There are certain locations that remain untouched by time, by the breakneck pace of expansion and globalisation, and hold within them a sense of quiet and calm that is almost impossible to find elsewhere. These pockets of serenity are few and far between; perhaps that is why we desire them so desperately. Where else can you catch a flight to escape the hustle and bustle of a life that simply won’t stop moving?
In the valleys of Bhutan, COMO Hotels and Resorts has managed to carve not one but two such sanctuaries. Known for their intimate and unpretentious sense of luxury, each COMO property is meant to enhance the location it has settled in, blending with local customs, heritage and rituals to ensure COMO guests have a complete experience of their destination.
COMO’s Bhutan properties are no different. Nestled in two separate valleys, there is COMO Uma Paro in Bhutan’s Paro Valley and COMO Uma Punakha in the western end of the Punakha Valley. With nearly four hours of travel time between the two locations, Masala had the opportunity to sit down with the General Manager of both COMO Uma Paro and COMO Uma Punakha, Sonam Wangchuk, to discuss how two separate properties together imbibe the quintessential Bhutanese and COMO experience.
Wellness is part of daily life in Bhutan, as suggested through its Gross National Happiness Index, nature, and tradition. How does COMO’s definition of “wellness” slot into the bigger picture?
I think well-being, as a local Bhutanese, is not just related to your physical state but also your mind and how you see things surrounding you. That has always been one of the main concepts of Gross National Happiness, which is the main pillar and the motto for the country. It is this context that links to what COMO does. Wellness, after all, is pretty much part of our brand’s DNA as well.
We have wellness activities, not only in terms of various therapies but also, in the sense that the properties are designed and located in a space where everything is purposefully intimate and calm. This makes the experiences that COMO offers very spiritual, mindfully designed and curated.
In Bhutan in particular, we have a very interesting wellness experience called the “hot stone bath” and the COMO Shambhala massage, which is paired with the hot stone bath. 30 minutes of the bath and 60 minutes of massage combine to create 90 minutes of an experience exclusive to the COMO Bhutan properties. Additionally, we also offer yoga, meditation, spiritually guided tours in monasteries, and hikes. All of these circle down to wellness and our connection as a brand to the destination.
When branded destinations enter regions with distinct local identities, some brands incorporate local traditions into the everyday hospitality of the resort. Does COMO follow the same practice in Bhutan?
Yes, a lot. One of our properties has the distinct identity of looking like a traditional Bhutanese fortress from the early 15th century, also known as a dzong. Architectural designs, the experiences we curate for our guests are also unique to Bhutan. They include excursions such as offering butter lamps in temples, meditating in the temple itself, and understanding and learning Bhutanese cuisine by participating in a cooking class. These are the activities that are culturally and socially bonded with the country.
I’d say COMO definitely breathes in and out the real essence of where we are located and complements the destination. And that’s not just Bhutan but pretty much everywhere. For a brand like COMO, it’s not about the building or what you offer as a brand based on name alone. It actually takes into account what local experiences are offered.
The heart of COMO is COMO Shambhala, its wellness arm. COMO Shambhalas are available across all COMO properties but what would a guest experience at COMO Shambhala in Bhutan they wouldn’t elsewhere?
COMO Shambhala is pretty much defined through the concept of wellness and wellness, as I mentioned earlier, is not just about massages and reflexology. It’s a combination of mind, body, and also the experience that encompasses the wellness journey as a whole. As for Bhutan in particular, the concept of COMO Shambhala, of healthy living, is evidenced in our guided meditative sessions orchestrated by monks, held in spiritual locations or locations of significance. Our uniqueness has always been about the COMO Shambhala menus we create, using authentic Bhutanese ingredients.
Also in COMO Uma Paro, we have a separate massage room for the guests residing in the villas. This way, they do not have to go to the spa but rather, a therapist comes to the villa for the massage experience. It’s all about well-being and well-thought experiences, putting the guests at the forefront.
You started as a freelance guide having grown up in Paro. Do you think that informs the way you lead the COMO properties in Bhutan? And since you lead two properties within Bhutan, what are their key differences and what similarities unite them?
Bhutan is an itinerary-driven destination. Bhutan has certain requirements for their guests which include a compulsory guide and a compulsory logistics arranger on the ground. For myself, when I was a tour guide all those years ago, when I first started my career, only adds an advantage because I, being a local, know the destination in and out. I know the specifics of what can be arranged for the guests from the lens of a tour guide. Being a hotelier now complements that knowledge and those qualities.
We also have different in-house activities that we provide our guests depending on whether you are in Uma Paro or Uma Punakha. For example, we host Gross National Happiness talks, prayer flag printing, sand-mandala making exclusively at Paro. These activities are not repeated in Punakha because guests travel between the two properties and we want them to have different experiences when they are in different parts of the valley. In Punakha, we organise cultural performances for our guests by village ladies who come to COMO in the evenings to perform.
Managing that has been very satisfying, I must say. I work with my local team, knowing their strengths, weaknesses, cultural aspirations, and sensitivities, which allows us to work well together. Yes, COMO Uma Punakha offers a different experience to that at COMO Uma Paro but at the end of the day, when the two properties are combined—they come together as one experience, and that is Bhutan.
