My Return To Vana By Frances Geoghegan

I have been visiting Vana since it first opened in 2014, so it was with great trepidation and genuine concern that I booked to return a few weeks ago. Vana has always been so close to my heart, my sacred place surrounded by quiet forest and the sound of birdsong - a place I retreated to for deep rest and gentle recuperation. I recommended Vana to everyone and anyone who sought a hushed ashram environment, who needed to be cared for and healed. Having been to most of the world’s top Destination Spas I always believed that there was nowhere better that this precious place.

I had heard that it had changed for the worst since being taken over by the Six Senses group; it apparently now had a bar in situ, amongst some of the many brash changes introduced.

So what was the real story? Well this exquisite space, created by Veer Singh and his Spanish architects, has not aged a day since my first visit. It remains a work of art, with its triple-height ceilings, curvaceous sweeps of cloud white walls, and knock-out art installations and tactile natural furnishings. I am welcomed back by a sea of familiar faces and happily discover that the majority of the team have remained. I go through for my health consultation, which is more high-tech and in-depth than before - a good plus. So far, so good.

The food at Vana was always exquisite, and that most certainly hasn’t changed; the variety is astonishing, and there is incredible attention to detail, with every morsel made from scratch on site. My Doctor has recommended a diet based on my dosha, (Kapha), so warm, light and drier foods, as well as a prescribed aloe vera shot with a dash of turmeric every morning, and a concoction of fennel and cumin to finish each night. The wonderful restaurant staff know exactly what’s been prescribed, and it’s extremely easy to stick with the programme. New programmes have been added, and you can decide in advance if you wish to detox, lose weight or do a full-blown Panchakarma. This has proven to be a huge hit with our clients choosing Six Senses Vana - they set their goal in advance with purpose, and that’s what most of us want and need.

What about the new bar though on the second floor? – the Alchemy Bar, which serves organic wine, beer and champagne. Yes it exists, but I saw no-one else the whole time I was there, (trying out their gorgeous, spicy mocktails). You could previously always have a glass of wine or beer at Vana, capped at two glasses, and that remains the same, so to suggest that it’s a raucous new den to party in is complete nonsense - that would be totally against everything Vana stood for, and Six Senses Vana stands for today.

And what about all the children running around screaming whilst you are deep in retreat? Another nothing story. Yes, Six Senses Vana does now take children, and there were seven present when I stayed, but I never saw them once during my entire stay. They are booked into specific accommodation and have a full roster of activities well away from those of us on retreat.

Six Senses have really enhanced the overall experience at Six Senses Vana, and have made some very important new additions, like wonderful new hikes to suit all levels. There are more classes, group meditation and fitness workouts, as well as sound healing by the Tibetan masters. There are also complimentary biohacking therapies, including compression trousers for a circulation work-out and DIY muscle TLC courtesy of a percussive massage gun.

The Verdict

I think for all of us who loved the old Vana, we wanted to keep it just for us few, our own precious sanctuary, but it couldn’t survive as a business that way.

My friend Veer Singh’s legacy lives on though - he created this space to nurture and heal, and Six Senses Vana is still THAT place. Don’t hesitate to return.