Amankora Paro — Hotel in Nyamjey_Phangdo

Our 9 day Amankora journey began with a flight from Bangkok into Paro with Druk Air, navigating one of the most challenging airports in the world. Tucked into a narrow valley, the descent offered breathtaking views of Bhutan’s peaks and valleys—a perfect preview of the incredible landscapes ahead. At the airport, we were greeted by Yonten, our guide, and Ugyen, our driver, whose warmth and care shaped our journey into something truly special.|||Thimphu: 3 Nights - Bhutan’s Modern Heart||An hour drive from Paro airport, Thimphu was our first stop where Amankora’s lodge provided a tranquil escape just outside the bustling capital. Yonten guided us to the Tashichho Dzong and the towering Buddha Dordenma, helping us connect with Bhutan’s blend of tradition and modernity. Evenings at the lodge were spent by the fire, enjoying hearty meals and reflecting on the day’s discoveries.||We also had the pleasure of meeting Theo Cromhout, Aman’s new Country General Manager for Bhutan and a fellow South African. Theo’s leadership and attention to detail were evident throughout our stay, adding an extra layer of care to an already exceptional experience.||Gangtey: 2 Nights - Quiet and Exclusive||The 5 hours drive to Gangtey was unforgettable, with mountain passes offering breathtaking views of the snow-capped Himalayas. The lodge, with just eight suites, felt wonderfully exclusive and perfectly at home in its surroundings. Perched above the Phobjikha Valley, it provided sweeping views of the beautiful landscape.||Here, we spent peaceful days hiking through forests and villages, soaking in the valley’s untouched beauty and visiting the ‘town fair’ which happened to be on at the time we visited. Returning to the lodge in the evenings for a hot stone bath with a view of the valley and Dzong (a must do) and dinner in a rustic potato shed lit by 140 candles, was the perfect way to end the day.||Punakha: 2 Nights - Spiritual and Unique||Punakha is a 3 hour drive from Gantey and was vibrant and lush, with its terraced rice fields and orchards. The lodge here has a traditional Bhutanese house owned by the royal family, in addition to the modern Aman suites. This house offered a rare opportunity to meditate in the same room where the King and the Abbot of Bhutan would retreat for their spiritual practice. ||We also visited the iconic Punakha Dzong and took part in a private blessing at a nunnery, where the chanting of the nuns created an atmosphere of serenity and reverence, a truly moving and beautiful experience.||Paro: 2 Nights - The Grand Finale||Paro is a 3.5 hour drive from Phunaka and was the perfect conclusion to our journey. The Amankora lodge, set amidst pine forests, was serene and luxurious. The hike to Tiger’s Nest Monastery was the pinnacle of the trip, a challenging 2-3 hour climb with an incredibly rewarding Monastery with 7 Temples that symbolized everything we’d experienced in Bhutan—spirituality, effort, and awe. Yonten’s guidance and encouragement made the journey even more meaningful, and reaching the cliffside monastery was a moment we’ll never forget.||Yonten: Guide and Friend||Yonten wasn’t just our guide; he became a great friend too. His deep knowledge of Bhutan’s culture and Buddhism enriched every experience, but he also knew how to share insights without overwhelming us. Beyond that, he cared for us in ways that went beyond his role—helping me replace my broken iphone, taking us to a pharmacy when we needed medicine, and sharing personal stories about his family and life in Bhutan. We also had the honor of celebrating his 40th birthday during the hike to Tiger’s Nest, a moment that made an already unforgettable day even more meaningful.||Reflections and Practical Notes||October was an ideal time to visit Bhutan, with its crisp autumn air and colorful foliage. While the nights were cool, heavy winter gear wasn’t necessary—the lodges were warm and cozy, with fireplaces, in-room electric and fire heaters, and plenty of blankets to ensure comfort. ||This journey with Amankora was more than a luxurious getaway—it was a deeply personal connection to Bhutan’s landscapes, culture, and spirituality. From meditating in Punakha’s royal retreat to the blessings at the nunnery and intimate lodge in Gangtey and the breathtaking hike to Tiger’s Nest, every moment felt intentional and special. ||Yonten’s guidance, and the care of the Amankora team made this a journey we’ll treasure forever. If you’re considering Bhutan, Amankora offers a perfect blend of comfort, authenticity, and...

