Why book?
For Six Senses’ hallmark approach to barefoot luxury and a warm, welcoming vibe that befits the Spice Isle and its people.
Set the scene
About a 35-minute drive from Grenada’s international airport, on the southeast side of the island, sits a quiet parish called St. David that’s defined by its rugged coastline, unspoiled beaches, and one very old rum distillery. It's on one of those secluded beaches, called La Sagesse, that the much-awaited Six Senses property has come to roost. Centered around a natural saltwater lagoon and spreading radially across 38 acres of undulating terrain, the eco-luxury resort is designed to blend in, letting views of the curling ocean take center stage. And, there are two sets of those vistas on offer: a more dramatic Atlantic ocean on one end, and a calm-as-a-milk-pond Caribbean cove on the other side. When I visited just two weeks after launch, planting was in full swing—and so the hotel was still missing the lushness of the rest of the island—but it’s easy to imagine how verdant the hotel will look after a wet season or two.
Perhaps the most striking aspect of the design here is the sense of spaciousness—there’s plenty in every direction. There are panoramic decks, comfy patios and cozy beachfront corners, and beautiful winding pathways to meander through. It’s all part of the brand’s emphasis on wellbeing and connection to nature. Though it’s too soon to assume who its clients will be—American and British couples and families will likely be its top visitors—the hotel is sure to attract travelers familiar with the brand's promises: eye-catching location and an integrated approach to wellness that spans food, community experiences, and a great spa. From my first evening here, as I walked off my dinner with a stroll around the lagoon alive with the sounds of crickets and frogs, I was definitely breathing easier.
The backstory
The tiny volcanic island of Grenada is both an unexpected and obvious choice for Six Senses’ foray into the Caribbean. Perhaps for the same reason, too: Compared to big-hitting neighbors like St. Lucia and Antigua, the southernmost of the Windward Islands is more overlooked by travelers to the region. That means that Grenada remains largely uncrowded and retains a kind of rustic tourism, its economy tethered instead to the farming of spices and cocoa. But that’s not the only reason to visit—besides its pretty beaches, the islands’s beautiful rainforests, dormant volcanic ridges, and waterfalls offer a great deal of diversity to travelers. “Grenada is such a joyous mosaic of islands; its natural beauty and ‘Spice Island’ heritage pairs really well with the Six Senses ethos,” Thomas Fehlbier, general manager at the property, told me. And as the first international luxury brand to establish itself here, Six Senses will be able to steward that journey of discovery of the destination and its people.
The rooms
The hotel’s 71 rooms, suites, and villas are built into the slopes around the lagoon and across a bluff. In the thatched beachfront suites, where I stayed, each room (including the bathroom) is designed to offer direct access to a private pool and the ocean shore. A step above, the panorama pool suites offer knockout views and outdoor living space. In the villas (up to 4- and 5-bedroom) with dramatic cliffside views, guests can expect even more space: living rooms, full-fledged kitchens, lap pools, and private gardens. Regardless of accommodation type, the interiors manage to feel spacious, stylish, and right for the setting. Pared-back decor in a blue and white palette, natural materials, and ample floor space (no carpets or extra furniture here) offer the kind of barefoot-luxury Six Senses fans will appreciate. And while there’s plenty to explore around the resort—and beyond—you’ll find pleasure in padding about your suite, munching on delicious snacks made of local nuts and cocoa that are replenished daily; rolling out a yoga mat on the poolside terrace; showering outdoors (joined by a resident gecko) to the sound of crashing waves; or simply sitting on your deck chairs after dark, waiting for stars to flood the sky.
Food and drink
Balanced nutrition and local sourcing are cornerstones of the Six Senses culinary experience. There are two main restaurants here: Callaloo, an all-day cafe, and Seafire, a picturesque sea-front restaurant centered around a fire pit filled with sink-in cushions. There’s also Panquai, a poolside bar serving snacks and skewers. The menus here, small but thoughtful, are inspired by Caribbean and South American cuisines while prioritizing local produce. An on-site garden supplies basic vegetables and herbs, but Six Senses works with community farmers to source seasonal ingredients. In fact, you can arrange to tour some of their operations, including a local women's farming cooperative, and trace the food on your plates back to the fertile Grenadian soil that produced it. At Seafire, standout dishes included watermelon with spicy yuzu and raspberry salsa served with fish tartar as well as a green-garlic dorado served with linguine. But my favorite meals throughout my stay remained breakfast. Here, instead of a cheese station, you get a whole-foods-laden table lined with salads, nuts, roasted whole vegetables, and jars of fermented produce (pickled onsite). There are standard indulgences, like a pastry station with a rotating cast of buttery stars, and plenty of wine should you need it—but in general, I found myself instinctually veering towards choices I wouldn’t normally make. (I cheerfully cut off a large chunk of fire-roasted yam for breakfast one morning—who am I?) Whatever you do, don’t go looking for fries and soda—you won’t find either.
