Six Senses, part of IHG Hotels & Resorts’ fast-growing Luxury & Lifestyle portfolio, 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 100ha, 60-key country estate.
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.”
