COMO Hotels and Resorts to Open New Uma Punakha in Bhutan

  • February 10, 2012
COMO Hotels and Resorts to Open New Uma Punakha in Bhutan
It joins sister property Uma Paro for the company's second outpost in Bhutan. The launch also creates a two-center opportunity to further explore the kingdom for guests seeking cultural discovery and physical adventure, such as Uma's signature trekking itineraries.

Location
The new property is situated on a hillside in the verdant Punakha Valley (pictured above), a five-hour drive from Paro, home to the only international airport. The steep path to Uma Punakha boasts spectacular bird's-eye views. A few traditional houses dot the vista, along with spreading jacaranda trees, known for their stunning purple blooms, and apple orchards. Bright green terraced fields spread out below, graduating toward a dramatic bend in the Mo Chu River. Famous for its pale blue glacial waters, the Mo Chu (female river) joins the Po Chu (male river) a few miles downstream.

Punakha is one of the most important valleys to the Bhutanese because it is home to two of the country's great historical attractions: the Temple of the Divine Madman – a 14th-century fertility temple dedicated to the Tibetan Buddhist Saint Drukpa Kuenley – and the Punakha Dzong, a fortress temple where the current King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk and his bride Jetsun Pema were recently married. Uma Punakha therefore offers a gateway to this important cultural region, as well as opportunities for white-water rafting, hiking, and cycling.

The lodge will also be home to a COMO Shambhala retreat. Located in a villa complex overlooking picturesque ruins and the valley below, the retreat's two treatment rooms will include a hot-stone bath.

Design
Cheong Yew Kuan, a Singapore-born, Bali-based architect, who designed COMO Shambhala Estate and Uma Ubud in Bali, designed this new lodge. True to Yew Kuan's style, simplicity prevails, with natural light flooding interiors. The lodge comprises nine deluxe rooms and two one-bedroom villas. The look complements the established pared-back, traditionally-influenced splendor of Uma Paro: oversized beds, wood-burning stoves, and calming neutral color schemes punctuated with vibrant flourishes of traditional hand-painted Bhutanese wall designs.

Food and Beverage
Uma Punakha's open-plan restaurant and lounge bar will showcase the best local ingredients and Bhutanese delicacies alongside a varied international menu. This is in line with Uma Paro's Bukhari restaurant, which is popular with in-house guests as well as some of Bhutan's royal family.

More information: COMO Hotels & Resorts