COMO Uma Punakha

COMO Uma Punakha sits on a small hill at the western end of the Punakha Valley, above the Mo Chhu river, and its rooms look over the valley and the water. COMO calls it the smallest of its Uma lodges. The suites are built of handcrafted stone, wood and tiles; local artists paint flowers on the wooden furniture, the bedcovers carry hand-stitched patterns drawn from Buddhist culture and the rugs are hand-knotted in nearby Nepal. Bukhari, the restaurant, takes its name from the traditional Bhutanese fireplace and cooks with produce from the Punakha Valley, serving Bhutanese and Indian dishes with a few international favourites. The COMO Shambhala Retreat has two treatment rooms and a traditional Bhutanese hot stone bath house. From the lodge there is hiking and white water rafting on the Mo Chhu, with village treks, temples and festivals nearby, and the team can arrange a butter lamp lighting, or a blessing to mark an anniversary. COMO puts the drive from Paro and its international airport at about five hours, and the staff arrange the car, since private car hire is not possible in Bhutan. COMO names spring, from late March to May, and autumn, from late September to November, as the best seasons, with clear views of the Himalaya, less rain and festivals.