SINGAPORE—Six Senses Duxton, the first city hotel from Six Senses, is now open in historic Tanjong Pagar in the Chinatown area of Singapore. Along with sister hotel Six Senses Maxwell opening later this year, Six Senses Duxton seeks to engage with the surrounding neighborhood and provide a new level of sustainability practiced in Singapore.
“Six Senses Duxton aims not only to deliver a five-star luxury hotel experience, but to actively improve the surrounding neighborhood and natural environment as we do so,” says Six Senses Chief Executive Officer Neil Jacobs. “Singapore has been my home for almost 20 years, specifically the colorful enclave of Tanjong Pagar. Together with our team, I am delighted to bring our unique new urban Six Senses experience to life in Singapore, and for us to enrich and be enriched by the Duxton and Maxwell communities.”
In addition to infusing a touch of local culture and quirkiness into each property, Six Senses is known for its commitment to authenticity, community, and sustainability. Six Senses Duxton was originally a row of traditional shophouses, redesigned and re-utilized to harmoniously blend the shophouse aesthetic with the comfort of a modern hotel. As a conservation project, Six Senses Duxton has received the Urban Redevelopment Authority Architectural Heritage Award.
“We look forward to welcoming you to experience a hotel that is truly different from the inside out,” says General Manager Murray Aitken. “Numerous processes and procedures are in place to ensure that we truly ‘walk the walk’ in terms of adhering to our commitments to sustainability and conservation. We are focused on the creation and operation of self-sustaining hotels that are supportive of social equity and leave a legacy for future generations.”
Emphasis on Local Suppliers
Six Senses Duxton and Six Senses Maxwell are focused on enhancing social and economic benefits to neighboring communities. Six Senses supports Singapore entrepreneurs by looking to local suppliers before a search for any product or service is expanded regionally. From in-room minibar items to restaurant ingredients to hotel operating supplies, priority has always been to source and partner locally. In this spirit, exclusive partnerships within the community will be announced in the coming months, giving Six Senses guests additional access to unique local experiences and extending the brand’s reach into the surrounding community.
Sustainably restored by acclaimed British designer Anouska Hempel (Hempel and Blake’s hotels, London), Six Senses Duxton features a diverse mix of Chinese, Malay and European elements. Upon entering the hotel, guests are in for an eccentric, elegant surprise—large golden fans and strong hues of black, gold and yellow are layered with Chinese screens and calligraphy wallpaper from Anouska’s personal collection. Alluring black and gold settees and communal black lacquer tables give way to the hotel reception and a private sitting room to the right, and an intimate bar and restaurant named Yellow Pot to the left.
Modern Chinese screens of black lacquered wood and glass divide the various sections of the ground floor restaurant and bar from the lobby area. Similarly clad in a striking palette of black, gold and yellow, the 50-seat Yellow Pot restaurant will offer classic and innovative Chinese cuisine, and the adjacent 20-seat, antiquarian-themed Yellow Pot bar will serve handcrafted cocktails featuring local ingredients and a list of premium pours. The bar features a heritage stained glass ceiling in circular motifs, which have been replicated in a more modern design to adorn the surrounding walls as well. Spatial arrangements and furnishings come together to create a lively and eclectic urban ambience accentuated by Anouska’s hand-picked selections of luxurious fabrics, furnishings, lighting and ornaments.
Yellow Pot’s two semi-private dining rooms can accommodate five people and 10 people separately.
No Two Guestrooms the Same
Anouska has given each of the hotel’s 49 guestrooms and suites a unique individuality across eight themed categories so that no two are the same. Room categories feature locally and historically inspired names, such as Nutmeg, Shophouse, Opium and Pearl. The dramatic two-story Duxton Duplex Suites complete with restored original spiral staircase, ground floor Skylight Suites and the singular Montgomerie Suite are the largest in terms of space. Dramatic jet-black Opium Rooms and Suites feature black walls and seductive black four-poster Chinese platform beds, while the Pearl Suites are a burst of gleaming white walls, white bedding and dressers inlaid with mother-of-pearl. Whatever the size or category, Anouska envisioned the in-room experience to be romantic, stylish and sophisticated.
