The architecture and interior of this luxury hotel’s fve lodges perfectly frame the country’s majestic landscape.
The warm, understated interior of this villa in the Paro lodge maximises the natural views.
While most countries base success on the growth of their economy, the Kingdom of Bhutan has been doing something completely different for years. Located in the Himalayas – home to Mount Everest, the earth’s highest mountain above sea level – and with Tibet to the north as well as India to its south, east and west, Bhutan focuses on its Gross National Happiness.
The bright motifs of the prayer wheels at Kyichu Lhakhang temple in Paro.
The Dochula Pass, located on the road between, Thimphu and Punakha, is home to 108 memorial chortens, or shrines.
The Punakha lodge overlooks tiered rice paddies.
The four pillars of this philosophy are sustainable development, environmental protection, cultural preservation and good governance – and Six Senses Bhutan practises all of them.
The luxury hotel, comprising five lodges, was designed to encourage guests to admire the natural diversity of the country and appreciate the beauty of its majestic landscape. Each lodge has a different style and showcases the characteristics of the five valleys of Bhutan: Thimphu, Punakha, Gangtey, Bumthang and Paro.
Each has between eight and 10 suites as well as three to five villas. Amenities include a restaurant, a library, a spa and an indoor or outdoor pool. And all of the lodges have exceptional views of the natural landscape in a peaceful setting, where wellness and sustainability meet.
The cosy interior of the Punakha lodge’s restaurant.
A traditional Bhutanese dragon motif adorns the wallpaper in a private room at the Thimphu lodge.
On the Punakha Suspension Bridge.
EVERYTHING ENCOURAGES RECONNECTION WITH ONESELF AND IMMERSION IN THE LOCAL CULTURE.
The spacious interiors are a tribute to Bhutanese architecture that’s expressed through understated timber furniture, traditional wood-burning stoves called bukhari and antique washed Himalayan rugs.
Six Senses Bhutan aims to help visitors discover the county’s rich culture and experience its warm hospitality and spirituality. Guests can partake in many activities, ranging from art, history, botany and birdwatching to meditation, wellness and sports. At this magical destination, where it is easy to forget about contemporary, fast-paced life, everything encourages reconnection with oneself and immersion in the local culture.
With 60 per cent of its land allocated to forestry – as mandated in its constitution – the kingdom puts nature at the centre of its concerns.
Six Senses Bhutan follows this approach, maintaining balance in all aspects of its lodges. Here, adventure and serenity go hand-in-hand.
Visit www.sixsenses.com/resorts/bhutan/destination to find more about Six Senses Bhutan.
The Paro Valley, as seen from the bathroom in one of the Paro lodge villas.
text KARINE MONIE photos COURTESY OF SIX SENSES
