Uma Paro Bhutan

Introduction

In autumn 2004, COMO Hotels and Resorts opened Uma Paro, a 29-room hotel offering five-star comfort and singular style in the wildly beautiful Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan.

To the south lies India, with Tibet to the north. The topography is dramatically varied, featuring pine-clad valleys, terraced hills and towering, snow-tipped ranges with impenetrable heights.

Monasteries cling to cliffsides and rivers snake through valleys as orchards line their banks.

The entire nation is Buddhist, and retains deep respect for religious tradition. Uma Paro is an inland retreat, dedicated to Uma’s understated philosophy of quiet comfort in inspiring, culture-rich locations. It is also a place for adventure, where the landscape and people won't fail to uplift you. Simply gaze across the valley the morning you awake.

 Images courtesy of Uma Paro 

Overview

Accommodation

The nine superior double rooms feature large, oversized bathrooms and separate showers, DVD players, heated towel racks, minibars and in-room yoga mats. In the two suites there are separate sitting, dining and study areas, while the eight one-bedroom villas enjoy a private spa and courtyard.

The headline two-bedroom villa has all this plus an even greater privilege of space and endless views. All rooms have views of the forest, mountains or valley.

Restaurants and Bars

Cuisine at Uma Paro is modern, light and respectful of local nuances, available at the restaurant Bukhari, set among tall pine trees.

Menus revive traditional Bhutanese offerings. Specialities include ‘sicum paa’ or dried local pork with Bhutanese chilli, and ‘bathup,’ a hearty soup based on handmade noodles. The foodstuff is largely organic, grown with a local farmer in the hotels own market garden in the surrounding valley.

Other local produce includes hand-churned butter, hand-moulded farm cheese, apple vinegar, and honey sourced from hives in the wildflower-strewn Bhumthang Valley. Wild mushrooms feature, as well as red rice grown in the fields below.

Also enjoy contemporary versions of neighbouring cuisines, which make use of the charcoal tandoor oven.

Recreation

Uma Paro provides access to the different layers that make up Bhutanese life. Cultural highlights include the Paro Festival held in April, and the Thimpu festival in October, with other Buddhist activities throughout the year.

Day trips through the nearby Paro Valley might incorporate Taktsang ‘Tiger’s Nest’ Monastery, Drukyel Dzong and a visit to the temple of Kyichu Lhakhang with an orchard picnic. Each site displays Bhutan's Buddhist tradition, brought to life by attending morning puja, or worship, in a local monastery. Other walking destinations include the remote Haa Valley, carpeted in flowers and pines. Uma Paro can organise visits to Thimpu, the key cultural centre in Bhutan after Paro.

In addition, Uma Paro offers overnight camping treks during spring and summer. Guests don’t carry their own gear (horses are provided) and camps are set up ahead of arrival. Food, as with all excursion picnics, are prepared by Uma Paro’s kitchen.

Mountain biking itineraries include gentle downhill runs with more challenging routes down muddy tracks. Uma's guides conduct lessons in the national sport of archery and can arrange a typical Bhutanese lunch or tea at a local farmhouse.

For teenagers, a woodland camp is set in the hotel grounds - wild but safe, they can camp under the stars. Children can also try the national sport of Bhutan, Archery under supervision of expert tutors.

Relax after all the activity in the resorts indoor pool.

COMO Shambhala

COMO Shambhala Retreat is Uma Paro's holistic heart, a place to better physical and mental equilibrium by way of sophisticated, bespoke treatments, including massage and Ayurveda. COMO Shambhala also makes extensive use of natural ingredients and age-old remedies, working with Bhutan's hospital of Traditional Medicine.

Facilities include four in-house treatment rooms, two in the Hot Stone Bath house and a private treatment room in each one of the nine villas and an indoor pool with outdoor sundeck. There is also a gym and a yoga studio overlooking the Paro Valley. Views are unbeatable, and include pine forest, villages, fields and rivers set into a mountainous enclave.

During certain weeks of the year, the COMO Shambhala Retreat hosts international yoga teachers who lead dedicated retreat weeks.

A 7 night stay at Uma Paro costs from £2590pp, including accommodation in a Superior Room, Breakfast, private transfers and flights from Heathrow to Delhi with British Airways and onwards to Paro with Druk Air.

Essential Information

Weather

The climate in Bhutan varies with altitude, with the highest temperatures and rainfall occurring in the south which bears the brunt of the monsoon between June and September.

Temperatures drop dramatically with increases in altitude though days are usually very pleasant with clear skies and sunshine. Nights are cold and require heavy woollen clothing, particularly in winter. Generally, October, November and April to mid June are the best times to visit - rainfall is at a minimum and temperatures are conducive to active days of sightseeing. The foothills are also very pleasant during the winter.

Passports and Visas

A valid passport is required by all British Citizens travelling to Bhtutan. A visa must be obtained (or authorised) prior to travelling and issuing of air tickets. Business visitors and tourists must make their arrangements through a recognised travel agent and pay at least US$200 for each day they spend in Bhutan (which can include you travel and accommodation costs whilst there).

Health

For up-to-date health advice for Bhutan, please consult your GP.

Insurance

We recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel insurance before travelling.  You should check any exclusions from the policy, and that your policy covers you for all the activities you want to undertake whilst on holiday. Medway Travel can provide you with a quote for this – please contact a member of the Leisure team for further details.