Zhiwaling Heritage Hotel

My wife and I have been very fortunate to have travelled to many countries and have stayed in amazing accommodations previously, but this heritage hotel is by far the most amazing place we will probably ever stay at. It’s simply an experience. From the incredible food, to its amazing location surrounded by the Paro hills, its view of Tigers Nest, it’s decadent and comfortable rooms, it’s wonderful staff, an inbuilt 400 year old temple, its array of well being facilities. Above all, it is a very environmentally sustainable set up. Would recommend to anyone who is looking for a tranquil sanctuary to embody the happiness that Bhutan has to offer

A paradise, beautiful setting and worthy of its awards and accolades. However the food was a great disappointment, considering its heritage tag. We ordered the local fare at dinner, and found it bland and totally unrepresentative of the local cuisine. For breakfast I ordered the masala omelette- there was no masala at all, just a few slices of onion. Tasteless. We had stayed in various hotels and eaten at local restaurants for 10 days by the time we arrived in Zhiwangli. So in comparison, the food was surprisingly a big disappointment.

Highly decorated lobby, and temple upstairs. We'll worth spending some time looking around the interior and exterior of the buildings. Large grounds with winding paths to each block of rooms.

My girlfriend and I spent a few nights at Zhiwaling and had an incredible time, it was truly an outstanding experience. The staff were extremely kind and attentive. The food (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) was absolutely delicious and beautifully presented, featuring fresh vegetables, seasonal fruits, and homemade bread. Rooms were well furnished, spacious, and offered a beautiful view of the mountains. The architecture and design of the Hotel reflects traditional Bhutanese style, creating a warm and authentic atmosphere. I highly recommend spending some time at Zhiwaling; it was definitely worth it!

My wife and I have travelled around the world extensively. We typically stay at hotels that are 5* or better. Zhiwaling is an excellent hotel. The room was spacious, beautifully decorated and with a breathtaking view of the mountains. The grounds are beautiful. The hotel’s maiin building is absolutely gorgeous inside and out. The food was excellent and the service was outstanding. And the staff were polite and very friendly.

Absolutely phenomenal place. Friendly, helpful staff. Pristine environment. Attention to detail everywhere and incredible craftsmanship. Cannot recommend it highly enough.

Stayed here as part of a group tour. Meticulously constructed in classical Bhutanese style almost two decades ago, this is the only 5 star hotel in Bhutan that is owned and operated by Bhutanese. It is spread over several acres with mountain views. It is comprised of a main building with 4 levels, including a beautiful meditation space and some guest rooms, though most guest rooms are located in separate three story buildings. There is a tea house, a spa, a workout/gym building and an indoor heated swimming pool. As we visited in the spring, there were many beautiful blooming plants around the grounds. ||My room and bath were lovely and spacious, and the Zhiwaling is to be commended for their environmental commitment. Purified water is provided in glass bottles and toiletries are offered in refillable containers. ||Staff were friendly and polite. Turn-down service is provided.||I had prearranged a one hour massage with additional 1/2 hour foot massage, but got little attention to my feet, which was very disappointing; the cost was rather high and charged in US dollars.

Incredibly photogenic 5-star hotel located just 20 mins from Paro Airport. Booked a junior suite for 2 nights at the end of my 10-day Bhutan trip and enjoyed every minute of it, including all the modern luxury amenities in my room alone which included an authentic Bhutanese ground coffee complete with French press! Every detail exudes class... down to the toiletries and in-room cutlery. ||The architecture is simply gorgeous and the main hotel building which houses the reception lobby and restaurants also has numerous comfortable seating areas overlooking the Paro valley... great for relaxing, sitting quietly or reading a book. There's also a small Buddhist temple at the top which you can visit and take pictures of - a good preview of what's to come from you Bhutan trip if this was your first stop. ||Food was generally very good, offering a good mix of Western dishes and an authentic Bhutanese platter... again, a good introduction if this is your first stop in Bhutan. But as I was already on my last leg of the trip I opted for the Western options including the beef burger (very good) and twice-cooked pork belly (a bit tough). Like what I had experienced for most of my trip, locals seem to still need to get the hang of cooking meat, something perhaps not widespread given the Buddhist culture. :) Otherwise, the food, including their homemade ice cream was excellent. ||Staff was incredibly attentive, hospitable and responsive, as one has come to expect from the very gracious Bhutanese people. If I had one feedback is that there was NO BIDET in my room which was really strange given that even the smallest 3-star guesthouse I stayed in over the course of my holiday had one. I mentioned this to one of the staff who explained that they were slowly upgrading all the rooms to have a toilet bidet, so I guess I was just unlucky I got one of the older rooms (which was still gorgeous nonetheless)! So don't forget to request for one if this is something you're expecting. ||Overall, a great way to pamper yourself after all the physically taxing hiking and driving through Bhutan. You can easily spend a day simply soaking up the beauty of the hotel (which I did!) and enjoying all the other FREE activities (which I didn't do as had already seen/done them all earlier in the week!).