Gangtey Lodge Bhutan — Hotel in Jangchen Koomboo

Overall, breathtaking valley views, world-class warm hospitality, delicious food, and sense of place make this one of the best luxury hotels I've ever stayed at.||I've been to 43 countries, but I'll never forget Gangtey Lodge. It was the highlight of my entire week-long Bhutan trip (which says a lot because Bhutan is such a magical country).||As I was warned when I arrived, the only problem I'd have was that I booked for only 2 nights. I'd recommend guests to stay for 3-5 nights since for the rest of my trip I regretted leaving so soon.||Honestly, I have nothing bad to say about Gangtey Lodge.||This hotel is ideal for solo travelers, couples, or small families with older children who appreciate nature and spirituality. Still, I don't think it's a good fit for larger tour groups since the vibe is quiet and boutique, and there's less common space to gather.||I stayed 100% for free using 105k Hilton points per night via Small Luxury Hotels (SLH) and still got all the same included amenities of paying guests such as half-board. Just make sure to contact the hotel before booking with points since availability with Hilton isn't accurately displayed, which I think is an issue caused by SLH and Hilton's recent partnership.|||HOSPITALITY|The staff are so warm, thoughtful, and proactive in everything they do. From offering you a heated neck pad when you sit on the terrace, to singing a lovely welcome song, to lighting the fireplace and preparing the room for your arrival, there's so much attention to detail that you just don't see elsewhere.||The General Manager Gustini brings the utmost level of professionalism and thoughtfulness to the hospitality experience. She has elevated service to an art form. The fact that she has decades of hospitality management from Aman Resorts, widely seen as #1 in the world for boutique hospitality, clearly shows.||She also proactively connected me to the GM of another hotel I wanted to visit and is overall very informative and helpful.|||ROOMS|First of all, the valley views from the rooms are absolutely stunning. The fact that there's a bathtub outside the bathroom and next to the window really heightens the experience.||Overall, the rooms are so warm, comfortable, and cozy with the fireplace (that the staff will light for you whenever you ask), melding traditional elements with modern touches. The heated flooring was a very nice touch! There's a lot of really thoughtful design that went into the room layout.||I did have to do some work and take some calls, so the staff brought me a chair, and I worked from the bathroom counter. The wifi was solid, and while the setup sounds awkward, it was actually perfectly fine.||There's no separate spa area, but they'll do the spa treatments in your room. Since I didn't book any treatments, I can't comment on anything other than the complimentary 5 min. shoulder/neck massage they gave in the main lodge at check-in, which was a nice welcome.||There are 12 rooms overall spread across 2 wings (each with 2 floors) on different sides of the main common lodge area.|||DINING|As a vegan, Chef Bernard went far out of his way to attend to my needs, checking on me throughout my stay. While I never got to meet her/him, the pastry chef made some really tasty vegan cakes, cookies, and chocolates for me. I couldn't get enough of the avocado chocolate cake at breakfast - so good!||I don't drink alcohol, but I ordered a few mocktails, and they were all well-done and customized to have no sugar.|||ACTIVITIES|The included options of visiting the local shedra (Buddhist college) for evening prayers with 200 monks and playing traditional bamboo bow archery and darts were awesome. Special thanks to Tashi for leading these with warmth, knowledge, and patience.||I didn't get to try the mountain bikes or get dressed up in local dress, but I'd definitely do these things next time.||Also, I chose to do off-property activities with my own guide. Hiking through the serene valley, seeing the black-necked cranes (season Oct-Mar), and visiting the local monastery are must-do's. I'm sure Gangtey Lodge can facilitate all these activities and...

The time I spent at Gangtey Lodge was life changing. This is not cliche but true. Ania Zok is more than a General Manager. She is a gracious and kind hostess who makes you feel you are the only guest in her lovely home. She was an inspiration!

I traveled to Bhutan on my own in March in honor of a milestone birthday. It has taken me a few months to find the words to describe this unique property or properly reflect my experience and gratitude. I now realize that there is nothing I write which will adequately recount my time with Ania and her professional, kind and talented team.

First and foremost, DO NOT stay less than 3-days here. Shorten another property or location if you must but to fully experience all that the lodge and the Phobjikha Valley have to offer, 3-days should be non negotiable with your tour operator.

