Uma Paro
Overview
Under-12s stay for free at Uma Paro, and extra beds for older children can be provided for US$50 a night.
Best for
Older kids who can make the most of the trekking, cycling and other cultural activities on offer.
Recommended rooms
Rooms in the main lodge are closest to the restaurant and pool with lovely views, so would suit families travelling with infants. Villas are a short walk away, but provide more privacy and space for families, along with butler service.
Activities
Kids will love having a crack at archery, Bhutan’s favourite sport, in the hotel’s verdant grounds. Hitting the target’s trickier than it looks, but staff will patiently talk you through the technique. You’ll see local games breaking out all over Paro town. Older children should be able to manage some of the shorter treks on offer, including the challenging, but jaw-dropping, one-day walk up to mountain-perched monastery Tiger’s Nest, strewn with prayer flags. You’ll meet donkeys, horses and monks on the ascent, and guides can pack a delicious picnic tiffin box for en route snacking (there’s a vista-toting café halfway up if the hike proves too much for any of your party). If mountain biking’s more your speed, Uma Paro offers a freewheeling downhill ride through nearby villages that will be a buzz for all ages. Kids can also chill out toasting marshmallows by the fire at the hotel’s outdoor camp. On a cultural tip, Paro offers a museum and dzong (monastery), which children may also enjoy.
Swimming pool
Uma Paro’s heated, indoor pool has a fairly adult feel, as it’s sleekly stone-walled and compact, but kids can take a dip and then play outdoors as it gives onto an alfresco sundeck.
Meals
Children are welcome at Bukhari restaurant, where food can be tailored to suit childish palates.
Babysitting
Available for US$5 an hour, with a day’s notice.
Also
One-bedroom Villas work well for families, sporting a master bedroom, plus your own spa treatment space with a second sleeping area for kids, and dining indoors or out on the terrace – or bag the more spacious Two-bedroom Villa for extra luxe.