Small or large, sultry or light, the various rooms are elegantly juxtaposed to offer each guest a different stay experience and the ability to be surprised and delighted during return visits. Elegant bespoke furnishings and the designer ambience typify the experience in every way. Chinese calligraphy brushes, bamboo screens and bold decorative pillows are featured throughout as additional sensory elements.
Each room or suite features a truly top-flight mirrored minibar stocked with craft spirits, premium mixers, whole citrus and cut crystal glassware. Other standout amenities include individually controlled air-conditioning, Naturalmat organic mattress, bathroom amenities by The Organic Pharmacy, flat panel television with satellite channels and Bose Bluetooth speaker.
Sustainability is measured, monitored and managed under the Six Senses Sustainability Program. In addition to the environmental considerations implemented in the redevelopment of the hotels’ heritage buildings, the properties’ Sustainability Fund is comprised of 0.5 percent of revenues and 50 percent of the sale of Six Senses drinking water. The Fund will be used to support social and environmental projects at a very local level.
Waste Eliminated During Purchasing
Six Senses Duxton’s commitment to the environment and sustainability begins with a hotel-wide drive to refuse, reduce, reuse and recycle waste. In an attempt to refuse waste, Six Senses Duxton continually engages suppliers to reduce the amount of packaging and to purchase items in bulk where possible. Styrofoam boxes used for shipping supplies are sent back to the suppliers for reuse. Recyclable materials are segregated in-house. Plastic products, especially single-use plastic and packaging are systematically refused.
Additionally, Six Senses Duxton does not use cut flowers for decorative purposes, plastic linings for trash bins, plastic drinking straws, plastic water bottles, or paper cups. Other paper resources are fully optimized, and usage is monitored closely.
Six Senses Duxton produces its own Six Senses drinking water—sparkling and still—by treating, purifying, mineralizing and bottling its own drinking water in order to mitigate the negative environmental and social aspects associated with imported water in plastic bottles. The hotel’s state-of-the-art mineralization machine produces nano-artesian water that has a stable quality and zero-carbon footprint.
Six Senses Water is offered complimentary within rooms and suites. When dining in Yellow Pot, 50 percent of the water proceeds is invested in regional projects that deliver healthy drinking water to those without access to clean water.
Insulated Glazing Saves on Energy
Taking into account the heat and humidity of Singapore, insulated glazing has been applied to the windows throughout the hotel in order to reduce heat and reduce energy required for cooling. All rooms and suites have been designed to take advantage of passive cooling, and shutter panels create shade, thus reducing the need for air-conditioning. Where air-conditioning is required, only low energy consuming units are used while trying to keep the temperature as high as comfortably possible.
Energy efficient LED lights are utilized throughout the hotel. Lights are controlled by dimmer switches and outdoor lightings are on timers to save electricity.
Environmentally-friendly biodegradable cleaning products are used in the kitchens and housekeeping.
As with all Six Senses properties, Six Senses Duxton allows guests to explore and prioritizes wellness during their stay. Community-based wellness activities include everything from unique neighborhood and nature discovery walking tours; fitness classes like outdoor yoga and indoor cycling through neighborhood partners and workshops on the art of crafting artisanal coffee and appreciating Chinese teas.
Professor Zhang Mao Ji of Long Zhong Tang—a reputable Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) physician with over 40 years of experience and a successful practice across the road—will offer consultations and a medicinal herbal dispensary for in-house guests.
Complimentary Tinctures Offered
Each day guests will also receive two chilled 30ml glass bottles of complimentary tinctures formulated by Professor Zhang and placed in the in-room mini-bar. One tincture is designed to be taken first thing in the morning, the other before going to bed at night, with several varieties on rotation. Examples include a daytime tincture of hawthorn slices, rose buds and roselle to improve appetite and body detoxification; and a night concoction of snow chrysanthemum, marigold, lavender to prevent insomnia, improve blood circulation and reduce anxiety.
During turndown service, a localized Wellness Bag is placed in each room. For Six Senses Duxton, this wellness amenity includes traditional Chinese herbal Po Chai Pills to help relieve gastric ailments; the iconic Tiger Balm for relieving everything from headaches to stuffy nose and insect bites; brain teaser toys and puzzles; an adult coloring card and pencils; soothing nutmeg oil for muscle aches; a reusable cotton tote bag; and the Six Senses Little Book of Wellness.