Secondly, If possible, allow yourself to fully disconnect from the outside world while there. Gangtey Lodge has been designed with this goal in mind. Its’ staff has one purpose while you are there — to serve you. And they do so, with grace and care. No request is too big or small. I even was taught by a lovely staff member to play “Taag dha Nor” (Tigers and Cows) a classic Bhutanese board game. I had so much fun I bought the game to share with my family and friends when I got home!

Chef Soh is a magician when it comes to her culinary skills. Prior to my arrival, I had suffered from a serious food-borne illness and was bedridden for 4 days. However, from the moment I arrived at Gangety Lodge, Chef discussed with me my “recovery phase” while assuring me that I would feel replenished and renewed by the time I departed. And that is exactly what happened! Every meal was prepared specifically with this purpose in mind and as a result, I was able to hike and enjoy all that the Phobjikha Valley has to offer.

The rooms are perfection. Simple elegance is the best way to describe. All rooms are the identical so no need to request a specific one. Each with a freestanding roll top bathtub positioned to allow for sweeping views of the entire valley. Heated floors, comfy mattress and cozy towels and linens.

Must dos: In room massage. When you arrive you receive a complimentary sample, this is nothing compared to the full hour or 90 minutes. Discuss your needs with your therapists and they will design a treatment just for that. Another Must is sitting out on the expansive deck with a heated neck wrap and cozy blanket while you dream or journal or both! Consider dedicating one day just staying on property to to experience all the offerings or spend your afternoon after your outing being pampered and nourished with yummy teas and goodies. I assure you — you will not be able to get enough of this amazing spot!

Spoiler Alert: Never have I ever experienced a welcome to a property like I did at Gangety Lodge. In honoring my promise to keep the actual details sacred and therefore, a secret and to assure I will be allowed back I will leave my comment at that. But it is fair to say - the welcome is just the beginning. I did cry when I left and 2 months later I still think back fondly on my special time at Gangtey Lodge and miss it so. Thank you for the gift...

When we arrived at the lodge, we were thinking what had we signed up for - we drove past couple of rather old looking structures. Nevertheless, we kept our spirits high and were warmly greeted by the GM of the lodge Gustini together with her team with the Khata as we alighted from our vehicle.

You’ll descend a few steps from the road to get to the lobby and we were awed when we stepped in both by the view of the valley as well as the singing from the team. The pine tree as part of the Christmas decoration gave a really nice homely feeling. After a short briefing from Gustini, Executive Chef Soh did her part by sharing with us the menu and her cooking concept. It was also nice to have a complimentary 5mins neck and shoulder massage from the spa team.

Both our rooms have a fantastic view of the valley and with the bathtub right beside the window, it is nice way to unwind each day after the hikes with a hot soak in the tub. The floor heating provides sufficient warmth throughout the whole room including the bath area. The housekeeping team did a fantastic job keeping the rooms clean and the multiple times of turndown ensured the room is always spotlessly clean. The final turndown with the hot water bottle kept under the blanket to keep the bed warm together with the humidifier is a simple but nice touch.

Daily meals is superb and dinner is always a culinary experience by Chef Soh. There is an also a good wines and whiskey to go with your dinner but do go slow bearing in mind the altitude! It is always a pleasure to share the day’s story with both Gustini and Chef Soh. During our stay, a few of us suffered from altitude sickness feeling nauseous and lack of appetite and the team willingly took the extra mile to ensure we still had our fair share of light diet before our hikes.

The verandah overlooking the valley with comfortable lounge chairs and blankets is also another perfect place to unwind each day - hot chocolate or ginger tea with the delicious cakes from the pastry team. Unprompted, the staff promptly provided us with homemade snacks, hot water bottles, blankets and binoculars to observed the wildlife from the balcony. We managed to capture a few fantastic shots of the cranes flying close to us from here! We were fortunate to have a clear night sky and managed to capture beautiful shots of the star-studded sky - awesome!

Amongst the many activities, don’t forget to also try out the archery!

A few areas to look into but definitely not deal breaker at all - wifi not very reliable and there is no TV in the room.

We had a fantastic experience staying here and this is Asian hospitality at its best and comparable to other 6 stars rated resort but more...