You mentioned that guests travel between the two properties. How many guests stay at both COMO properties when they come to Bhutan as opposed to choosing one?
I would say 40–45% travel between COMO Uma Paro and COMO Uma Punakha both. They travel with us through our own package itineraries where we provide the guide, the driver, and the ground transfer. This is not including the itineraries that we present to the guests upon arrival combining both the properties.
What is it like to be a Bhutanese person looking after international guests who have come “looking for an escape” to your home? Are there any faux pas they commit when coming to Bhutan?
Information is widely available in every form so that way the guests are already pre-informed when they are travelling to the country. As a result, they are respectful from the start. That’s mainly because we don’t really emphasise catering to the masses. The fee that the Kingdom of Bhutan places on every guest coming into the country already filters quite a few people who don’t understand COMO’s brand presence and why such a destination would require someone to spend a sizable sum.
In my experience, over the past couple of years, I have never personally seen or experienced an instance where the guests felt as they did not experience what they were expecting from a destination like Bhutan. Feedback has been positive and as a local myself, it has always been a privilege and an honour to provide international context to the COMO brand so we can make the experience more local and authentic.
A lot of people living nearby look at Bhutan and think: the flights aren’t cheap, the minimum spend can be steep, and for that money I could be in Europe or the Maldives. What would you say to them? Why Bhutan and why COMO?
Well, if you want to go to a destination where you can experience luxury and make memories that are quite intimate and private, then it should be Bhutan. If you are happy to wait in a queue, to go places to tick off boxes, and to go to an Instagram-mable location like the Eiffel Tower or the Statue of Liberty for example, then, of course, it is up to individual taste. Those who really understand Bhutan irrespective of what they may have to put forward, they come to Bhutan.
For COMO, it’s the same. You don’t just stay at a hotel with COMO. Particularly when you come to a COMO property in Bhutan, you’re not just coming here to stay and sleep in a room but rather you are here to engage yourself and be a part of the local offerings we have arranged for our guests during their stay. I think uniqueness and exclusivity comes with a price and that is currently where both Bhutan and COMO sit.
Since India is so close to Bhutan, what is the appeal, in your opinion, for an Indian traveller coming to Bhutan and to COMO?
I mean, it is a population of close to 1.5 billion people and we don’t necessarily need them all to come to Bhutan. We just need 0.001% of that 1.5 billion. There’s a perception that “Bhutan is just a two-and-a-half hour flight away from Delhi. We can go there anytime!” But I believe that this is the time to come. It is still very intimate; the experiences are still very exclusive. It is nice to see that affluent guests from India are travelling to Bhutan. Those guests also stay with COMO.
Ultimately, I would say you need to take advantage of the fact it is just a two-and-a-half hour flight away from Delhi, maybe a couple hours more Mumbai. Take advantage of the fact it is so close by and then come to Bhutan and see what it has to show you.
You recommend five days at a minimum in Bhutan. Why is that?
The experience begins the moment you board the flight to Bhutan. My recommendation would be at least seven nights but yes, five nights is also great for our guests who want to ensure their work-leisure balance. We spread out our itinerary in such a way that our guests see the sum total of what we believe they should over these five nights. Itineraries for COMO are also tailor-made but once guests are on the property, our guides are quite flexible to run through the programme and adjust wherever needed.
So five days or seven days, the itinerary is curated in such a way you don’t feel rushed. We even have a five nights package that travels between COMO Uma Paro and COMO Uma Punakha! There is the “Historical Odyssey” and “Tiger Trail”, which are both five nights.
With fly-fishing on the rivers and red panda experiences coming to the COMO locations in Bhutan, these adventures seem to be more about getting people outdoors. Can you tell me more about these upcoming experiences?
A landscape’s visual aspects definitely has a real influence on how it calms your mind. As you venture into the wilderness of southern Bhutan, where one of our proposed itineraries “The Southern Water Quest” will be set, you could be one of the few people out on a raft in a serene location with just your crew behind you. It’s that exclusive! Yes, this excursion exists in Bhutan but nobody has lifted it to a premium point. That is where COMO comes in. We make sure that this experience has been given an intimate and luxurious face-lift to take it to the next level.
People know of red pandas now after the popularity of Kung Fu Panda (2008) and the small Master Shifu who was a red panda. Being able to see this very shy species in the wilderness is a rare experience in itself. Even Bhutanese people ourselves don’t encounter them in daily life. This red panda experience is also in the making and hopefully, it should be bookable in the coming weeks. It spans two nights in Paro, two nights in Punakha, and two nights in Haa, and the expedition to the Tergola Pass where these 43 indigenous red pandas can be spotted.
When I sent my local tour guides to experience the trek and trail for themselves, they were full of energy when they returned to do the presentation. Everyone was full of excitement. Even for them, it was an out-of-the-ordinary experience. Ultimately, that is what we want to do at COMO. We don’t want to simply stick to copy-paste itineraries.