Sri Lanka Aitken Spence in resort deal with Six Senses

Sept 30, 2010 (LBO) - Six Senses Resorts & Spas is to set up their first property in Sri Lanka in a joint venture with Aitken Spence conglomerate and the Favourite Group, a statement said. The project, worth 35-40 million US dollars, will comprise a resort and spa and beach front residential villas on a 10.5-acre plot in Ahungalla, close at an existing Aitken Spence resort, and on a 27-acre island nearby.

The joint statement said the new resort will open in 2012 with Six Senses expecting the average revenue per room to be in the range of 400-450 US dollars.

The project will comprise a total of 40 one-bedroom villa suites and 14 two-bedroom beach front residential villas in Ahungalla as well as 15 island villas.

Sonu Shivdasani, chairman of Six Senses Resorts & Spas, said Six Senses has been interested in Sri Lanka for some time.

Six Senses currently operates thirteen high-end resorts branded as Soneva, Six Senses and Evason in the Maldives, Thailand, Vietnam, Oman and Jordan.

There are also several new developments underway in locations such as Morocco, Turks and Caicos and China.

The Six Senses Spa division has twenty-seven company-operated spas, with