Location and Design
Six Senses Vana is located next to the vibrant town of Dehradun about an hour drive away from the airport of Dehradun. Although the retreat sits alongside the city it is enveloped by the forest with beautiful trees and serene nature. Sometimes you can hear the bustle of the city but I found it unobtrusive and easily overshadowed by the tranquillity of the setting.
The design is modern and was led by the renowned Spanish architects, the Estevas, to reflect a serene, minimalistic style that focuses on clean lines, natural materials and an integration with the forest. It definitely creates a tranquil and relaxing atmosphere. All the rooms have views of the beautiful gardens or the forest and are a very good size.
As I visited with a friend, I shared a forest suite with her that had two separate bathrooms and a living area. It even had its own meditation suite which was a great encouragement to sit quietly in the morning or evening before bed time.
The Team
The team is wonderful! Combining the high levels of Indian luxury hospitality with a real caring about every guest’s wellbeing. Upon arrival, a photo is taken of you and shared with the entire team, ensuring they know exactly who you are, which program you’re on, and your preferences. It’s an incredibly efficient and impressive system! The wellness team, in particular, is outstanding—but more on that later...
Food
For those new to wellness retreats, the idea can often feel intimidating, with concerns about limited food options and unappealing meals. However, at Six Senses Vana, this couldn’t be further from the truth. The food is not only delicious but also offers an impressive variety. Breakfast and lunch feature an extensive selection of healthy options from the buffet, along with à la carte dishes, while dinner presents a different à la carte menu every evening. The effort and dedication required to offer such variety on a daily basis are remarkable, and it’s one of the few places in the world where I’ve experienced this level of choice. The menus and buffets are thoughtfully curated, showcasing both Asian and European options to cater to diverse tastes.
During your consultation with the doctor, they determine which foods are suitable for you and which are not, and this information is uploaded to your profile. They may also prescribe specific juices and herbal teas to be taken before or after meals as part of your therapeutic program. Impressively, every member of the restaurant team is aware of this information. When I tried to sneak in a cheeky dessert, I was gently stopped, as my doctor had restricted sugar and gluten during my program. Fortunately, I was still allowed my one precious cup of coffee in the morning—though no more than that!
Rajesh, the Director of Food at Vana, took me on a tour to the kitchens where I was shown that everything is made on site using largely organic ingredients. They bake all their own breads, including the most delicious gluten free bread. Everything is made with love, care and attention and there is a big screen in the kitchen that shows all the notes for every single guest, so they can make your meal individual to your prescription and preferences.
Rajesh shared with me that chillies were imported to India by the Portuguese and are not indigenous. So at Vana, they will only use chillies on the side but never cook with them, as Rajesh feels that too much heat takes away from the exquisite tastes of the food. Instead, they concentrate on the therapeutic spices that are so abundant in India.
Wellness Facilities and Activities
Wellness is at the heart of Vana. It’s the perfect destination for anyone looking to enhance their health and wellbeing, offering a wide range of wellness modalities. Vana is particularly renowned for its Tibetan Medicine department, which was inaugurated and blessed by the Dalai Lama. The therapists and doctors undergo years of rigorous training at his institute in Northern India, ensuring that this ancient healing tradition continues to thrive.
There is also Ayurveda of course, alongside a Traditional Chinese Medicine and Physiotherapy department. If you just want to stay and have a healthy break without a particular focus, they have the Natural Therapies Centre where you can get different massages and facials too.
There are lots of activities available every day. From yoga, meditation, fitness, hikes, pottery, talks about health, exploring yoga philosophy and Tibetan Medicine. Learning how to make your own herbal concoctions and face and body applications at the Apothecary. You will not be bored!
My Wellness Experience
I chose to do the Tibetan Medicine retreat because it is so unique, and I was fascinated by this ancient healing method. It started with a consultation with Dr Sapo who gave me my diagnosis by taking the pulse in both my hands plus inspecting my tongue. He was remarkably accurate about my health issues and my personality! And prescribed me lots of holistic Tibetan treatments to lower my cortisol and help keep me in a calm state.
As part of my program, I also had a consultation with the physiotherapist and a session of acupuncture and moxibustion with Dr. Dimple, the Traditional Chinese Medicine doctor. She was incredibly intuitive and precise, identifying a health condition I had as a child, along with more recent issues. When I asked how she knew this, she explained that her insights came from analysing my organs and meridians, a key diagnostic tool in Chinese Medicine. It was a powerful reminder of the wisdom and deep insight inherent in these ancient healing practices.
My Personal Highlights
- The Watsu Session I had. It is a combination of shiatsu massage, joint mobilization, and water-based bodywork in a round pool. I think everybody should try this as it deeply therapeutic for your body, senses and mind.
- The quality of the Doctors and diagnostics is very impressive. It makes you understand that ancient healing practices such as Tibetan and Traditional Chinese Medicine are holistic, getting to the route cause of what may be troubling you.
- When I was visiting, there was a resident artist that was running art sessions. I loved being able to move away from my overworked mind into a space of creativity. I didn’t get to do the pottery class which is available all year round, but I heard this has the same effect.
Areas for Improvement
- When you go on a hike you are provided with a rucksack with a water flask, herbal tea flask and tiffin tin with some snacks. With the purpose of sustainability the rucksack is very heavy. I gave this feedback to the team who promised they would review this policy but I would recommend you ask about this if you are wanting to go on a hike and not wanting to carry a heavy load.
I would recommend this Wellness Resort/Retreat to:
- Anyone who wants to experience a fully integrated wellness retreat environment and dedicate time to feeling better. It is a very restorative place to go.
- Single travellers, couples and those who are travelling with a friend. It is quite a social place and you get to meet interesting and like minded people.
Insider Info
- There is a strictly no phones policy in the public spaces…and that means no photographs of anywhere except your room. I was given a little reprieve from this for the sake of this review…but I had to use all my convincing skills
- Freshly laundered kurta pyjamas, flip flops and crocks are available, so you don’t have to even think about what to wear. It got a little chilly in the evening, and blankets and wraps were thoughtfully provided. Travel light!
- The months of July and August are monsoon months where the rain comes down heavily every day.
Visited in December 2024
Why Wellbeing Escapes?
