Uma Hotel

Rating

Number of Rooms

20

City

Paro

Price

Rooms

The nine superior doubles are 25sq metres, featuring large, oversized bathrooms and separate showers, DVD players, heated towel racks, minibars and in-room yoga mats. The nine deluxe doubles have the same facilities, but are larger at 32sq metres. In the two suites there are separate sitting, dining and study areas. In the eight one-bedroom villas enjoy a private spa and courtyard. The headline two-bedroom villa has all this plus an even greater privilege of space (300sq metres) and endless views. All rooms have views of the forest, mountains or valley.

Hotel Description / Notes

At Uma Paro, there are 20 rooms and nine villas (including one two-bedroom villa), fashioned by traditionally trained Bhutanese artisans alongside Cheong Yew Kwan, architect of Rocky Point at Parrot Cay. Kathryn Kng, who recently completed the contemporary-styled Metropolitan Bangkok, has designed the interiors. The fusion of clean-lined modernism with indigenous detailing – including carved wooden windows and intricate doors – makes for a fresh aesthetic that recognises Uma Paro’s rich cultural context. At the same time, the design maximises comfort with sleekly efficient amenities

Zhiwa Ling

Rating

Number of Rooms

45

City

Paro

Price

Rooms

Guest rooms are appointed with oak floors, hand-knotted rugs and rich furnishings reflecting the heritage of the country, and respect the traditional skills of local craftsmen. All rooms feature satellite television, direct dial telephones and wireless internet connectivity. In-room dining, laundry and the Spa add to the experience of living in the place of peace.

Hotel Description / Notes

The 45-room Zhiwa Ling combines the sensibilities of a fine Bhutanese guesthouse with the best of 21st Century technology. Envisioned and created by a local Bhutanese company, the hotel's elaborate hand-carved wooden cornices and masterful stonework coexist beautifully with cutting-edge telecommunication systems and Swedish under-floor heating. The spa offers all the amenities of a modern fitness center – sauna, steam room, gym – as well as a traditional Bhutanese outdoor hot-stone bath. There is a Business Center, and a Tea House, two fully-equipped conference rooms and a Meditation House. One restaurant specializes in contemporary international cuisine, the other classic Bhutanese dishes. And everyone gathers at the Mad Monk Bar for after-hours fun. Honoring the spiritual heritage of this ancient Buddhist kingdom, a temple has been built into the second floor of the hotel, made with 450-year-old timbers from the famous Gangtey Monastery, the crowning glory of this new ten-acre cultural landmark in the quiet Paro Valley where Zhiwa Ling fully lives up to its name: Place of Peace.