The neighborhood/area
Grenada is ever so tiny—12 miles by 21 miles long. Still, the resort is set away from the bustle of Grenada’s capital, St. George's, the popular beaches of Grand Anse and BBC, and treks into the rainforests—and getting to any of these takes about 30 minutes by car. For times when you stay put, you get to enjoy a picturesque headland and a largely untamed shoreline. One of my favorite things to do was to sneak in an early morning walk on La Sagesse Bay, often encountering little more than a boisterous dog and its human along the way. Sadly, there were no signs of any green turtles, one of the endangered marine species found on the island.
The service
Out of 200 employees here, 180 have been hired locally—in many cases, hyper-locally from the parish of St. David. This is part of the Six Senses commitment to integrate with local communities across its global footprint. The result is a resort that mimics the friendliness and easy hospitality of Grenada’s people, and the best way to enjoy this is to slip right into an island state of mind with them. The biggest advantage of this is that everybody that works here is an excellent ambassador to the destination: From Dwayne, our history-loving, trivia-posing driver, to Kareem, the charismatic experience manager (something of a local celebrity, as I discovered from cruising around town with him one morning), you’re guaranteed to be presented with the finest version of the island.
For families
This resort, like many others in the Six Senses fold, quite easily shape shifts from being a great place for couples seeking more adult pleasures to being accommodating to families with kids of all ages. There’s plenty of fun to be had for the whole family from water sports and waterfall hikes to yoga and table tennis. Guests can also participate in the hotel’s sustainability efforts, from earth-friendly crafts to recycling projects and beach clean-ups—Krisma, the resident sustainability manager, is a great resource for this.
The spa
Six Senses might have started as a spa, but its approach to wellness has evolved into a lifestyle rather than a program. But if it’s structure you seek, they have that, too. The spa here is designed like a village, thatched cottages are connected by walkways and separated by water bodies. A full-fledged gym, yoga room, and a biohacking recovery lounge offer everything from aerial yoga to pulsed electromagnetic field therapy and sleep tracking. I settled for a Caribbean cleansing ritual, rounded off with a local bush tea and organic chocolate, followed by a 30-minute sound healing session with a kindly Himalayan practitioner named Sandeep. While the spa here occupies centerstage, it is a piece of a broader approach to wellbeing that includes a good night’s sleep (ask for the pillow menu!) and that Calabash bowl of locally-grown chocolate—or nutmeg—ice cream.
Eco effort
In line with the brand’s commitment to sustainability, Six Senses La Sagesse aims to be a self-sufficient and plastic-free operation, growing some of its own produce and sourcing locally for the rest of it. All villas and suites have been equipped with solar panels and a glass bottling facility on site harnesses (filtered) spring water. When it comes to its planted landscape, they’ve prioritized indigenous trees and Caribbean Basin natives, complemented by a selection of fruit and nut trees to encourage migratory birds and local fauna. For guests interested in keeping them honest, The Earth Lab, onsite, serves as a space for engagement.
Accessibility
All restaurants and public areas are barrier-free and accessible. The hotel has a dedicated golf cart that is wheelchair accessible, and those with mobility issues can use the buggy system to get around. Confirm before you book that your suite meets ADA standards.
Anything left to mention?
One thing to note is that the beaches—and ocean—at La Sagesse are prone to getting washed over with sargassum (a brown seaweed). Some seasons are worse than other, but the hotel makes an effort to clean up almost daily. It didn’t stop us from getting in the sea, but it does make swimming in what is otherwise stunningly warm and clear water more challenging. Good thing then, that the property has several lovely pools—public and private—to make up for it.
Six Senses, St. David, Grenada 00000
Grenada
https://www.sixsenses.com/en/resorts/la-sagesse/
+1473 444 6666