. A nice way to start my stay at Six Senses Vana.
Then I headed to dinner, a digestive tea (they told me the banana tea is good for sleep), and indeed had a good night sleep after my long journey from Europe.
Other guests
During my stay, two thirds of the other guests were from Indian origin, but it tends to vary. A local cinema celebrity. A few young and beautiful couples. A few less young ones. All very international-minded.
One third of the guests came from the rest of the world. A French gentleman who was doing his 10th stay at Vana. An American lady. A British couple living in Dubai. I understand from my conversations with members of staff that the ratio of international guests varies depending on the period of the year. There are usually more clients from the Middle East than I saw during my stay. And there are slightly more Indian guests during the weekends, as they can easily come for 3-night stays, the same way as you would go to The Bothy by Wildsmith for a weekend of wellbeing out of London madness.
Everybody comes for their well-being. In fact, Six Senses Vana offers only wellness stays, there are no "leisure" guests. I really like it when everyone is really into wellness. It really gives consistency in the group activities, and makes it so enjoyable to exchange views and experiences with other guests.
But there are never many guests at any given time at Six Senses Vana. It's clearly meant to be that way, so that everyone has their own space and privacy, and so that the experience remains very qualitative, exclusive and in-depth.
Every guest at Six Senses Vana wears a white kurta and pyjama, the traditional white shirt and pants. They are super comfortable, even for yoga sessions (the friends I made there preferred wearing their regular Alo yoga pants though).
Such a uniform also creates a certain homogeneity, and a comfort for the eyes. The attention is less drawn to what the others wear, and instead, how they truly are.
And I must admit, I liked the relief to not have to think about what to wear for the entirety of my stay at Vana.
Remember to bring white underwear for your stay at Six Senses Vana! You don't have to bring anything much, but white underwear is practical, given that the pyjamas they provide are all white.
Vana approach to wellness and transformation
Six Senses Vana offers an integrative approach to well-being and longevity which is strongly rooted in Ayurveda (Traditional Indian Medicine). It also offers Traditional Tibetan Medicine (Sowa Rigpa).
Finding good Ayurveda wellness clinics is common (in India or Sri Lanka at least, but there are some in Germany and Spain as well), finding excellent ones is more challenging. But having one with such an exceptional hospitality experience is really rare. And finding one which also offers Traditional Tibetan Medicine is unique.
Six Senses Vana offers an outstanding level of Ayurvedic medicine, Traditional Tibetan Medicine, exceptional hospitality and care. What's not to like about it?
Step-by-step experience
The main initial consultation, the one which is meant to understand where you are in your journey and what treatments you need, is led by your dedicated Ayurvedic doctor, a senior practitioner.
You don't get to consult a Western Medicine doctor at Six Senses Vana, but I found that actually you don't miss it. Just like Western Medicine, Ayurvedic medicine is also equipped with scientific measures (the dashboards were quite similar to what I had from a checkup a few weeks back in London), and shows you detailed information and analysis about the health of your organs, your nervous system, your cardio-vascular system, etc.
Besides, the Ayurvedic diagnostic adds an energetic and intuitive diagnostic layer (which is not quantifiable by electronic devices or measurements in the Western medicine sense), based on manual touch around the wrist pulse. Personally I found it quite fascinating and very insightful.
And if anything unexpected happens to you during your stay at Six Senses Vana, there is actually a Western Medicine hospital next door, of very high quality standards.
At Six Senses Vana, all the doctors, whether Ayurvedic or Tibetan medicine physicians, are very straightforward in their diagnostics and their explanations. Some guests love it (I certainly did), others feel that there could be more packaging in the way they share their diagnostic. I guess it's a cultural thing. I was amazed that every practitioner would spend to much time with me, until I had exhausted all my questions.
Personally, I like when I'm told everything there is to know, as efficiently as possible. Then I select what I resonates, what I knew already and am already working on, what I want to prioritize, etc.
Based on the diagnostic, the doctor establishes a protocol, which may include treatments, food, practices and activities. Unlike highly structured wellness programs in other luxury wellness resorts in Europe, your personalised protocol at Six Senses Vana can vary greatly from the standard template.
