Six Senses has worked with Bangkok-based Dimensional Interpretation for the first time to create this series of villas scattered around a tropical outcrop in the Gulf of Siam, Cambodia.
Thanks to the island owner’s strict brief to protect the jungle environment of Krabey – which means ‘buffalo’ in Khmer – you feel enveloped in nature wherever you go. The 40 villas each have pools and sit within private gardens; glass walls on two sides and electronic controls for the blinds means tropical views are easily revealed at the touch of a bedside (or tablet) button. The jungle remains the star at signature restaurant Tree too, thanks to more glass walls, while the other star of that show is the tasty modern version of Khmer cuisine.
The beating heart of the island however is Khmer House, a large, sunset-facing building modelled on traditional fisherman’s houses, and home to a bar, ice cream parlour and main restaurant AHA, where panels are made from recycled wood and fabrics mirror the familiar checks of the ‘krama’, the popular Khmer scarf.
The vast Six Senses Spa is at the highest point of the island, and it’s worth the hike (golf buggy service is also available though), especially for the ‘alchemy bar’ where you can mix your own potions, or to have a full health assessment, a feature of many Six Senses hotels. §
