A Luxury Boutique Hotel in The Kingdom of Bhutan

The arrival lobby is designed as a warm welcoming “library” with a roaring fireplace as focal point

Nile Thimphu Deluxe Boutique Hotel. Thimphu

The challenge:

To design a 22-room luxury boutique hotel in Bhutan during Covid, when the country was shut down, plus, the fact that neighboring countries were partly shut down made it incredibly difficult getting craftsmen, furniture and materials imported. The arrival lobby was very narrow and tall, the All Day Dining volume was tall and quite large for a small number of seats, whereas the pastry shop, bar bistro and banquet rooms were very shallow volumes. An adjacent Annex was to have an Indian specialty restaurant, a café and a smaller banquet hall. The guestrooms were well sized.

The solution:

For years I wanted to explore Bhutan, but had never made it there, so I immersed myself in research and literature about the culture, architecture, nature and religious festivals in Bhutan. The hotel became a celebration of the culture and scenic beauty of Bhutan. The arrival lobby is designed as a warm welcoming “library” with a roaring fireplace as focal point, surrounded by a salvaged reclaimed temple wood feature wall. Complimented by sculpted hand carved rustic furniture, inspired by yak herders and Asian mountain lodges. Shelving with a variety of books and local artifacts create a warm and inviting arrival experience for the welcoming tea ceremony.

The All Day Dining Restaurant is inspired by the serenity of monasteries, overlaid by warm wood and jade tile accents

As a contrast to the narrow lobby, the All Day Dining Restaurant is inspired by the serenity of monasteries, with added layers of warm wood ceilings and tailored comfortable furniture elements, accentuated by oversized handwoven basket light fixtures and rich jade tile at service stations.

Sketch of the “alpine lodge” inspired bistro bar, with a roaring fireplace as the center focal point upon arrival, seen from the lobby

The bar bistro has a speak-easy bar ambiance with a cozy fireplace as the focal point for serving locally crafted beverages and locally curated snacks. The pastry shop is decadent with a nostalgic vintage feel, while the banquet rooms are inspired by ceremonial dragon dances.

Typical double double guestroom

The spacious guestrooms are layered with art and accessories featuring Bhutanese local culture and crafts, with a focus on comfort and serenity, after days of exploration of nature and culture..