After days of long drives and hikes across Bhutan, we were rewarded with a stay at an Uma Paro villa upon our return to Paro valley. Uma Paro offers exceptional style in the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan. Reflecting an understated philosophy of quiet comfort in a unique, culture-rich location, this inland retreat is also dedicated to activity and adventure. Be it an early morning yoga to prepare yourself for the long trek to the Taktshang Goemba (Tiger’s Nest Monastery) or a friendly archery/darting competition with fellow Uma guests, Uma Paro will be more than glad to arrange these activities for you.

In fact, there are so many things you can do at Uma Paro from organised treks to cycling trips around Paro Valley and even around Bhutan. Uma Paro organises bespoke, privately guided itineraries incorporating day walks, camping treks and mountain biking with visits to monasteries, markets and museums. Simply check out Uma Paro’s activity planner for treks and tours you can consider during your trip to Bhutan.

But if you just want to chill out for this leg of the journey around Bhutan and laze around your room (like us), why not splurge on a spacious villa where you get to be pampered with in-room dining or just walk around sunflower gardens or enjoy a massage without even needing to step out of your villa. All these are just a phone call away with the Uma Paro butler service exclusive only to villa guests!

One of the 9 villas at Uma Paro, our spacious freestanding one-bedroom villa features a separate bedroom and sitting area with a traditional Bukhari woodburning stove (i.e. fireplace) as well as a private spa treatment area. If you require any in-room dining service, your butler will serve your food via your room’s private pantry where he/she could enter via a separate entrance without interrupting you.

Uma Paro has also developed a substantial COMO Shambhala Retreat, designed for guests seeking greater health through yoga and Asian-inspired treatments. There is a yoga room overlooking the Paro Valley that can be opened up to catch mountain breezes. Additionally, the boutique hotel features a Jacuzzi, indoor pool with outdoor sundeck and gym. In the pine forest, guests will find a 90 sq-metre hot stone bath house, which includes a private massage room for couples. Therapies range from specific body treatments to facials and sophisticated massages, delivered by experienced practitioners who customize treatments according to individual needs.

The bathroom/vanity area is just as spacious and luxurious – different hangers are set aside for your different clothes e.g. trouser/pants hanger and soft hangers for dresses and a bathtub offering you a panoramic view of the landscape around the villa and a glimpse of the Paro valley.

If you think our one-bedroom villa is awesome, you have to check out the one and only stately 2-bedroom COMO Villa (one of the 9 villas) which features a living area with panoramic views of the Paro Valley, an outdoor hot stone bathtub, a private spa treatment area and an open-air courtyard with fire pit. This is also the villa that Tony Leung and Carina Lau stayed during their wedding in Bhutan.

For a quick walkthrough of our one-bedroom villa, check out the video below:

While we did not stay in the 2-bedroom COMO villa, we were still able to get a sense of the exclusive star treatment that Tony Leung and Carina Lau experienced during their stay in Bhutan – because our butler, Mr Bhawani was also the butler for the famous couple then! His service is perfect, always ensuring that our needs are adequately covered e.g. during one of the nights where it got really chilly, he volunteered to setup the fireplace and taught us how to operate it safely. When he heard of our interest in Tony Leung’s wedding, he would share interesting anecdotes of the wedding e.g. how he helped Tony dodged paparazzis camping around the pine forest and even brought us on a golf buggy tour around all the villas in Uma Paro.

Our villa is about 5-minute walk from the main Uma Paro building but the path is quite dimly lit in the evenings so everytime we return from our long day tours around Paro, seeing Bhawani was such a joy as he would prep the buggy to bring us up to our villa (saving us time and effort!). He is always on time to pick us up for dinner and breakfast at the Uma Paro main building. We totally enjoyed this impeccable butler service offered by Uma Paro.

Besides the 9 villas, there are only 29 rooms at the main Uma Paro building so guests receive quite good service and attention from staff of Uma Paro (who are pro-active in ensuring your needs are fulfilled)! The nine Superior doubles are 25sq metres with views of the surrounding pine forests, featuring bathrooms and a modest sitting area. The nine deluxe doubles have the same facilities, but are larger at 32sq metres; six have balconies, and all have stunning views of the Paro Valley. In the two suites (Como Suite) there are separate sitting, dining and study areas as well as 180 degree views of the landscape from the bright corner bedrooms.

Rack room rates (payable on top of the daily Bhutan tourist tariff) are as follows:
Standard : US$330
Deluxe : US$450
Suit : US$714
One-bedroom Villa : US$1080
Two-bedroom Villa : US$1800

Uma Paro sits on a tree-clad hill overlooking Paro. The town is flanked by rice paddies, wheat fields, trout-filled streams and scattered settlements. It is one of the main cultural centres of Bhutan and also where the country’s only airport is located. The surrounding region is known as the Paro Valley, through which the Paro Chuu flows from the watershed in the Jomolhari mountain range.

For more information on Uma Paro, please see: http://www.uma.paro.como.bz/
Address: Uma Paro, P.O.Box 222, Paro, Bhutan
Telephone: +975-8-271597
Email: res.paro@uma.como.bz

Getting to Bhutan

To book a trip, contact Bhutan-travel specialist Druk Asia (www.drukasia.com; +65 6 338 9909; email info@drukasia.com).