- In an exclusive broken by Travel+Leisure, Sonu Shivdasani OBE and Eva Shivdasani are launching a new barefoot luxury resort brand dubbed Sosei.
- The couple behind Soneva and Six Senses look to establish outposts in the Arctic Circle, European mountains, South Africa, Japan, “and others in Asia.”
- Fittingly enough, in light of the Shivdasanis’ respective health battles, Sosei translates to “rebirth” in Japanese.
Sonu Shivdasani OBE and Eva Shivdasani – the visionary duo behind Soneva and Six Senses – are back with a new concept that redefines barefoot luxury (a term they coined, after all). Following the sale of their majority stake in Soneva, the pair have announced Sosei: a third act in their acclaimed hospitality career.
If Soneva brought luxury to the Maldives, and Six Senses globalised holistic wellness retreats, Sosei looks poised to take wellness off the map entirely. Meaning “rebirth” in Japanese, it promises a new era of ultra-considered wellness travel, blending Japanese omotenashi hospitality traditions (think onsens and tea ceremonies) with the Shivdasani design signatures like sustainability and local integration.
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Still rooted in Soneva’s philosophy of a “no news, no shoes” sanctuary, we can expect emphasis on gut-friendly foods, light aerobics, and the occasional sound bath, but further from society than ever before – whether that’s an elemental destination or cloistered urban stay.
Confirmed locations notably include the Arctic Circle, European Alps, South Africa, and of course, Japan; with city locations also hinted. All in all, Sosei could change the game in what to expect from top-tier wellness retreats, challenging players like Aman and Four Seasons, one ikebana at a time.
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It’s still early days, with specific properties far from finalised, though it’ll be interesting to see how Japanese hospitality signatures are authentically delivered from the British-Swedish couple.
For the time being, practise your Wim Hoffing – you may be doing it under the Northern Lights soon enough.
