A highly recommended stay. From amazing view, luxury suite and truly delicious meals to friendly and accommodating staff. From the chats with Sonam over a meal to the warm open smiles of the local people. Many thanks to my personal guide Norbu - all program was really interesting and cognitive!
I loved my short but sweet stay here and one more day would have been most welcome.
Highly recommend hot stone bath in the evening - unforgettable experience!

The hotel is located some 10 km from downtown Paro in a hill, with partly unpaved roads (Nak sel is providing finance for the pavement actually). The rooms are very good and comfortable. We were given free upgrades to the large suites facing the mountains and in the far distance you could spot the Tiger's Nest. We were greeted by Sonam, the owner of the hotel who was very attentive to us and who gave us a little present at departure which was a nice gesture from her. The only remarks I would make is toiletries are not enough,there is a fixed soap dispenser in the sink which is ok, but there is none in the bath shower, which is a bit odd. Massageurs are good, we had massage in our room (aroma bath) which is very good but as other said, they had to charge the bill asking for one's signature right after the massage (I think you could bill me later). All in all, we had a great time at the Nak-sel and if I had the chance to return to Bhutan (which I'd love) I would return to the Nak-sel. If you're going to Bhutan, please take good care of the environment, do not throw trash, appreciate their culture and be prepared: people is REALLY NICE.

If you look at the reviews of Nak-Sel recently it suggests that something has gone wrong at some point during 2011. We think that the explanation is probably that some of the guys from overseas who have been involved previously in running the hotel (Jesse most noticeably) have left and not been replaced. This is not to say that the Bhutanese staff in the hotel aren't potentially up to the task, just that they are not there yet.

They need more training in managing customers' expectations and responding to problems. They also need to work towards a higher standard of English. They are friendly people but currently out of their depth running the sort of hotel that Nak-Sel aspires to be (and needs to be when charging on average a supplement of over 100 USD per day).

Jesse had told us when we booked Nak-Sel that the spa might not be finished by the time we arrived so our expectations about this were reasonably low. That said, it would have been good to have had confirmation about this before we arrived. We didn't, we think, because in the intervening time Jesse had left the hotel and our messages were suddenly not being answered.

The spa, by the way, is some way off completion by the looks of things. You can still have the hot stone bath or spa treatments in your room. We would rate both as okay but both could have been better with more assertive management: no constant interruptions during the bath to settle the bill (!) and a masseuse in a uniform as opposed to a bloke who looked like he's just turned up off the street. The bath and the massage were both good but it's the missing little touches that would have made them memorable for the right reasons.

Other reviewers have commented negatively on the food. There wasn't a lot of choice but we were happy enough. You're in Bhutan so if you expect to be tucking into a prime Rib-Eye every night you've come to the wrong place.

The rooms were good: really toasty under floor heating which - believe us - you need and nicely finished. But again, they were let down by little things: variable electric current and an intermittent WiFi connection.

The best thing about the hotel is its location: it's on the right side of Paro for most of the local attractions and has fabulous views of Jomolhari and other mountains. These are better, we would guess, than the hotels (including the swanky new 5 Star) that are closer to the main road. The 10 minutes in the car from the main road to the reception of Nak-Sel is well worth it.

So, overall it would be a 'Good' hotel if it didn't cost anything extra. As it does, it's hard to rate it as anything above 'Average' at the moment. With some better management it could quickly become a lot better.

This modern, yet traditional boutique hotel is first class all the way. Designed to look like a traditional Bhutantese hotel, it has modern features inside that make it a pleasure to stay here. Style, elegance and comfort start at the main reception building, which has a comfortable and stylish lounge area, bar, bright cafe, and dining room. Upon arrival you are greeted with juice and a hot towel -- especially welcome after a long day of travel. Tea, coffee and cookies are available in the afternoon. Upstairs is an office with computers and a printer. This is a five-star hotel, but is not fully completed yet – a spa is under construction at present and should be completed soon.

Because we booked our tour through Rainbow Tours, which owns Nak Sel, we were upgraded to one of the luxury suites on the upper level with views of the valley below and the famous Tiger’s Nest monastery. Each suite has a private balcony and large windows on three sides to admire these views.

As much as possible, all local materials are used in the construction, with slate roof tiles, wood trim and stone on the outside in traditional Bhutanese style. Inside, old-style pine floors, wood beams, Bhutanese paintings and carpets lend a classic, rustic look while providing modern comfort and elegance. Intricate Bhutanese wood carvings highlight the wood beams and trim.

The suites have an armoire, desk, TV, and kettle, as well as a safe large enough to hold two laptops. Only the lack of sufficient plugs for recharging your equipment and the dim “mood” lighting that is inadequate for reading affect the overall quality. We learned, however, that additional lighting will be installed in the upcoming low season to fix this situation.

The large bathroom has a wonderful, heated tile floor, granite countertop, a rain showerhead, hair dryer, lots of hot water and pressure, plush towels, bathrobes and slippers. The only slight drawback here is the high step up to the bathtub, which some might find awkward. Wood hand grips make entry safer however.

But these minor inconveniences do not overly detract from the comfort of the suite.

While the suites afford great views from higher up the hill, some new arrivals might find the walk up the steep hill a bit of a challenge if you’ve just arrived in Bhutan and are not yet used to the high altitude of 2,700 meters. But staff can take luggage and guests up the hill in a motorized cart if desired. Standard and deluxe rooms are available in the main building and at a lower level.

Wifi is available in the rooms, but is sketchy at this time because of problems at the telecom company’s main connection. This is supposed to be fixed soon.

Getting up the mountain to the hotel involves a bumpy 15-minute ride over a mostly dirt and rocky track from the main road in Paro. But this is pretty standard in Bhutan and the views make it worthwhile. The last third of the road to the hotel has been paved by the hotel to benefit its guests and the local community.

We found this to be one of the best hotels we have stayed at in our 9 days in Bhutan. Service is excellent as is the food in the dining room. In fact, we had our best meals in Bhutan here.

Overall this is a great place to stay for quality, comfort and relaxation and I would highly recommend it.