Serene, spiritual and one of Asia’s best kept secrets, entering Bhutan is like discovering an entirely different world. Instead of skyscrapers and highways filled with beeping tuk tuks, you’ll find soul-soothing monasteries, breathtaking Himalayan passes and life at its most gentle. And if you thought that might mean sleeping in a mountain hut or a windswept tent, think again. This tiny kingdom has a knock-out collection of hotels with gorgeous interiors, fabulous spas and views that always amaze. Read on for our pick of the best hotels in Bhutan – and new additions to your bucket list.
Como Uma Paro
Behind its whitewashed stone walls, Como Uma Paro is chic and stylish with artfully-designed rooms that all gaze over the emerald valley. You’ll enjoy all the COMO perks including Egyptian cotton linens and luxe bathrooms, and all villas even have their own kitchen, lounge and spa. Taking first prize, however, is the Shambhala spa, a hidden oasis amongst the trees with a menu of heavenly treatments and an enclosed pool for reclining in, on or around. With panoramic views, the Bukhari restaurant serves an array of tasty Bhutanese cuisine and the bar is a perfect spot for apertifs as you swap stories from the day. Speaking of which, days could involve making the climb to the iconic Tiger’s Nest monastery, clinging precariously to a cliff, cycling down scenic Himalayan trails or absorbing the bucolic atmosphere on a picnic in the valley. Sign us up!
Six Senses Bumthang
Nature personified, Six Senses was built as a ‘forest within a forest.’ Not only was not a single tree removed in its creation, each suite also has a pine sapling growing at its centre. This passion for the environment flows throughout with furniture crafted from recycled wood and traditional meals whipped up with foraged ingredients – and delicacies like air-dried yak with glass noodles and rich Bhutanese cheese too. The hotel pays homage to its alpine setting with authentic (and divine) bathing rituals and Himalayan salt treatments at the spa, after which you’ll be walking on air… And you may just need it after treks and horse rides through the glacier-carved valley and walks to the hilltop dzongs and Buddhist legends. But we wouldn’t blame you for wanting to spend hours taking in the view from your balcony, a steaming cup of butter tea in hand.
Amankora Gangtey
Ensconced by the fire-warmed dining room where swathes of glass let your eyes wander into the hushed valley below (binoculars are supplied), it’s easy to see what inspired Amankora Gangtey’s design. Almost every inch of it was built with a honey-coloured pine that mirrors the natural surrounds where yaks graze on the hillside and thickets of green hide quaint villages. Each moment here is idyllic, from hot stone baths and Tibetan massages to private dinners in candlelit potato huts as folk music fills the room. In the library, read up about the symbolism of the endangered black cranes that settle in the valley every winter. Then, trek along mountain trails, learn archery with the best of them and visit the 17th-century Gangtey Goemba monastery for morning prayers. Sublime.
Como Uma Punakha
Perched on a hilltop above mist-enveloped rice paddies and the curving Mo Chu River, you’ll spend every possible moment seated by a flickering fire on the terrace at Como Uma Punakha whether it’s over tea, cocktails or dinner. Their fabulous chef, Tshering, is as much a master at producing lip-smacking Bhutanese dishes as he is Italian – and everything in between! Retire to rooms that are cosy and plush and enjoy huge, pillowy beds, hand-knotted rugs and wall-to-wall windows with views over the valley. Sitting in a secluded glade, the spa provides a retreat for the senses – one soak in the hot stone bath and you’ll be hooked. Punakha is full of adventure too with jaw-dropping helicopter flights, white water rafting and hair-raising journeys along mountain passes. Intimate and picturesque, Como Uma is a gem.
Six Senses Thimphu Lodge
Ethereal and resplendent, the self-dubbed ‘palace in the sky’ is one of Bhutan’s finest hotels. Sitting at cloud-level on a hillside surrounded by orchards and pine groves, Six Senses enjoys spectacular views of Thimphu. The design is minimalist yet luxurious, with plenty of repurposed wooden furnishings and stunning infinity pools dotted around. When it comes to food, take your breakfasts in the apple orchard, three-course lunches at the farm and tuck into a barbecue prepared by a personal chef – and afterwards, there are glorious treatments at the multi-pavilion spa to enjoy and private verandas to relax on whilst the peaceful views wash over you. Out and about, explore Bhutan’s unexpected capital city and the country’s oldest monastery, traditional arrow shops and the famous 170-foot-tall Buddha Dordenma. Shangri-La here we come…
