My husband and I went to Bhutan in May for our honeymoon for 8 days after spending 4 days in Istanbul. In hindsight we should have spent our entire 2 weeks in Bhutan at the Amankora resorts. We are very active people and limited our stay to a week because we were concerned that there would not be enough for us to do and see. All I have to say is we were dead wrong. Bhutan is a fascinating place to visit and there is so much to see, do and learn. We are also not big museum or sightseeing travelers, but all of the monasteries and temples were incredibly beautiful and unique, and we couldn’t get enough of them. As for the accommodations, we had never even heard of the Aman chain prior to booking this trip and after our experience at 4 of their resorts in Bhutan we are hooked. I’ve posted reviews for the resorts in Thimphu, Gangtey, Punakha and Paro. (They all start with this opening so feel free to skip down to the last paragraph).
The rooms at each resort look the same, and each one is immaculate. They are minimalist and sparse but have every amenity you could want. The lotion and soap at each one smelled amazing, we were obsessed with it. The only warning I would give is the only door to the bathroom is for the toilet, so make sure you are sharing a room with someone you are comfortable with.
As a caveat, if you do not like to be on roads that are winding and bumpy this is not the place for you to go. Each resort was at least a 3 hour drive through spectacular valleys, and our driver (Karma) did an excellent job at navigating. However, most of the roads are rough and only wide enough for 1.5 cars so the driving is slow with a lot of stop and go and passing. They are in the process of fixing them but for now, just a warning. If you want to pre-request an excellent guide, ask for Nema. He was above and beyond what we expected.
Some tips: 1) don’t drink the “holy” water when the monks offer it to you, fake it…it’s not purified, I got sick; 2) internet connection was spotty at some of the resorts; 3) if you can, try to plan your trip around a festival. We just missed one in Bumthang; 4) don’t expect Druk Air to be on time. Although our experience may have been an exception because they ordered more planes and expanded the schedule and when we flew they hadn’t received the planes yet. Also, the landing isn’t as scary as people make it out to be. I hate flying and I was fine; 5) if you want to hike, bring hiking boots and waterproof clothing. We went in May, it rained; 6) book spa appointments in advance, 7) laundry is included so no need to bring a lot of clothes, they will wash your clothes daily, and your shoes if you leave them outside. Everyone is very casual, you could probably wear sweatpants to dinner every night if you want; 8) We used Jetset World Travel to book our entire vacation, they are amazing. It’s rare to find a travel agency that has actually been to all of the places they recommend. We used Julia and she was beyond amazing.
Amankora Paro
Our last stop was Paro. This resort is the biggest and although the staff was still wonderful, it felt a little less personal. The food was not as inventive as at the other places, and it wasn’t as serene, even though it is situated in a pine forest with spectacular views of the mountains. The only reason to come here is to climb to Tigers Nest. Definitely start early, even though your guide may say that you don’t have to. There are so many people and donkeys going up the path so it’s nice to get there ahead of the crowds. We actually opened it up the day we went and it felt much more personal. Also ask for a Buddhist name, you have to give a donation but it’s a fun thing to have. We did venture into town but there was not much to see. There were some hikes but we did not have time for them.
- Amankora Hotel Paro
- Paro Amankora Hotel
