Zhingkham Resort

The hotel is located up a steep hill which provides a beautiful view of the valley and the Punakha Dzong. This is especially beautiful at night when it is all lit up. The property itself is not the highest in design or construction...lacking in the Bhutanese style..relatively nondescript. But the view makes up for its faults. However this can also be a disadvantage since the walk up the hill is an exercise in itself.

It's main selling point is the view day or night over the town and valley. The downside means that it is quite a steep walk to and from the town. Some quests struggled with the steps if their room was a further 2 or 3 levels up from reception. The room itself was large with a king size bed, a/c, tea & coffee, TV, very strong shower (in a modern bathroom) and a balcony to sit and watch the lights come on at sunset. Dinner was buffet style (you could order al a carte but make sure the hotel knows this beforehand as it can be a long wait for you food otherwise), breakfast was a simple affair

The view is unbeatable. The room is spacious. The air conditioner works well. The food is ok. Issues: 1. Water: they pick up used plastic bottles and refill them with filtered water. We asked how they clean the plastic bottles and they said they rinsed them with soap and water. No disinfection!! Unbelievable!! If they had used glass bottles and disinfect them thoroughly, then it would be acceptable. This way is disgusting. We brought our own water. 2. WiFi: there are two WiFi networks with the SAME name and different passwords!! So one has to constantly FORGET the network and re-enter the two different pwd depending where one is on the property. 3. Massage/Spa: the sole masseur there is obviously very skilled. However, there is no one to take appt except him. And he is in session with clients most of the time . The front desk won’t help. All they do is pass the msg to him. We are only there one or two days so it is hard to get a confirmation if we have an appt or not. There’s supposed to be another masseur but we never really found out if that is true. I was the last client of the night and the masseur was obviously tired. My friend who had him earlier in the day had a great experience. For me, he kept putting layer after layer of oil on my back and just rubbed it around. By the 5th layer, I told him to stop and actually do some massage work. Annoying but understandable. 4. Housekeeping: I can’t believe that the maid would come in to take the garbage out, replace the towels and NOT make the bed. 5. Restaurant: we had some soda. Day 1 was 100 each. Day 2 was 200. No idea why. All in all, management can be improved at this hotel which has a commanding view of this beautiful valley.

- Nice view overlooking Punakha Dzong as the resort is located above the hillside - It is not walkable out of the resort by yourself, do take note. - The room is spacious and clean. - From the rooms to the dining room, there are a lot of stairs between, do cater time to travel between both places.

It was a disappointment. I understand the hotel is owned by a cousin of the royal family. What a terrible representation of a beautiful country. Complete shoddy construction. The doors were off track. The bathrooms had holes in the wall. The WiFi was slow and the electricity went out twice. The saving grace to this place is the wonderfully kind staff, the fantastic spa and the view. The owner missed the mark with poor infrastructure which spoiled it for us.

This resort has rooms in blocks. There are 5-6 blocks. For the best view,I would recommend block 1,which gives clear views of the Punakha Dzong,the most iconic structure in all. It is also beautifully lit up at night and looks like a ship. The USP of this hotel is the location and stunning views. Rooms are clean and comfortable,with AC and of average size. The bathroom area is modest and functional. Hot water is always available. There is a small shower cubicle and some basic toileteries are provided. As it is a mountainous area,bugs can quickly get in if the French windows are kept open for too long. I ordered room service from the buffet menu for my entire stay there,as the restaurant was noisy and full of groups,and,I wanted to enjoy my meals peacefully. The food was always promptly delivered and hygenically presented. Liquor is cheap in Bhutan and the hotel prices were quite reasonable. I opted for a bottle of Local Raven vodka,which cost around 1600/-Rs. There are a lot of stairs to be climbed in order to get to the room,which may be an issue for elderly people. The weather was slightly warm,but the aircon was working well and it was quite comfortable. Overall,it was a pleasant stay with stunning views being the highlight!