About this hotel
General information
&Beyond Punakha River Lodge is a small lodge on the banks of the Mo Chhu in the Punakha valley, surrounded by rice terraces, an orange orchard and forested hills, with Himalayan peaks on the horizon. It is &Beyond’s first fully owned lodge in Asia, and it carries the company’s familiar approach to Bhutan: light-footprint luxury and attentive service with a personal butler. The grounds cover more than 20 hectares and give guests their own direct access to the river.
There are only nine places to stay – six tented suites, the two-storey River House and the spacious Family Suite – for no more than 20 guests at a time. The architecture pairs traditional Bhutanese timber structures with safari-style canvas, and interiors mix handcrafted detail with a quiet, unfussy elegance. Facilities include a pool, a spa, an open-air yoga studio, an outdoor kitchen, a fire pit and the Adventure Shop, stocked with Bhutanese textiles and local crafts. Three meals a day, house wines and spirits and a choice of activities are included, and the lodge is open year-round.
Location
The lodge sits in the heart of the Punakha valley, one of the warmest in Bhutan, right on the Mo Chhu; the Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten is about a 45-minute walk along the river, and Punakha Dzong and the suspension bridge over the Pho Chhu lie nearby in the valley. An &Beyond guide meets guests at Paro airport for the drive to the lodge, roughly three and a half hours with stops; helicopter transfers can be arranged on request. The road from the capital, Thimphu, crosses the Dochu La pass with its views of the Himalaya.
Spa
The spa stands in the orange orchard, looking out to snow-capped peaks. Its massage rooms offer signature Bhutanese treatments, traditional Bhutanese massage, body therapies, facials and foot rituals, all using natural products made from local ingredients. A tradition of its own is the dotsho, the hot stone bath, taken in a private open-air bathhouse at the river’s edge, where fire-heated river stones are dropped into water infused with herbs such as artemisia. Yoga and meditation with the lodge’s instructors take place in the open-air studio or out in nature; spa treatments are charged separately.
Sports & leisure
Morning yoga, mountain biking, traditional archery, darts and evening Bhutanese cooking classes are included; rafting and kayaking are extra. Other options include:
- a walk along the river to the Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten (about 45 minutes);
- a 2–3-hour hike to Hokatsho Lake, following an irrigation channel through dense forest;
- forest walks from the Dochu La pass (3,140 m);
- whitewater rafting on the Pho Chhu and Mo Chhu, kayaking and canoeing;
- mountain-bike routes, from easy single track to demanding off-road trails;
- birdwatching, including the rare white-bellied heron;
- visits to Punakha Dzong, the Sangchhen Dorji Lhuendrup Lhakhang nunnery, Chimi Lhakhang and the suspension bridge over the Pho Chhu;
- guided village walks with a visit to a Bhutanese farmhouse;
- a tshewang blessing ceremony at a temple or nunnery;
- the Punakha Tshechu festival and its masked dances;
- picnics by the river, in the paddy fields or at the chorten.
Restaurants & bars
The cooking is seasonal and rooted in local recipes, with much of the produce coming from the lodge’s large organic vegetable garden. Breakfast, lunch and dinner can be served on the outdoor lodge deck, by the pool, in the paddy fields, above the river, at the suspension bridge or in the privacy of a suite. There is a bar with a varied wine list, a fire pit for the evenings and an outdoor interactive kitchen where Bhutanese cooking classes are held. Private dining can be arranged, and a butler looks after each stay.
Swimming
The rim-flow pool looks over the river to the surrounding ranges and doubles as a spot for a relaxed Bhutanese lunch. The River House has its own plunge pool, and the Family Suite a private pool beside its shared living area.
Rooms
Nine places to stay: six Tented Suites, the one-bedroom River House and the two-bedroom Family Suite, each with a view of the Himalaya.
Each has air conditioning and heating, Wi-Fi, a telephone, a safe, a hairdryer, a bath, a private verandah and a coffee plunger.
Tented Suite
A safari-style tent suspended from a traditional Bhutanese timber frame and placed for privacy, with a bedroom, a bathroom with a bath and indoor and outdoor showers, and a verandah with a daybed. Sleeps two adults.
One-Bedroom Villa – River House
A two-storey villa for couples beside a mountain stream with Himalayan views: a lounge and dining room, kitchen, verandah and private pool downstairs, and a bedroom with an open bathroom and freestanding bath upstairs. Sleeps two adults.
Two-Bedroom Villa – Family Suite
Two interconnecting suites, each with its own bathroom, verandah and outdoor shower, around a shared lounge and dining room, private bar, terrace and pool, looking out to the Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten above the paddy fields. Sleeps up to four adults.
Photos are for illustrative purposes only. Actual room layout, furnishings, décor, views and amenities may differ from those shown and may vary between rooms of the same category. Hotel and room descriptions are based on information provided by the property and are believed to be accurate at the time of publication, but are not guaranteed. The hotel may renovate or change its rooms, facilities, restaurants and services at any time without notice. The final details of your stay are confirmed at the time of booking. See our Terms of Use.