Bhutan Spirit Sanctuary

Before Bhutan Spirit Sanctuary was built, the local monastery was asked how the fortress-shaped building should be constructed and where the rooms should sit. That is the level of intent running through this place in the Neyphu Valley near Paro, which bills itself as Bhutan's first and only 5-star wellness-inclusive resort. Every room looks across the valley to the Eutok Goenpa Monastery at the other end, and the airport is only a 15-minute drive away, which makes it a rare Bhutan base you never have to pack up and leave.

Medicine first, spa second

The wellness programme is built on Traditional Bhutanese Medicine rather than generic spa menus. Stays begin with a complimentary consultation with an in-house doctor trained over five years at the Faculty of Traditional Medicine in Thimphu, who maps out your treatments; one is included every day. The dispensary is a collection of more than 60 Bhutanese herbs, and the signature therapies run from herbal compression and moxibustion to herbal hot stone baths and Ku Nye massage, delivered in six treatment rooms. Daily yoga and meditation are included, and the heated indoor pool sits behind floor-to-ceiling glass facing the mountains.

There are no fixed times for meals.

Inclusive, properly

That single line from their dining page says a lot about the ethos. Breakfast is à la carte from 7 AM, lunch is a four-course chef's special, dinner runs to six courses, and house wine, local beers and free room service are all part of the rate, fed by an on-site greenhouse and gardens. The tea bar pours 20 Bhutanese herbal teas. Cooking classes (momos and ema datshi), archery, pottery and even a Bhutanese clothing photoshoot are included too. Rooms come as 46 square metre Balcony Rooms or 54 square metre Terrace Rooms that open straight into the gardens, all plastic-free with floor-heated bathrooms. The team of about 70 is more than 95% Bhutanese, and it shows in how rooted the whole operation feels.