Six Senses Svart, located in northern Norway and slated to open in 2024, announced its first energy-positive project to raise awareness of the possibilities of regenerative travel and the importance of the polar region. The project also sees the property work in partnership with the local community.

“Sustainable properties call for extraordinary creativity, and Six Senses Svart takes us to a whole new level in terms of pushing boundaries,” said Neil Jacobs, CEO, Six Senses. “The concept has become bigger than the project itself, as it will provide a futuristic showcase for what can be achieved in terms of sustainability and energy solutions, and therefore a blueprint within our hospitality industry and the development sector in general.” 

Six Senses Svart utilizes futuristic designs and technological innovations, incorporating them with earthy, organic materials that use the least embedded energy. The 94-room hotel will soon sit on poles above Holandsfjorden fjord at the base of the glacier to minimize any on-site impact. The separation ensures minimal land impact and seabed disruption. The circular shape of the property will also increase the building’s ability to collect energy from the roof while offering guests panoramic views and privacy with the expanded distance between rooms.

© Six Senses Svart

The first building to be designed and built after the highest energy-efficient standard in the northern hemisphere, the new project at Six Senses Svart aims to harvest enough solar energy to go back into the system, covering the hotel, adjacent operations, boat shuttle and any energy needed to construct the building. This aspect of the project could deliver 89 percent of the 45 percent decrease in emissions required to reach the scenario where global warming is limited to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

Six Senses Svart will also be self-sustaining, complete with its own waste and water management, renewable infrastructure and recycling. The property and its team will also work with local like-minded suppliers for the restaurants and bars, as well as existing sustainable farming and fishing operations.

To enhance guests’ stay, Six Senses Svart invites guests to unplug and connect with nature through its signature standards like Eat with Six Senses, Sleep with Six Senses and Grow with Six Senses. The hotel will also feature the Marketplace, a zero-place dining venue where food storage, food preparation and dining come together in one space. Additionally, Six Senses filters and bottles its own drinking water throughout its properties, and Six Senses Svart will be no exception, offering water and more to the door to reach its plastic-free goals. 

“Six Senses Svart is redefining the travel experience through technological innovation, ground-breaking design, and exceptional guest wellness journey by creating a carbon-neutral visionary destination where we can showcase the core pillars of what modern hospitality design and operation can achieve,” said Ivaylo Lefterov, development director, Six Senses Svart.

Have you stayed at a Six Senses property before? Are you planning on staying at Six Senses Svart in 2024? How important are a hotel’s sustainable initiatives when choosing where to stay?  Tell us your thoughts. Email us at letters@globaltravelerusa.com. Please include your full name and location.