Six Senses, part of IHG Hotels & Resorts’ Luxury & Lifestyle portfolio, is set to debut on mainland Spain with the transformation of the 16th-century El Quexigal Palace in Ávila into a luxurious wellness and leisure retreat. Located just 50 minutes from Madrid, the 100-hectare estate will reopen as Six Senses Quexigal Palace by the end of 2026.
Originally built in 1563 by architect Juan de Herrera, famed for designing El Escorial, the palace was once a royal retreat under King Felipe II. It will now be restored to its former grandeur with 60 guest accommodations, including 13 suites and a presidential suite with private gardens, alongside a fully serviced five-bedroom villa for families and private events.
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The project is a collaboration between architects Arvo Arquitectura and interior designer Raphaël Navot, blending the estate’s historic charm with modern luxury and sustainability. Many original elements, such as wine and olive oil vessels, will be repurposed as decor, while auxiliary buildings will be reimagined to create the ambiance of a royal village.
Guests can enjoy locally sourced, seasonal cuisine at the estate’s signature restaurant, pool bar, and even a secret bar in the old aviary. The estate’s wine offerings will draw from the expertise of its owners, two prominent Spanish families in the wine business.
Wellness and Sustainability at the Core
The retreat will feature a state-of-the-art Six Senses Spa with treatment rooms, saunas, a vitality pool, halotherapy cave, and biohacking devices to promote natural healing. The Alchemy Bar will offer workshops using garden-grown ingredients for scrubs and masks, while wellness programming will integrate emotional and spiritual well-being.
Sustainability will underpin the restoration, with minimal disruption to original elements, material reuse, and adherence to Six Senses’ environmental standards. Guests can learn about these efforts at the dedicated Earth Lab.
For families, the Grow With Six Senses clubhouse and a stargazing deck promise memorable experiences, with the nearby European Space Agency’s Cebreros Station offering optimal conditions for celestial exploration.
Neil Jacobs, CEO of Six Senses, described the project as an opportunity to immerse guests in Spain’s rich heritage while offering world-class luxury. “This restoration honors El Quexigal Palace’s legacy and reimagines it for the modern traveler,” he said.
The resort will join IHG’s growing portfolio in Spain, which includes 55 open hotels and 15 under development. To learn more, visit sixsenses.com.
Source: Six Senses Quexigal Palace to Transform Near Madrid into a 16th-Century Royal Village
