Starwood Hotels and Resorts has confirmed that it has secured a 20-year management agreement for the former Six Senses Sanctuary resort in Phuket, Thailand.
The resort, on the island of Naka Yai in Phuket, is owned by Thai property company Erawan. Erawan announced in June that it would terminate a previous management deal with Six Senses and that Six Senses would no longer be in control of the resort from 31 July 2011.
Erawan owns 13 three to five-star hotel and resort properties in South-East Asia.
Jeremy McCarthy, director of Starwood's global spa development and operations, told Spa Opportunities that the resort would be rebranded as The Naka Island, A Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Phuket
He added that the resort will reopen on 1 November 2011 after a THB70m (1.7m euro, US$2.3m, £1.4m) refurbishment funded by Erawan.
The works will include enhancing the food and beverage facilities in the hotel to provide a wider range of dining and bar options and the addition of meeting facilities.
The change leaves Six Senses with three Soneva resorts, four Evason properties and seven Six Senses resorts, along with 20 other city, hotel, airport and on-board spas and resorts in Asia, the Middle East and Europe.
