Paro Eco Lodge

Built in the classical style of the region, Paro Eco Lodge sets timber-framed windows against the wide sweep of the Paro valley. Large panes fill each of its twenty-one rooms with light and open onto a 360-degree view of the surrounding ridgeline. The lodge sits in Nemjo village, a short walk from paddy fields and the Paro Chhu river. It is a quiet base. Rooms are simply furnished, with a balcony, room heating, and a private bathroom with hot water on tap. The restaurant serves Bhutanese, Indian, Continental, and Chinese dishes, and the bar stocks a mix of local and international drinks. A small coffee shop looks over the valley, a good spot to watch the light change over the hills with a cup of tea in hand. Tiger's Nest monastery, Paro Dzong, and the National Museum of Bhutan are all within a ten-to-fifteen-minute drive, as is the international airport. Wi-Fi, laundry, currency exchange, and a small library round out the practical side of a stay. The architecture keeps to local form on the outside, timber trim and whitewashed walls, while the interior runs to modern comfort: heating, hairdryers, and tea and coffee makers in every room. It is a straightforward, well-placed base for exploring the valley on foot or by car.