Gangtey Lodge

I booked the whole of our tour of Bhutan around staying at this lodge and even months in advance there was only availability for one night during our entire trip. Having exceptionally high expectations, I arrived with some trepidation. However there was no need, this lodge is absolutely outstanding. The welcome was like no other - a complimentary neck and shoulder massage; hot apple cider; a personal meeting with the chef to discuss any dietary requirements and our bags delivered to our room before we even got there. The bedroom was stunning with an amazing view and comforting to know all are exactly the same, so if we are lucky enough to return, we won’t be disappointed wherever we are placed. An amazing turndown service is provided whilst guests are at dinner - hot water bottles placed in the bed; chocolates and a roaring log fire. The food in the evening was amazing - we opted for the Bhutanese menu. The puddings were fantastic, the only problem we had was trying to decided what to choose as they all sounded so good. I have honestly never felt so relaxed in a hotel before and only wish we could have stayed an extra few nights. If you are planning on staying here make sure you have time to spend sitting on the terrace in front of the fires - the staff will bring you blankets; hot water bottles; heated neck warmers; hot drinks and cake and with stunning views over the valley, it really doesn’t get much better!

Truly the best hotel we’ve experienced. The Gangtey Lodge family makes us feel welcome from the start with a beautiful song followed by the best check in experience with a shoulder massage. Four nights minimum should be the aim - as we had the pleasure of enjoying the beautiful lodge that feels like home. Little touches warmed our hearts in the Gangtey winter - a neck warmer when enjoying the outdoors, a fire lit in our farm house suite and lots of delicious cider and masala chai. A huge thanks to the GL family for arranging the woodshed dining experience - a curated menu by Chef KK was absolutely delicious and tailored to our preferences over the first two nights. A couple other experiences not to be missed. Breakfast & blessings was truly magical. The GL family dressed us in the Bhutanese Kira and Gho, escorted us to the monastery a 10 minute walk away, and guided us through the private blessing ceremony followed by a delicious breakfast set up in the monastery’s courtyard. Save the hot stone bath and massage on your last night, a well deserved treat after all the hikes. Words can’t fully convey the warmth we felt from everyone at Gangtey Lodge. A huge thanks to: - GM Gustini, who showed us who’s boss when it came to archery. A true pro who was so kind to us - Lodge manager Tashi, who welcomed us warmly and has the coolest archery moves - Chef KK, who kindly offered to take us along his 6:30am walks and showed us the beautiful sunrise in Gangtey valley. He’s inspirational and we look forward to visiting his blossoming greenhouse in our next visit - Sonam, the resident archery expert and kind guide who took us on a lovely walk (and was patient as I was afraid of the steep hills) - Kombo who walked us to our breakfast & blessings ceremony on our first morning - Chimi who took great care of us at dinner - Zac, Sonam, Gustini and Tashi for having the most epic archery match with us. Glad you guys had great aim so we could eat dinner 😄 - The spa team for giving us awesome massages And a few other kind staff who took great care of us. The Gangtey Lodge experience has spoilt us - and we’re already planning our next trip. Kadrin Chey la!

Arrive at Gangtey Lodge to a welcome song🎶sung to you by the staff. For me it was emotional to listen and look out over the breathtaking valley behind them. We are so thankful to be visiting beautiful Bhutan! Then sit down for a welcome drink and a moment to meet one by one the lovely manager Gustini (for an overview of the property), the Chef KK (to discuss preferences, allergies, and special dietary restrictions) and the Spa manager Kinsley (to let you know how they can help you enjoy our stay). BTW, the 30 min hot stone bath and 60 min massage are amazing!! We also met KoKo the head of maintenance who was so helpful. The dining experience was simply perfect with special notice taken to your conversation with KK (I'm vegetarian and my husband hates cilantro). Our server for all three nights was Chimi, who was wonderful and like almost all of the employees was local. By hiring locals and providing experiences through their partnership with the Sheddrah (local monk school) the hotel is supporting the local people of Gangtey. Be sure to read the booklet in your room as soon as you arrive to plan and organize inspiring and enlightening experiences at the Sheeran. Service at Gangtey Lodge is impeccable... would you like coffee delivered to your room in the morning? A fire started in the fireplace in your room after dinner? Just ask! They are there to help to make your stay perfect. Need laundry done before you depart? Send it to their efficient staff and it's complementary! We can't say enough about this lovely hotel. If you're thinking about it...book it!

