International hotel chain Six Senses is opening its first hotel in Israel, Six Senses Shaharut, at the end of the year on a hill overlooking the Edom Mountains, around 60 kilometers north of Eilat. A deal was signed between the chain and Arava Vineyards Ltd to open an ecological hotel within natural desert terrain.

The property has 58 rooms (some offering a private pool), across junior suites (46m²); one-bedroom villas (100m²); two-bedroom villas (150m² plus outdoor space); and a three bedroom retreat (300m²) with over 300m² of outdoor space including a seating area and private pool.

A restaurant will serve a buffet breakfast and other à la carte dining options.  The hotel will offer indoor and outdoor swimming pools, separate male and female saunas and Turkish Hammams. A gym, yoga studio and wellness spa – with treatment rooms and the option for guests to receive lifestyle and nutritional advice – will also be available. In addition the site has a camel farm and a desert activities center, offering mountain biking, birdwatching, wine tours and more. The building is designed to adapt to desert climate and landscape, and will use local recyclable materials.

Image credit: Totem Imaging