Six Senses Aetna Springs will open in California's Napa Valley in 2026. Photo: Six Senses
Six Senses Aetna Springs will open in California's Napa Valley in 2026. Photo: Six Senses
Six Senses Aetna Springs will open in California's Napa Valley in 2026. Photo: Six Senses
Six Senses Aetna Springs will open in California's Napa Valley in 2026. Photo: Six Senses

Six Senses Napa Valley to open in 100-year-old Californian ghost resort


Hayley Skirka
  • English
  • Arabic

Six Senses will open its newest luxury wellness resort in California’s Napa County.

The renowned hotel group has announced the launch of Six Senses Napa Valley, scheduled to welcome travellers in 2026.

It will take over the historic Aetna Springs, one of Napa’s oldest and most fabled mineral springs resorts. Originally developed in 1887, the 1,215-hectare resort is being revitalised by Six Senses after years of neglect.

Six Senses will regenerate the rural landscape in the region, with a focus on native planting and rewilding. Photo: Six Senses
Six Senses will regenerate the rural landscape in the region, with a focus on native planting and rewilding. Photo: Six Senses

Nestled in the far-flung reaches of Pope Valley, the destination spa resort opened in 1887 and quickly became a hotspot for well-heeled San Franciscan and Hollywood holidaymakers, who would reach its sanctuary via an eight-hour horse-drawn carriage journey.

Today, it’s only a two-hour drive from San Francisco, but the retreat has been closed since the early 1970s.

Six Senses will regenerate the rural landscape in the region, with a focus on native planting and rewilding.

With 95 rooms and suites, including 10 luxury tented structures, interiors will be by 1508 London, the same designers behind aesthetics at Four Seasons Hotel Suzhou, The Carlton Tower Jumeirah in London and Mandarin Oriental Residences, Beverly Hills.

Aetna Springs Resort was a Hollywood hotspot in its heyday. Photo: Wiki Commons / Sanfranman59
Aetna Springs Resort was a Hollywood hotspot in its heyday. Photo: Wiki Commons / Sanfranman59

In keeping with the resort’s heritage, there will be a huge focus on wellness with guests having access to an extensive programme of yoga, meditation, mindfulness and nature-inspired therapies.

An on-site organic garden and four food and beverage outlets will offer a variety of dining options with in-house “alchemists” crafting home-made and herbal tonics, tinctures and detox juices, and showcasing the region’s best wines.

“Six Senses Napa Valley will marry the region’s beauty with the unique natural resources of the original Aetna Springs,” says Six Senses Hotels Resorts & Spas chief executive Neil Jacobs.

“Working with Weller Development Partners, Pegasus Capital Advisors, and committed sustainability partners, we have the right energy in place to revitalise this precious jewel in the Napa crown as a destination to rewild our guests back to a connection with nature, each other, and ultimately themselves.”

Restoration and sustainability at a century-old resort

Six Senses will preserve original structures and regenerate the resort's rural landscape. Photo: Wiki Commons / Sanfranman59
Six Senses will preserve original structures and regenerate the resort's rural landscape. Photo: Wiki Commons / Sanfranman59

Dating back to the 19th century, Aetna Springs was one of California's original mineral springs resorts and the first golf course west of the Mississippi.

Aetna Mineral Water, first bottled in 1886, was sold throughout the American West. Ronald Reagan declared his candidacy for governor of California in 1966 on the steps of the resort's dining hall.

Its popularity declined post-Second World War, and the resort soon closed. It was placed on the National Register of Historical Places in 1987, but has been listed on Napa County Landmarks' Threatened Treasures list — a grouping of local historic buildings in peril — several times, including last year.

Having survived wildfire devastation that has swept through California in recent years relatively unscathed, Aetna Springs is now gearing up for a new lease of life at the hands of award-winning architecture firm Olson Kundig.

“There’s so much about this site that I find deeply inspirational, from its layers of history as an agrarian and resort community to its stunning natural beauty. This new project provides a great opportunity to craft an authentic experience for visitors that centres around deepening connections to this special landscape,” says Tom Kundig, owner and founder of Olson Kundig.

Six Senses is known for its sustainable hospitality and the group will work closely with experts in this field to restore the recreational green spaces, vineyards, and agricultural activities surrounding the resort. A water bottling programme will tap into the natural springs and offset operational water requirements.

Practices such as rewilding zones and the use of sustainable design and materials will help the resort achieve LEED certification.

The specs

Price: From Dh529,000

Engine: 5-litre V8

Transmission: Eight-speed auto

Power: 520hp

Torque: 625Nm

Fuel economy, combined: 12.8L/100km

Lexus LX700h specs

Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor

Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm

Transmission: 10-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh590,000

A new relationship with the old country

Treaty of Friendship between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates

The United kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates; Considering that the United Arab Emirates has assumed full responsibility as a sovereign and independent State; Determined that the long-standing and traditional relations of close friendship and cooperation between their peoples shall continue; Desiring to give expression to this intention in the form of a Treaty Friendship; Have agreed as follows:

ARTICLE 1 The relations between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates shall be governed by a spirit of close friendship. In recognition of this, the Contracting Parties, conscious of their common interest in the peace and stability of the region, shall: (a) consult together on matters of mutual concern in time of need; (b) settle all their disputes by peaceful means in conformity with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.