The pricing is mostly based on the average number of treatments you can get per day. In my experience, 2 treatments per day is really enough, but Six Senses Vana offers the option to have 3 treatments per day for specific programs. This leaves a great level of freedom to the doctor to select exactly the treatments which will be the most beneficial to you, and which will make your stay the best. You can also add à-la-carte treatments if you like.
The days tend to be quite full, all the more than there are lots of complementary activities to choose from, all day long. In particular, a wide range of yoga activities, throughout the day. Those who prefer private yoga sessions are also well served, and these sessions are delivered in a beautiful yoga shala.
Namaste ! Yoga at Six Senses Vana
Yoga takes a relatively central place in the transformation process at Six Senses Vana. Not that Vana is a yoga ashram or anything, but the Vana method makes a really good and practical use of all the facets of Yoga to help guest integrate healthy practices into their lifestyle, and to help the body adjust and rebalance.
I found the group yoga sessions to be very approachable. Some yoga experts and advanced practitioners who were there during my stay enjoyed both the group yoga sessions (which start at real beginner level, and go up to intermediate level), and private sessions for more advanced practices and advices (one on one discussions and support with yogic masters).
Some of the yoga instructors at Six Senses Vana are still in their 30s but have been learning and practicing since they were really small kids and have an impressive depth of practice and teaching, and yet make it very easy to get into, and practical.
Note: I rarely practice yoga myself, and took a great benefit from the morning beginner yoga sessions, which were excellent for the breath (I use breathing as a daily tool for stress relief) and stretching.
Seniority of the therapists
Most of the doctors and practitioners at Six Senses Vana have remarkable credentials. They are truly passionate about their practice, and also living examples of a balanced and healthy lifestyle.
For example my reflexologist, Dr Raja (yes, an actual doctor in reflexology), told me he is a 7th generation reflexologist. Needless to say his hands are naturally gifted. He gave me one of the best reflexology sessions I've ever had (yes, the opening of the energy channels hurt a little bit in the beginning of the session).
My favourite doctors
It seems like I am like other guests at Six Senses Vana: I will keep talking about two outstanding therapists in particular, although I was impressed by all the doctors and practitionners:
- Dr Aayushi Sharma, a physiotherapist of exceptional caliber. She understands what is wrong in your alignment in a fraction of an instant, and has a really efficient way to realign you. She fixed the ankle of a guest in 5 minutes, although this guest had seem the world's best specialists in the last years. She also prescribes exercises to do at home to pursue the realignment.
- Dr Dimple Raghuvanshi, a Traditional Chinese Medicine expert, who heals with acupuncture and moxibustion. I did cry like a baby during my session with Dimple: not from pain but from the release of long-held traumas and emotions. She is unbelievably supportive and caring. A true gem.
The vibes at Six Senses Vana
During your stay at Six Senses Vana, most of the staff calls you by your first name followed by the respectful suffix Ji (for example Lucy Ji). I learnt that this is both a mark of affection and respect, typically used by devotees towards their guru / master in their apprenticeship. I am not a master of anything, but it feels both personal, friendly, homely, respectful and welcoming. It's done in a way which is natural and comforting.
Your main Ayurvedic doctor comes see you from time to time. For example he came to see me at lunch time, to check that everything was going well for me. I also had a wrap-up consultation before I left, to reflect on what was improved during my stay ("did you reach your objectives? do you still have any questions? - they really did want to exhaust all my questions !). So the doctor helped me to identify what to take home and integrate in my daily routine.
Six Senses Vana doctors and therapists also send you their conclusions and recommendations by email after your stay. I found it super helpful, all the more than it's not an automated report: it's actually a write-up they make for you personally (but of course it includes parts they recommend to all guests).
Making friends
Most guests are taking the opportunity to reconnect with themselves during their stay at Vana. This is made easier thanks to the no-phone policy in public and therapeutic areas. And honestly, whether you eat alone or with other guests you became friends with, it just feels great not to have the phone during lunches and dinners.
Six Senses Vana may not be the kind of wellness clinic where you chat with almost everyone like when I went to Chenot, Lanserhof or Canyon Ranch, or like group programs like The Ranch.
But you don't feel lonely either. It's just that Vana naturally invites you to center yourself, to listen to your inner voice. So much so that one of the restaurants at Vana is dedicated to eating on your own. If you want to be really quiet. I didn't try it, but I knew it was there if I wanted to.
