WHY IT RATES: Six Senses Laamu is engaging in a variety of unique efforts to not only care for the local environment but ensure unique wellness offerings for guests. -Mia Taylor, TravelPulse Senior Writer.
"Welcome to Six Senses Laamu! To make your stay most comfortable we have assigned one of our Guest Experience Makers (GEMs) to look after you during your holiday with us."
These are the first two sentences guests hear when arriving at the private island of Olhuveli in the Maldives. A system is in place to ensure each guest is provided with unique "crafted experiences" as part of the brand's core values.
The latest crafted experiences from the resort align with two other Six Senses values of sustainability and pioneering wellness. This time the newest arrivals to the island are a flock of 24 chickens from two neighboring islands and their reservation at the resort is made for a long stay.
Before their arrival, the flock was vetted by Raymond Rochester, a guest, and visiting veterinarian. They were given a warm welcome by the resort hosts and upon arrival, in line with guests' experience, they are assigned a Chicken Guest Experience Maker (Chicken GEM) available to help make their stay comfortable.
Their accommodation is located at the newly built organic Kukulku Farm. Kukulku is the word for chicken in the local language of Dhivehi.
Resident Manager Frans Westraadt, along with Sustainability Manager Megan O'Beirne, supervised the preparation of the Kukulhu Farm.
It includes a state-of-the-art chicken gym facility, a multi-level installation with terracing steps for exercise sessions and handmade nests that follow the fundamental philosophies of the Sleep With Six Senses program.
In line with the resort's zero-waste philosophy, the chickens' meals are comprised of the best leftover organic food on the island, and in return, the kukulhus provide guests with fresh, organic eggs.
This is another clever addition to the highly nutritious and delicious meals offered at the various restaurants at the resort. Organic free-range chicken eggs contain one third less cholesterol, one quarter less saturated fat, two times more omega 3 fatty acids, and more vitamins when compared to eggs from caged chickens.
Similar to how responsible and caring the resort treats their chickens, the 10-member marine biologist team of Six Senses Laamu has pioneered a wellness program for the colonies of corals that inhabit the house reef around the island.
Seven hundred and forty carefully selected coral fragments of more than 10 different species from the house reef have been placed in a mid-water coral nursery. Just as it is the resort's mission to help people reconnect with themselves, others, and the world around them, these corals will enjoy some rest and relaxation until they are grown large and strong enough to be replanted on the house reef.
This project came into action in an effort to enhance the restoration process of bleaching affected coral reefs following the 2016 El Niño. Reefs in the Laamu Atoll were affected, but fortunately less than some other parts of Maldives, which experienced bleaching of nearly 70 percent of reefs.
According to field experts, the natural recovery process of mass bleaching events can take up to 15 years and the marine team at Six Senses Laamu is dedicated to creating the best environment to facilitate the recovery process.
The lucky corals which were chosen to be sheltered in the mid-water nursery have a higher chance of getting more food to coral polyps, the organisms living in them, due to the high water flow in the area. Every week they receive pampering and cleaning treatment from the marine team, and are given the opportunity to grow without the stress of possibly being eaten by the predators.
Located in one of the most isolated corners of Maldives, Six Senses Laamu is staffed by a responsible and caring team. Whether it is a kukulhu, a coral polyp, a green turtle occasionally coming ashore for nesting or visiting guests from far away lands, the team will ensure everyone is given an all-encompassing, uniquely crafted experience.
SOURCE: Six Senses press release
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