In the know
- Our favourite rooms
- The wrap-around windows in Room 30 offer the most staggering mountain-scape views in the hotel (closely followed by room 40). You could lose hours just staring at the magical Himalayan landscape. If you’re after the private spa and butler service of the villas, number 15 is the most secluded and romantic.
- Packing tips
- Bhutan is trekking country, so boots made for walking are essential footwear. If you wish to remain contactable during your mountain retreat (and we really don’t think you should), ensure your mobile operator has a roaming agreement for Bhutan.
- Also
- The excellent Como Shambhala spa is set apart from the main building of the hotel, encircled by forest. There’s an Ayurvedic focus, and the hot stone couples’ massage is worth climbing mountains for.
Current offers
- Smith card offer
- Set dinner for two; members staying three nights will receive a one-hour hot stone bath
More photos
Uma Paro
Bhutan, Bhutan[view map]
- Style
- Mod-con mountain lodge
- Setting
- Pine-lined Himalayan hills
Just 10 minutes from Bhutan’s only airport, Uma Paro perches proudly by the Himalayan mountainside, flanked by thick pine forest. One of the remote kingdom’s only boutique hotels, it offers the pampering pleasures of a Como Shambhala spa amid mind-bendingly beautiful scenery.
Need to know
- Rooms
- 29, including nine villas.
- Rates
- Low season, $250–$1,000; high season $280–$1,200, including breakfast but not taxes.
- Check-out
- 11am. Later check-out requirements may be accommodated, possible subject to a half-day’s room charge.
- Facilities
- Como Shambhala spa, private cars. In rooms: TV, DVD player, minibar. Deluxe rooms, Superior rooms and Corner Suites have free internet access.
- Poolside
- The hotel’s quiet pool is set into a chic stone-walled space with windows looking out over the pine-clad valley of Paro.
- Eco-friendly
- Restaurant ingredients are organic and locally sourced and many members of staff are involved in local clean-up and conservation projects.
- Also
- Smoking is allowed in the bar and courtyard. Uma Paro will organise all visas necessary to visit Bhutan – the government maintains tight control on tourism.
Food & drink
- Hotel restaurant
- A warm, round space encased in glass, Bukhari restaurant centres on a wide brick pillar fitted with twin log fires. The chef offers a choice of Indian or Bhutanese set dinners, as well as more complex à la carte options. Portions are generous.
- Dress code
- Driglam namzha – Bhutan’s national dress – is fortunately only compulsory for its citizens; most guests opt for smart-casual blacks, usually coupled with hiking boots.
- Top table
- The circular shape of the room means almost every table has 300º views of the valley, but table 10 has the edge.
- Last orders
- The stoves are ablaze until 10.30pm but the bar is open for snacks until the last guest retires – usually around midnight.
- Room service
- You can have meals brought directly to your room between 7am and 10pm.
- Hotel bar
- The low-key lobby bar is a jazzy chill-out area panelled with dark wood. Although it’s rarely busy, it’s popular with guests hankering for a pre-dinner Cheli La Latte (Kahlua, tequila, Bailey’s, espresso, cinnamon and nutmeg).
Also worth knowing
- Children
- Under-12s stay free and extra beds can be provided for $50 a night. Babysitting is available for $5 an hour, with a day’s notice. Food can be tailored to suit childish palates.
Smith Members offer
Set dinner for two; members staying three nights will receive a one-hour hot stone bath
If you're a member of Mr & Mrs Smith, you can get special privileges at every Smith hotel you book through us. Just show your Smith card at check-in to claim the offer featured on every hotel page (like the one above).
Click here to become a Mr & Mrs Smith member
Smith travel team
If you'd prefer to talk to someone, or don't want to book online, call our travel team on 1 866 610 3867. We guarantee you’ll get the best available rates, and we don’t charge a booking fee.
Uma Paro
PO Box 22
Paro
Bhutan