I think this is particularly relevant for guests undergoing longer stays, and advanced Ayurvedic treatments such as Panchakarma (21 to 28 days, on my to-do list for the future), where the inner transformation is so deep that guests prefer to stay connected with their inner self, rather than engaging in "meaningless" conversations with others. Chit-chat is still OK for me at the stage where I am at.
Obviously you don't talk too much with other guests during a yoga nidra session, for example. Some of the other group activities make it very easy and natural to get to know other guests: hikes to nearby places of interest, make your own body scrub, paddle, art and craft such as kintsugi or hand-made paper cards...
During my stay, I found that regardless of their culture, wealth or generation, there were many things in common between the guests I encountered at Six Senses Vana. Like-minded people, in a moment of quietness and authenticity, away from the world of appearances, from their titles and their responsibilities.
I had a few days where I really wanted to be on my own. And other days where I was more inclined towards some level of socialisation. Some guests come with a group of friends. And all these different dynamics co-exist in harmony at Vana.
How hot is it?
My friends asked me about the weather. It was great! My stay was during a theoretically hot season, but the altitude of Six Senses Vana (800 meters above sea level) and the surrounding forrest made the temperature very nice: nicely warm during the day, and mild in the evening. I haven't used air conditioning during my entire stay. While it was over 35° C in Delhi, it was between 20 and 28°C in Vana. A very nice feeling of gentle warmth.
The cuisine of Vana
Some guests at Six Senses Vana are on an entirely personalised diet for a part or for all of their stay. Others, like me, can eat anything they like, but still receive some recommendations from the doctor. I had a special tea before and after every meal, for example, which was recommended for how my metabolism performs and for my dosha (body type in Ayurveda).
The cuisine of Chef Rakesh was really delicious. His menus change every day, and there are so many items to choose from. It is very tempting, visually and how it tastes. And yet I lost a little bit of weight, yayyy!
Breakfast combines buffet and à-la-carte. Lunch is also buffet and à-la-carte. And dinner is à-la-carte. All the meals are included. There is also an afternoon tea, but I didn't have space in my stomach for it. Apparently this afternoon tea is for guests who prefer to sleep late in the morning, then have a late breakfast, end up skipping lunch, and enjoy the afternoon tea instead, before dinner.
The dishes served at Vana honour the best cuisine from all over India, with very scarce use of spices (and the result is really not spicy).
There are also a number of international dishes, but I was more into the Indian ones, because they were so delicious obviously, and also so different from the same ones you seem to find at each and every Indian restaurant all over the world. It was like eating family recipes, but prepared by a talented chef, and presented like in a super fancy restaurant.
Everything served at Six Senses Vana is extremely healthy, and in small portions, beautiful for the eye. And the waiters explained me the menu very well. They advised me on what was most relevant for me according to my dosha and to the doctor's recommendations, but didn't argue for long when I wanted something else. Super helpful to have this gentle guidance.
I did a lot of physical activities during my stay, and despite the small portions, never felt hungry, although I would have felt hungry with this quantity of food in any other context. I guess these portions are indeed really well calibrated, and also, the no-screen policy, the quality of the food, and the way we eat there, contribute to better absorbing the nutrients. I guess I was a little more conscious of what I was eating than during my work life ...
Some guests I talked to were on a weight loss program, and received specific menus, tailored precisely to their objective and to their dosha. And it looked like the waiters helped them stick to their menu, and not be tempted by the other options.
Will I come back?
If you read that far, you can expect it ... I already would like to come back!
But next time, with my partner. In the wellness clinics I went to so far, you are usually better on your own. Not at Six Senses Vana: in my experience, it is a place where you could really have a great time as a couple. And even with friends, if you have friends who are also into healthier life and well-being. For a healthy break, where everyone is on their own wellness journey, and where you have a few yoga classes, meals and good time together.
Don't get me wrong, I loved my "me-time" at Six Senses Vana, the first in a long time. It gave me so much space to be with myself, hear my inner voice.
And I feel I have this glow of just being fully rested and having been pampered for a whole week, eating things which my body loves, forgetting about coffee and cigarettes, challenging me on the yoga classes, and releasing things I had kept for too long.
I appreciated the digital detox too. It's efficient without being cumbersome. Six Senses Vana is this kind of place where you know that you will return sooner or later. Because it's the greatest gift you can do to yourself.
Lucy, from London / Dubai
