Quietly tucked away in Ávila, just 50 minutes from Madrid, lies a 16th-century palace with a story to tell. Six Senses has signed a hotel management agreement with the joint venture created by Sidercom and El Enebro to welcome guests like the royalty of centuries past within a 100-hectare (250 acre), 60-key country estate, which is expected to open at the end of 2026.
Built in 1563 by Juan de Herrera, the same architect who designed the nearby Renaissance masterpiece El Escorial, El Quexigal was famous for being the most beautiful country estate in Spain. Acquired by King Felipe II to be used for recreational pursuits for the Royal House, the farm was run by Jerome monks, producing oil, wine, honey, and food, along with wood from the abundance of trees including the quejigos oak, which gave its name to the estate.
Madrid-based architects Arvo Arquitectura have been using their extensive experience in hospitality and heritage buildings to weave this inspiration into the project, in collaboration with interior designer and “natural future” advocate Raphaël Navot, the recipient of the Maison&Objet Designer of the Year Award 2023. Many of the original wine and olive oil vessels have found a new life as sculptures and lighting fixtures.
Commenting on the brand’s first signing on the Spanish mainland, Six Senses CEO Neil Jacobs said, “To experience Six Senses Quexigal Palace is to embark on a country resort experience that starts within the hallowed halls of this incredible 16th-century palace and leads you out to the beautiful grounds, which are themselves a playground for outdoor pursuits and exploration in nature. We are delighted to partner with El Enebro and Sidercom to help write the next chapter in the story of this singular heritage restoration, one that will come to life in the care we take in even the smallest details.”
Starting with the great hall, the existing courtyard building and interior elements have been reclaimed and repurposed to fit the needs of a Six Senses country resort without compromising on the original soul of the palace rooms with their generous proportions and natural light. The auxiliary buildings will also be renovated so that Six Senses Quexigal Palace creates the ambiance of a royal village, welcoming families, weekenders, and ‘mooners to enjoy all kinds of events, celebrations, and retreats.
The 60 guest accommodations will be distributed within the main and auxiliary buildings and include 13 suites and a presidential suite with private gardens. For family groups, and private events, there will also be a fully serviced five-bedroom villa.
Local, sustainable, and seasonal will be the approach to food and beverage, with farm-to-fork goodness grown fresh in the surrounding fields and served in the signature restaurant and various salons and private dining locations throughout the gardens. Along with a tasting room and pool bar and grill, there will also be a secret bar and a themed bar in the old aviary, with invitations presumably arriving by pigeon post. As for the wine, guests are in good hands. Six Senses Quexigal Palace is owned by two of the most prominent Spanish families in the wine business who produce the most celebrated and sought-after Spanish brands.
"El Quexigal Palace is a treasure of Spanish heritage, and its restoration is a responsibility we undertake with great care and respect," say Marta Guirao and Borja Urtasun, representatives of the board of directors of the joint venture between El Enebro and Sidercom. "This project is not only about preserving the grandeur of its past but also about crafting a sustainable future that ensures this cultural treasure can be appreciated by generations to come. Together with Six Senses and our partners, we aim to honor its history while reimagining its legacy for the modern traveler."
Six Senses Spa will treat tired limbs and frazzled Madrileño minds to signature treatments and therapies, with facilities including four single and two double treatment rooms, vitality pool, infrared and Finnish sauna, steam room, halotherapy cave and – for the bold – an ice bath. The recovery lounge will offer the latest biohacking devices that use smart tech to promote the body’s natural healing processes. Other highlights include the herbal hammam and workshops at the Alchemy Bar, where garden herbs, salts, fruits, and essential oils are blended into exotic and aromatic scrubs and masks. Beyond the physical, wellness will be integrated into the entire Six Senses experience with programming led by skilled experts and practitioners for tapping into emotional and spiritual well-being and healing.
The Grow With Six Senses clubhouse will keep children entertained, and as day turns to night, everyone can look upwards in wonder from the observation deck. The proximity to the European Space Agency’s Cebreros Station means conditions are often optimal for galactic exploration. There will also be a dedicated Earth Lab to showcase the palace’s sustainability story, from the minimal disruption to the existing elements to the reuse of materials and stringent Six Senses standards for sourcing any new local materials. After all, this is what the brand deems the highest quality of hospitality: to stay in a location that is inherently free of any harmful element to humans or habitats.
Six Senses Quexigal Palace adds to IHG’s growing portfolio in Spain, which includes 55 open hotels and 15 properties in the development pipeline. The resort also joins IHG’s fast-growing Luxury & Lifestyle segment which currently includes more than 100 hotels across Europe. This includes eight Six Senses properties in Italy, Switzerland, France, Israel, Portugal, Turkey and one in the Spanish Balearics, Six Senses Ibiza.
Six Senses Quexigal Palace is slated to open at the end of 2026.
Images from top to bottom: rendering Sleep With Six Senses bedding, high-tech, high-touch wellness at Six Senses Spa