Travel 2 minutes 08 April 2024

The Space-Age Roman Baths at Six Senses Rome

Our new series, Signature Spaces, takes a closer look at the most iconic spots in MICHELIN Guide hotels.

Over the decades, the Six Senses Spas and Resorts have grown into a wellness empire, where every detail — down to the biophilic concerns of their rooms and the organic ingredients in the restaurants — contributes to a mission of well-being. Until now, these programs of rejuvenation were synonymous with expansive seascapes or scenes of rural serenity.

In Rome, the minds behind these hyper-luxe accommodations bring their goal of ultimate relaxation into a city (and a major one, at that) for the very first time. Opened in 2023, the Six Senses Rome was recently awarded One MICHELIN Key for its outstanding quality.

There’s no better example of how well the concept works than the spa.

The Signature Space:

The Roman baths. Under carvings that reference Cupid’s arrows, bathers move from tepidarium, caldarium, and laconicum to ice fountain and back, going from warm to scalding to freezing and warm again in the ritual of the ancient Romans.

What It's Like:

The ancient Romans created this gauntlet of rejuvenation, but the Six Senses perfected it. The baths are so clean and streamlined as to feel almost futuristic. In a space with no clock, this is a comfortable, timeless, supremely restorative cocoon — a place that takes the best of two ages and converts it into a very luxurious afternoon.

Soft, new age music and the sound of dripping water bounces off stone floors as you move between sauna, steam, and three temperatures of baths at your leisure, climbing the few steps and sinking into perfectly clear, slightly steaming water. In concept, it’s the same as it was thousands of years ago. In practice, it’s significantly more luxe than it could have been in antiquity. In a small, uncrowded space, the few other bathers are not the nude citizens of Ancient Rome but guests in bathing suits, soft robes, and slippers.

Your reservation gives you an hour in the space. In reality, you may only need ten or fifteen minutes to complete the circuit, depending on how long you can stomach the cold plunge, and how long you luxuriate in the others. Lounge chairs await in an an adjacent room for rest and hydration. Take your time and feel free to revisit your favorites baths.

Try It: The Wellness Screening

We doubt you'll find this at a single other hotel in the world, but at the Six Senses, it's just part of the routine. For an additional 110 Euro, you can sign up for one of the Six Senses' signature treatments: a tech-based wellness screening.

A trainer guides you to a small office and asks you to place your bare feet on a device that resembles a scale. You lay your hands on a metal plate and, over the course of ten to fifteen minutes, run through a handful of breathing and movement tests while biometric devices collect data from your body.

At the end of the process you’re shown the results on a screen — dozens of biomarkers ranked zero to hundred — and advised on certain spa treatments that might address your personal needs. 

Pair it with the Roman baths for an exhilarating afternoon of health and rejuvenation.

What About the Hotel?

In the busy, beating heart of Rome, the Six Senses makes its home in a meticulously restored 18th-century palazzo on the Via del Corso. In the lobby, tall, leafy plants contrast against stately marble and travertine, their terracotta planters providing a pop of color against white columns. Shafts of natural light stream down into the public spaces.

The original marble staircase, the pillars, the arches, and the cocciopesto on the walls inspire a sense of historical awe. In fact, the lobby itself has a glass window into the basement — where an ancient baptismal bath from the fourth century sits, perfectly preserved.

But there’s a contemporary element to the design as well, implemented by Spanish designer Patricia Urquiola, a kind of thoughtful, neutral coating that makes you want to take deep breaths and stretch. Rooms feel like a perfect contemporary version of historical Rome, each a quiet capsule against the energy of the city just outside.

Who Comes Here:

Hotel guests come for the wellness focus and an elegant oasis in bustling Rome. The spa itself is open to all.

Where to Find It:

Walk by the Trevi Fountain and turn left on Via del Corso. The unmissable entrance is just beside the historic San Marcello al Corso Church.

Read More and Book a Room:

Head over to the Six Senses Rome hotel page, here.



Hero Image: Six Senses Rome

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