Amankora Paro was our final stop on our week-long visit to Bhutan. It is the largest (24 rooms) of the Amankora lodges and also in one of the more touristy parts of the country so we were not sure what to expect.||The rooms are spread across six buildings and there is also a large lodge building which has an expansive lounge and bar with views of the Drukgyel Dzong. Downstairs is a communal dining room, library and an outdoor space spread across a series of wooden and stone decks alongside firepits and bisected by a small stream that provides lovely background sounds. Amankora Paro has the largest spa of the five lodges with a beautiful yoga room, large sauna and steam room and several treatment areas for massages and hot stone baths.||As per all the lodges, the food was stellar. The breakfast offers a continental spread (helpful for folks getting up early to do Tiger’s Nest) but then the same great Bhutanese and Western options for a slower, a la carte breakfast. For lunch and dinner, there is a lot of variety, and I found this lodge to have the best Western offerings and appreciated how flexible the kitchen was with requested dishes too (I wanted to try a lot of Bhutanese staples before we departed).||One advantage of the lodges size is that they offer cultural programming basically every day, including calligraphy, prayer flag printing, yoga and live music. The main tourism focus in the area is definitely the Tiger’s Nest hike. We left the lodge before 7am in order to get to the monastery as it opened (and before a massive amount of other tourists appeared). Our guide and driver both did the hike with us and made sure we had water and some snacks throughout. Our guide’s advice to wake up early was exactly right as when I was departing the monastery I ran into a huge wave of tourists just arriving to the top. At that point the line for photos started to get quite long. The hike itself was pretty challenging (especially if you want to get to the top first), but you can take a donkey up 2/3rds of the way, there is a nice cafe halfway up the mountain and Aman actually leases a house in a grove nearby where they can offer meals and massages before or immediately after the hike. While in Paro we also did some souvenir shopping, visited the local Paro Tsechu festival and Dzong.||Service was exceptionally strong here as well despite the higher room count. Housekeeping really shone with super-fast laundry service turnaround on our departure day. The little touches continued with turndown gifts, thoughtful notes and goodbye housemade brownies in lovely packaging as we headed to the airport. Our guide, Jamba, was really helpful throughout the entire stay, and especially around departure because Modi was flying out at the same time, so we shifted our schedule a few times in order to maximize time at the lodge while still getting to the airport before the roads were shut down.||Paro is (as far as Bhutan goes) a relatively touristy area, and I think Amankora does a great job of keeping the quality and authenticity of the experiences high while offering the amenities of a larger hotel. I would recommend only two nights here (unless you want to avail yourself of the spa extensively or do additional hiking) as I think you can do all of the best activities here (including Tiger’s Nest) in a day with some recovery time, and the other regions (Punakha, Gangtey, Bumthang) offer much more in terms of culture and unique experiences.||For what it is though — a strong ending to a visit in Bhutan near Tiger’s Nest and the airport — Amankora Paro is about as good as...

I recently had the opportunity to fulfill a long-held dreams visiting Bhutan and staying at Amankora Thimphu and Paro. Bhutan has been in my heart for years, and it was through AMAN that I first came to know the country. I’ve always associated the AMAN brand with excellence, and was excited to invest in what I expected to be a truly seamless and unforgettable experience.

To begin, I would like to sincerely thank the team for many memorable aspects of the trip. The natural beauty of the surroundings was breathtaking, the food was exceptional, and the team across both lodges including our guides were warm, kind, and attentive. I also deeply appreciated the romantic BBQ dinner arranged for my husband’s birthday, it was a lovely and thoughtful touch.

That said, I feel it’s important to share feedback on a few serious concerns that impacted our overall experience. I do so as a loyal AMAN guest and someone who holds the brand in very high regard.

Shortly after booking, I received an itinerary that was missing key inclusions. I had to follow up with my travel advisor and your team to ensure that the correct package was applied. While these things can happen, it was an unusual oversight and not something I expected from AMAN.

More concerning, however, was an incident in our room that left me injured and deeply unsettled. While trying to open a window one morning to enjoy the fresh air, a heavy wooden window slammed down directly on my head with great force. I screamed in pain and was in shock, it could have resulted in a serious injury. I had to apply ice and take medication, especially as I was scheduled to hike to Tiger’s Nest within the hour after the hit

Although all of the staff checked on me and kindly offered to call a doctor, I was expecting an official acknowledgment from management,at the very least, a letter or an email the General Manager, to personally address this incident. Given the gravity of the situation, I believe this was not just a matter of service but one of guest safety and negligence.

In addition, I was surprised by the outdated condition of some in-room amenities, most notably the hair dryer. It required continuous pressure to function and repeatedly slipped out of the socket, making it frustrating and even hazardous to use. These kinds of details, while they may seem small, are not what one expects from a property positioned at this level of luxury.

To my surprise, I also noticed a charge for a bath/spa treatment, which I feel should have been waived as a goodwill gesture. When I raised it, it was removed, but I was again disappointed that it hadn’t been addressed proactively.

These experiences left me with mixed feelings. I wanted so much to leave Bhutan with a heart full of gratitude and admiration for AMAN. But instead, I left with a sense of regret…and I find myself wondering whether I should’ve chosen Six Senses instead, something I never imagined saying given how much I love and respect your brand.

I hope you will treat this message with the seriousness and sincerity with which it is written. I am still grateful for many parts of the journey…but I believe this feedback is necessary for AMAN Bhutan to uphold the safety and service standards the brand is known for.

I would welcome a response from your side.

Warm...