ARTICLE 2 The Contracting Parties shall encourage education, scientific and cultural cooperation between the two States in accordance with arrangements to be agreed. Such arrangements shall cover among other things: (a) the promotion of mutual understanding of their respective cultures, civilisations and languages, the promotion of contacts among professional bodies, universities and cultural institutions; (c) the encouragement of technical, scientific and cultural exchanges.

ARTICLE 3 The Contracting Parties shall maintain the close relationship already existing between them in the field of trade and commerce. Representatives of the Contracting Parties shall meet from time to time to consider means by which such relations can be further developed and strengthened, including the possibility of concluding treaties or agreements on matters of mutual concern.

ARTICLE 4 This Treaty shall enter into force on today’s date and shall remain in force for a period of ten years. Unless twelve months before the expiry of the said period of ten years either Contracting Party shall have given notice to the other of its intention to terminate the Treaty, this Treaty shall remain in force thereafter until the expiry of twelve months from the date on which notice of such intention is given.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned have signed this Treaty.

DONE in duplicate at Dubai the second day of December 1971AD, corresponding to the fifteenth day of Shawwal 1391H, in the English and Arabic languages, both texts being equally authoritative.

Signed

Geoffrey Arthur  Sheikh Zayed

The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylturbo

Transmission: seven-speed DSG automatic

Power: 242bhp

Torque: 370Nm

Price: Dh136,814

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets

Nancy 9 (Hassa Beek)

Nancy Ajram

(In2Musica)

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Company%C2%A0profile
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets

Profile of Udrive

Date started: March 2016

Founder: Hasib Khan

Based: Dubai

Employees: 40

Amount raised (to date): $3.25m – $750,000 seed funding in 2017 and a Seed round of $2.5m last year. Raised $1.3m from Eureeca investors in January 2021 as part of a Series A round with a $5m target.

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%3Cp%3EAriana%E2%80%99s%20Persian%20Kitchen%3Cbr%3EDinner%20by%20Heston%20Blumenthal%3Cbr%3EEstiatorio%20Milos%3Cbr%3EHouse%20of%20Desserts%3Cbr%3EJaleo%20by%20Jose%20Andres%3Cbr%3ELa%20Mar%3Cbr%3ELing%20Ling%3Cbr%3ELittle%20Venice%20Cake%20Company%3Cbr%3EMalibu%2090265%3Cbr%3ENobu%20by%20the%20Beach%3Cbr%3EResonance%20by%20Heston%20Blumenthal%3Cbr%3EThe%20Royal%20Tearoom%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20WallyGPT%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2014%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESaeid%20and%20Sami%20Hejazi%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20raised%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%247.1%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2020%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPre-seed%20round%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Results

2.15pm: Handicap Dh80,000 1,950m

Winner: Hello, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ali Rashid Al Raihi (trainer).

2.45pm: Handicap Dh90,000 1,800m

Winner: Right Flank, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.

3.15pm: Handicap Dh115,000 1,000m

Winner: Leading Spirit, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.

3.45pm: Jebel Ali Mile Group 3 Dh575,000 1,600m

Winner: Chiefdom, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer.

4.15pm: Handicap Dh105,000 1,400m

Winner: Ode To Autumn, Patrick Cosgrave, Satish Seemar.

4.45pm: Shadwell Farm Conditions Dh125,000 1,200m

Winner: Last Surprise, James Doyle, Simon Crisford.

5.15pm: Handicap Dh85,000 1,200m

Winner: Daltrey, Sandro Paiva, Ali Rashid Al Raihi.

The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo

Power: 201hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 320Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm

Transmission: 6-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 8.7L/100km

Price: Dh133,900

On sale: now 

The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

Juliot Vinolia’s checklist for adopting alternate-day fasting

-      Don’t do it more than once in three days

-      Don’t go under 700 calories on fasting days

-      Ensure there is sufficient water intake, as the body can go in dehydration mode

-      Ensure there is enough roughage (fibre) in the food on fasting days as well

-      Do not binge on processed or fatty foods on non-fasting days

-      Complement fasting with plant-based foods, fruits, vegetables, seafood. Cut out processed meats and processed carbohydrates

-      Manage your sleep

-      People with existing gastric or mental health issues should avoid fasting

-      Do not fast for prolonged periods without supervision by a qualified expert

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Bib%20Gourmand%20restaurants
%3Cp%3EAl%20Khayma%0D%3Cbr%3EBait%20Maryam%0D%3Cbr%3EBrasserie%20Boulud%0D%3Cbr%3EFi'lia%0D%3Cbr%3Efolly%0D%3Cbr%3EGoldfish%0D%3Cbr%3EIbn%20AlBahr%0D%3Cbr%3EIndya%20by%20Vineet%0D%3Cbr%3EKinoya%0D%3Cbr%3ENinive%0D%3Cbr%3EOrfali%20Bros%0D%3Cbr%3EReif%20Japanese%20Kushiyaki%0D%3Cbr%3EShabestan%0D%3Cbr%3ETeible%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Sole survivors
  • Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
  • George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
  • Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
  • Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
THREE
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Company profile

Company: Rent Your Wardrobe 

Date started: May 2021 

Founder: Mamta Arora 

Based: Dubai 

Sector: Clothes rental subscription 

Stage: Bootstrapped, self-funded 

While you're here
Updated: January 25, 2023, 9:31 AM`