Review: Six Senses Kanuhura

Why book Six Senses Kanuhura?

To commune with nature, while ensconced in eminently stylish (and sustainable) surroundings, on one of the most beautiful natural islands in the Maldives.

Set the scene

Triangular-shaped Kanuhura is part of a cluster of three coral islands (the other two remain blissfully untouched) set a 35-minute seaplane ride from the capital in the resplendent Lhaviyani Atoll. This part of the Maldives is known for its healthy coral gardens, enormous schools of reef fish, 100-strong pods of dolphins, abundance of sea turtles, and sensational channel dives. Six Senses tends to attract quite a specific type of affluent traveler; those looking to eat well, exercise, learn something new, and snuggle up close to nature. Six Senses Kanuhura delivers all of these in spades. Guests kick off their shoes the moment they step onto the sand and don't see footwear again until they depart. Complimentary bicycles, kayaks, and stand-up paddleboards provide a number of ways to glide around the 1.4-kilometer-long island. There are free sessions with the marine biologist and sustainability manager, and tours of the organic gardens, while daily complimentary activities include transcendent singing bowl meditations, half a dozen kinds of yoga, and cinema under the stars. Unsurprisingly, everyone appears to be in a sun-kissed state of bliss.

The backstory

Over the last 25 years, Kanuhura has changed hands three times, from a One & Only to a Sun Resort to its current incarnation as the second Six Senses in the Maldives, partnering with Six Senses Laamu. Unlike its Robinson Crusoesque sibling in the south, Kanuhura offers a more modern and elegant island-life aesthetic. There are still plenty of thatched-roofed sand-between-your-toes public spaces, but the majority of the rough edges have been smoothed into a vision of polished woods, pale white stone, rattan lampshades, and curvaceous low-slung furniture.

The rooms

Six Senses has repurposed most of the island's existing stock of beach and overwater villas—although they've been so meticulously styled into Six Senses universe that you'd never know they'd been anything else. Fourteen different room categories range from modest beach villas to overwater pool villas, family villas, and large residences, all charmingly decorated in muted greens and flashes of apricot, with creamy textured walls, lashings of warm woods, fashionable rattan furnishings, and big netted beds. But, it's the 12 newly added Retreats that really stand out for their sense of space, privacy, and style. All are set on the beach within a coral-stone throw of the Indian Ocean with large decks and big (if not very deep) private pools. Light-filled interiors feature double-height living rooms with vaulted ceilings and a mezzanine-level TV den. Whichever accommodation you choose you won't need to pack a beach bag, a yoga mat, a speaker, sunscreen, aftersun, or insect repellent as all are supplied by Six Senses (a handy way to lower your carbon footprint).

Food and drink

With seven bars and restaurants, a host of private dining experiences and regular beach barbecues, there's more than enough choice to keep guests satisfied for weeks on end. Breakfast—a bounty of tropical fruits, healthy juices, smoothies, artisanal coffees, just-out-the-oven pastries, and a dozen types of honey—is served in the all-day dining restaurant The Market. During the day, poolside hangout Sip and Sand serves wood-fired pizzas, spicy satays, and sandwiches, switching in the evening to Japanese sushi, sashimi, and fresh seafood. There's also casual Italian fare at Bottega; castaway lunches at Drift, set on the uninhabited island of Jehunuhura; and Scoops for smoothies and free ice-cream cones. The hands-down highlight, though, is The Point, a spectacular circular building with a Spanish restaurant downstairs and an infinity pool with a swim-up bar upstairs. There's nowhere else to be at sunset, reclined on a beanbag, cocktail in hand, as the Maldives' paint chart of bright blues morphs into a canvas of ambers, pinks, peaches, and golds.

The spa

Wellness pulses through every Six Senses property and Kanuhura is no exception. Set in the heart of the resort, it has eight earthy treatment rooms, including one couples' suite and one VIP suite, as well as a steam room, sauna, and hot and cold pools in the male and female changing rooms. The doe-eyed spa manager, Anupam Banerjee, has come up with a wide range of enticing holistic treatments, from scrubs, massages, and facials; to biohacking PEMF body mats and LED masks; to Ayurvedic therapies; to breath work and meditation. Three-, five- and seven-night programs focussing on yoga, sleep, fitness, and detoxing are also available.

The neighbourhood

Six Senses Kanuhura takes full advantage of its aqua-tastic location with a wide range of excursions: sunset dolphin cruises on a Maldivian dhoni boat; learning traditional line fishing from the local sea dogs; guided dives and snorkels; Disney-worthy turtle quests (an abundance of seagrass brings bales of big green sea turtles to this part of the country).

The service

Maldivian service at its sunniest—upbeat, amiable and intuitive enough to know when guests want to be spoiled or left alone. Everyone gets a GEM (Guest Experience Maker) who's on hand 24/7 to arrange spa treatments, dolphin-spotting cruises, island picnics, and just about anything else you can think of.

For families

A great choice. There are a number of two-bedroom and three-bedroom beach villas and overwater villas, as well as family villas with pull-out beds and supersized beach retreats. Little ones, aged from four years old to 11 years old can visit the kids club (open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.) where they will find activities galore—treasure hunts, nature walks, cookery, and botany. Teens have their own separate 'Island Hideaway' with pool tables, table football, and music. Babysitting is available for a fee.

Eco effort

The Six Senses brand is strong on sustainability as a whole. At Kanuhura, there are no single-use plastics (front and back of house), wastewater is recycled, food waste is composted, and nearly 50 kilos of herbs and vegetables are harvested from organic gardens every month. In addition, the sustainability team are teaching local islanders to make and use hydroponic systems, and the marine biologist is monitoring coral cover, researching species diversity and rewilding seagrass, a favorite food of turtles, which is also 35 percent more efficient at absorbing carbon that tropical forest.

Accessibility for those with mobility impairments

No.

Anything left to mention?

It's not every hotel that can boast its own species of orchid but Six Senses is the proud parent of the Dendrobium Kanuhura, a hybrid of the Dendrobium Schulleri and Dendrobium Jiad Gold, which was specially bred for the hotel and has been registered as a unique flower by the Royal Horticultural Society. You can find its striking peach and vermillion petals amid a sea of more than 7,000 blooms in the resort's orchid garden.