#Bhutan Spirit Sanctuary | Neyphu Valley, Shaba **The first and only 5-star traditional spa-inclusive resort in Bhutan. Bhutan Spirit Sanctuary sits on the pine-studded slopes of the Neyphu Valley in Paro, 11 km from the Rinpung Dzong Buddhist fortress. Here, cows graze, life goes on as it always has, and nature glows in all four seasons. Spring and autumn are warm and dry, lovely for hiking. Summer bursts with flowers and birdlife, with afternoons that bring a chance of rain. Winter offers sunny days, cold nights, and crisp mountains views.** **Bhutan offers misty mountaintops and lonely monasteries, open fire cooking, and breathtaking vistas, but this “last great Himalayan kingdom”, as the country has been called, is still largely untapped and mysterious.** **For the traveler who is searching for balance, who wants to learn about culture and history, who wants to benefit from pristine nature, for that traveler, we developed a place: a sanctuary. A place where you can find the peace to let go of the daily craziness, find balance between body, mind, and spirit, and experience the essence of Bhutan.** ###*_Hotel Features and Services:_* - Free airport shuttle, Free parking, Free Wi-Fi in public areas - Concierge desk - Currency exchange - Doctor on call - Turndown service, Room service, Laundry service, Full-service housekeeping, Massage services - 24-hour security, 24-hour room service, Security, Fire safety compliant - Restaurant, Meeting rooms - Gym - Family-friendly - Pets not allowed **** ***_Activities_*** *Classes* We offer cooking classes with one of the Bhutanese Chefs in the restaurants’ kitchen or on the open terrace. In the art studio, guests can enjoy a pottery class and take home their hand-made ceramics. Upon interest, we also arrange traditional Bhutanese sports such as darts and archery in the apple orchard. All activities are included in the room rate. *Neyphu Valley* Home to the Sanctuary, we have short and long hikes available, also beyond the Neyphu valley. Guests can also visit the Eutok Goenpa Monastery, right across the Sanctuary. Guests will always be accompanied by professional and licenced guides and can take a delicious picnic with them. *Tiger's Nest* We organize a trek to the world-famous Tiger’s Nest, a Buddhist monastery high up in the mountains, and only a 45-minute car ride from the Sanctuary. During the whole trek, guests are accompanied by licenced and English-speaking guides. After this intense hike, we recommend a herbal hot stone bath in the Sanctuary to allow guests to recover. *Day Trips* We arrange day trips to a wide variety of places and cities in Bhutan, such as Paro and Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan, and only a one-hour car ride from the Sanctuary. Besides the traditional tourist locations, we also organize visits to places and meetings with people of particular interests, such as Bhutanese writers, artists, and monks. **** ***_Dining_*** On a daily basis, guests can enjoy the dining-inclusive concept. The very skilled kitchen team is eager to surprise guests with healthy and tasty breakfasts, 4-course lunches, and 6-course dinners whereby a variety of Bhutanese, Western and Indian dishes are served, all in due respect of the guest’s diet or personal preferences. Guests can enjoy their meals at the time and location of their preference. The Sanctuary has its own greenhouse, vegetable- and herb garden, and uses as many local products as possible. During the season we enjoy juicy apples (and tasty apple pie) from the apple orchard. Upon request, the Executive Chef takes guests for a tour through the gardens and explains the traditional Bhutanese cuisine and ingredients. *The Restaurant* The Sanctuary’s restaurant is subtly divided by a big “social table”, where guests can engage with each other or interesting Bhutanese people that are invited for dinner. Smaller tables and the tea bar flank this central area, and the grand double staircase does extra duty as a stage for music performances and storytelling. The floor-to-ceiling windows give view to the terrace with fireplace making the dining experience even more special. The Sanctuary has a very dedicated and passionate kitchen team, led by an internationally trained Bhutanese Executive Chef, who is praised as one of the best in Bhutan by guests. The element of hospitality extends to the open kitchen, where the skilled kitchen team can be seen at work. ****