Naksel Boutique Hotel & Spa

Naksel Boutique Hotel & Spa is located above the Paro Valley, about 8kms from Paro itself and accessed along a very bumpy dirt road, passing apple orchards, rice paddies and potato fields before reaching the small Bhutanese village of Ngoba. The construction carefully involved the local community, and uses traditional architecture in its main house and cottages spread throughout the hotel grounds. Expect traditional windows, wood-carved finishes and the odd mud-brick to ensure you really feel like you are in Bhutan.

The main house contains the main communal areas such as the restaurant and bar, and also some of the rooms. The rest of the rooms are housed in four cottages in the hotel grounds.

The rooms are nicely proportioned, feature a lot of wood, from pine-clad flooring to lovely Bhutanese carved wooden windows. They have incorporated some nice touches such as local artwork and Bhutanese rugs. The bathrooms have under floor heating. All rooms have flatscreen TVs, mini bars and views of the valley. The rooms generally get larger as you move up the categories, with better views and the addition of a separate bathtub and shower (great for a soak after a walk up Tigers Nest, and then looking out from your private balcony at the walk you have just done!). If anything, we thought the Signature Suites weren't worth the upgrade and thought the Deluxe Rooms in the upper floors of the cottages to be the best rooms at Naksel.

The Olive Restaurant offers a range of Bhutanese, India and Western cuisine and generally serve buffet options. If you want to order a la carte, this can be prepared, although we suggest ordering and then going to the bar as it can take some time to arrive. The Chabchu Bar has a range of options, including the local favourite - Ara. The Coffee House is located in the grounds, and has great mountain views, fresh espresso and pastries.

There is also the Menchu Himalayan Herbal Spa providing a range of treatments to sort out those trekking aches and pains.

The service at Naksel is friendly and efficient, although very Bhutanese.