When IHG acquired Six Senses in 2019 for approximately $300 million, industry observers were surprised. The operation remained relatively modest: roughly 16 properties, limited real estate holdings, and a development pipeline of around 20 projects. Despite being a compact management company rather than a major property owner, the market assigned it a premium valuation typically reserved for much larger operators. Understanding why requires examining the company from the beginning.
Where It Started
Sonu and Eva Shivdasani initiated the story in the mid-1990s by discovering an undeveloped Maldivian island and establishing Soneva Fushi. Rather than construct a traditional resort, they posed a fundamental question: could travel facilitate reconnection with oneself, others, and the natural environment?
This same question influences our philosophy at Conserve Safari. Experiences at retreats demonstrated that meaningful destinations emerge not from abundant amenities but from facilitating personal reflection. The Shivdasanis translated this into the brand's core identity: villas of timber construction, natural ventilation, minimal intervention. Guests walked barefoot. Television was absent. Luxury derived from spaciousness, quietude, and authentic materials. This became known as "barefoot luxury."
A Philosophy That Became a System
Expanding into Thailand, Vietnam, and additional markets, the founders consistently refined their foundational principles. Structures adapted to landscape topography. Indigenous materials established the visual vocabulary. Spaces remained tranquil, breathable, and engaging to the senses. This apparent simplicity masked a systematic framework preserving brand consistency across diverse environments. The Six Senses name originates from blessing marks Buddhist monks create in Thailand using fingertips — each representing a sense, with intuition as the sixth.
Sustainability as Infrastructure
Sustainability integrated from inception rather than as afterthought. Properties employed natural orientation and renewable elements. The Earth Lab system, introduced in 2017, tracked energy consumption, food generation, waste management, and community contribution at each property. Kitchen operations, wellness treatments, and the Alchemy Bar derived from on-site organic cultivation. Implementation prioritised utility over marketing.
Scaling the Model
The company expanded employing an asset-light approach. Developers financed construction; Six Senses supplied design specifications, sustainability protocols, and management expertise. This permitted growth without substantial capital investment — the same architecture that underpins our approach at Conserve Safari.
Why the Market Paid a Premium
At acquisition, Six Senses possessed unambiguous brand positioning, a distinctive design and experiential framework, an established wellness and environmental stewardship reputation, a committed worldwide clientele, and robust expansion prospects. Market participants valued operational systems generating dependable, high-quality hospitality globally — not physical assets.
Implications for Safari Real Estate
Six Senses demonstrated that hospitality brands need not achieve massive scale to generate significant value — they require distinctiveness, reliability, and pronounced character. Safari hospitality commences with supplementary advantages: access to among the earth's most unspoiled landscapes, where fauna, silence, and panoramic terrain constitute the fundamental experience.
No coastal or mountain accommodation rivals the immediacy of observing a lion at sunrise, witnessing elephant herds traversing camp, or encountering savanna nocturnal tranquility. In safari hospitality, nature is the principal attraction. Six Senses exemplified how pronounced philosophical clarity generates value; safari hospitality has the potential for expanded outcomes — the fundamental resource constitutes inherent magnificence.