Well, where to start. This hotel averages 5.0 Stars on TA and I fully concur with this. Having been to many 5* and luxury hotels before, I can say this fully meets even the highest expectations. Everything from the welcome (they will call the guide before to understand when you arrive) to the departure (here are some snacks for your journey) is planned carefully and tailored to each guest. Many hotels in this category have staff everywhere to ensure flawless service, but I have rarely seen the level of management engagement - the general mgr and the chef were always around, knew each guest, asked about ‘how their day is going’ and to make sure all wishes were taken care of. They were also accommodating to offer the hot stone bath without the massage package and I really appreciated the way they were able to tailor to each guest. Perhaps unique, but the owners were around and engaged with guests through dinner and breakfast and shared their excitement for the country and their guest’s experience at the lodge. While Bhutan is now taken off my bucket list and I rarely think about ‘returns’ before visiting other places, this lodge definitely has me thinking about how I could somehow add a longer stay in the near future - this rarely happens. A unique place where you won’t question the value for what you paid - just go.

Where to start? On the plus side this is a lovely remote setting near Gangtey village. The sweeping terrace afford morning sun and breathtaking views across the valley with hot water bottles and neck warmers on offer. The inside area is one large room for dining intermingled with sofas and fires, very cosy. But what a hype and totally aimed at the US market. I’ve no idea though how this has garnered such a high reputation as Bhutan’s best and why it was worth being featured on the TB programme Amazing Hotels. It is definitely not amazing. Staff are very wooden, as if they are scared of doing something wrong. There is no attention to detail. For example, whilst there is a stunning bath set into the bay window with magnificent views, if you are not travelling as a couple the other guest has to go sit in the lounge while the other baths. Rooms are very dark. Not enough light in the sink area and no vanity mirror. No reading lights either by the beds and both bedside lights controlled together. No liquid soap by the sink and had to ask twice for this. And what 5 star hotel has cheap plastic toilet lids? Plates at lunch were cleared before everyone had finished eating which rather signifies poor training. Morning coffee which was preordered was forgotten about. Little variety on the menu for special diets that we reinsured the hotel about. No entertainment at night - a local musician would be good. And everything apart from archery was extra. $300 for a hot stone bath. And no separate yoga or spa room. Really bad value for money and completely lacked personal touches

There are so many things that impressed us, I don’t know where and how to begin this review. This is a really beautiful twelve-room cosy lodge in which every customer is treated like royalty. Not jarringly instagrammable, the mood created everywhere is mixed modern-rustic, and it’s extremely clean and tidy. Upon arrival, you will be greeted with a nice cold towel, seated down in a plush sofa and served a lovely welcome drink. A team of staff will sing a welcome chorus, followed by an introduction by the lodge manager, then the spa manager and the chef (maybe the order may differ). Finally you will be treated to a five minute head and shoulder massage before being led to your room. There are six rooms split over two levels on each side of the main living/dining hall. The room exudes luxury and charm. The best part is the tub which directly faces the valley. In winter, they will turn up the fireplace (or upon request); for now, they place a hot water bottle beneath the sheets at turndown service. Bathrobes, albeit small, are very comfy. The attendants make up your room throughout the day. Whenever you return to your room, it is magically made up - water is refilled, towels are replenished etc etc. Make sure you get the full board for meals. Everything is ala carte, though you may order more if you feel peckish. Everything is fantastic in taste and presentation. Drinks can be customised. Find time to sit outside in the balcony and just stare at the views. Each balcony already has a blanket, but the staff quickly comes to you to offer hot water bottle and neck warmer - which I greatly appreciate. Get a lovely cup of ginger mint too. The whole experience is simply divine. Also do the spa treatment. They will set up the equipment in your room (that’s how large your room is) - and the room still looks roomy. I also had a very enjoyable bath soak in my room - you can DIY with the salt provided, or order one of three specialty soaks. Very very good. Complimentary one time laundry is available. Do ask for their traditional costume which you may wear for dinner - they will come to dress you up!! And yes, there are games (archery, darts etc) to play too if you wish. We gave it a slip as we just played the games in the Punakha resort. In most evenings at six, if you wish, you can arrange for a little guided walk to the monastery to watch the chantings. All in all, it was such a memorable stay. Do yourself a favour and stay for at least TWO nights - you won’t regret it. .