Six Senses Laamu has taken home the 2017 Eco-Hotel of the Year award by AsiaSpa.

At the 13th annual AsiaSpa Awards ceremony held in Hong Kong recently, Six Senses Laamu won the Eco-Spa/Hotel of the Year award that celebrates its commitment to sustainability throughout its operations and development.

“We are very excited to receive this award from AsiaSpa. As we stay true to our core values of being environmentally responsible and caring, having been recognised for our efforts as the Eco-Hotel of the Year by AsiaSpa is a great honor. The Six Senses Laamu team shows great initiative when it comes to marine conservation, responsible energy and water consumption and overall reducing the resort’s carbon footprint and we try to be better and more effective every day. I am very proud for the team and we will continue to work together towards an even more sustainable Six Senses Laamu,” Marteyne van Well, General Manager of Six Senses Laamu, was quoted in a statement, as saying.

With many conservation projects and initiatives in place, Six Senses Laamu and its Six Senses Spa have committed to being a leader among Maldives resorts and of the industry by demonstrating such responsible operations, while providing high quality services and experiences to its guests. In winning this award, the resort has been acknowledged for its pursuit of excellence and for striving to raise the bar in the region’s thriving wellness industry.

Some of the key sustainable initiatives created by the resort include:

• Six Senses Laamu has laid the foundation to be the first plastic-free atoll in the Maldives by 2020.
• Creation of an Earth Lab; a centralised hub of recycling and innovative ideas. Glass is recycled into pots, vegetable waste becomes compost, and wood into charcoal. For example 660kg of recycled glass light covers were produced in the Earth Lab.
• The resort enforces a strict “no-take” stance on the purchase of endangered or vulnerable fish from local fishermen.
• The resort funded and created the first Turtle Festival in Laamu, “Turtles in Laamu, Safe and Protected,” which had more than 600 attendees.
• In 2014, they created and distributed the country’s first ever Dolphin Watching Code of Conduct as well as a turtle interaction code of conduct.
• Six Senses Laamu partners with international NGOs such as the Manta Trust, the Blue Marine Foundation, and the Olive Ridley Project.
• Reef Check, Fish Watch, Shark Watch, barnacle studies and biodiversity surveys are conducted year round with data submitted to the IUCN, Marine Research Centre, and the Olive Ridley Project.
• Their reusable bag initiative teaches local women to make bags from old clothes, eliminating the need for single-use plastic bags.
• The resort provides marine education to local youth in all 13 schools in Laamu.
• Bi-monthly community meetings are held about waste management, marine reserves, and internship/employment opportunities.
• Designated plastic, metal, paper, glass bins are constant reminders to guests about the importance of waste segregation. Guests are encouraged to bring batteries, lighters, and plastic back to their respective countries for recycling.
• Bicycles are provided for transportation around the island.
• Suppliers are asked to reduce any necessary packaging in all deliveries.
• The resort conducts beach and reef clean-ups, tree-planting sessions, local community visits, and turtle and manta naming.

Six Senses Laamu is the only resort located in the Laamu atoll, which lies in the southern part of the Maldives. Surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the resort prides itself on its commitment to sustainable operations and development as outlined by Agenda 21 and Green Globe Benchmarking.

At Six Senses Laamu, most of the villas and facilities are built overwater. However, beach villas and on-land dining is an option. All villas offer a sense of privacy and seclusion, with an amazing view to the Ocean and Maldivian nature.

Six Senses Laamu offers a wide range of dining options, with cuisines from around the world, a swimming pool with a sunken bar, an ice cream parlour, an overwater wine cellar and a signature Chill bar. Many activities, excursions and options are available for everyone to enjoy, both overwater and underwater, in addition to the Six Senses Spa.