The first international hospitality brand to open in Bhutan, Aman has offered transformative journeys through the country’s pristine landscapes for over 20 years with lodges spread across five valleys. This September, Amankora’s Paro and Punakha lodges will host guests once again following a period of quiet refurbishment. Emerging renewed, they welcome a host of new wellness facilities, spanning the introduction of Aman’s Signature Spa Houses and Banya experience at Amankora Paro to the addition of a steam room, Jacuzzi, cold plunge, bucket shower and relaxation lounge at Amankora Punakha, alongside fully refreshed guest suites in both destinations.
AMANKORA PARO
Set at 2,250 metres in Bhutan’s serene Paro Valley, Amankora Paro is hidden within blue pine forests, offering a gateway to the kingdom’s monasteries, hiking trails and cultural landmarks. Following its temporary closure, the lodge now unveils details of its extensive refurbishment, including the addition of a new signature wellness experience, further enhancing its connection to both nature and self.
Bringing a distinctive new expression of Aman Wellness to Bhutan, Amankora Paro’s spa upgrades are perhaps among the most notable changes. Designed by Kerry Hill Architects, Amankora Paro introduces a standalone signature Aman Spa House, offering an entirely exclusive retreat immersed in the resort’s pine forest. It features a private hammam steam room, a double treatment room, relaxation lounge, hot bath, cold plunge and outdoor pool. Inspired by centuries-old hammam traditions, a choice of 60- or 90-minute experiences combine exfoliating scrubs, cleansing rituals and therapeutic massage treatments within a serene private setting for individuals or couples to reconnect with one another in the spectacular nature that surrounds.
Located just steps away from the Spa House, alongside the river, the new banya sauna also finds its home at Amankora Paro. Crafted from natural Canadian Hemlock wood and guided by Eastern European and Scandinavian traditions, it is enveloped by towering pines and overlooking the river and distant monasteries. The experience combines intense heat therapy, cold plunge immersion in both a dedicated pool or in the river, and traditional venik massage rituals using oak and birch branches to stimulate circulation and promote deep restoration in this otherworldly forest setting.
The existing spa facilities including the yoga studio, five treatment rooms, sauna and steam room, have all received upgraded interiors and timber finishes. Preserving the intimate connection to nature both indoors and out, each treatment room opens onto a private terrace with its own traditional hot stone bath.
A yoga pavilion has also been added among the pines. Overlooking the river and historic fortress, the deck is already home to Amankora’s signature Forest & Fortress Barbecue dining experience and the spectacular setting will now also host private yoga and wellness sessions in the natural landscape.
Ensuring the guest experience remains paramount, all 24 of the lodge’s suites have been refurbished with new timber flooring, ceilings and wall cladding inspired by the surrounding landscape. Further upgrades include enhanced climate control systems, Lutron mood lighting, heated TOTO toilets, additional shower handsets, curated minibars and new in-room dining tables, ensuring each suite aligns with Aman’s contemporary design aesthetic.
Elsewhere, the main lodge has refreshed its communal spaces, including the upstairs guest lounge and bar, now seamlessly cladded in timber. A new bar adds a central focal point, while the retail area has been integrated more organically into the lodge’s spatial flow. The dining room has also been fully redesigned with lighting and seating arrangements reconfigured to bring an intimate, discreet dining experience for up to 36 guests. This space is supported by a newly expanded kitchen, further elevating the culinary offering. Meanwhile, the library has also been subtly enhanced to now serve as both a calm retreat and intimate private dining room.
AMANKORA PUNAKHA
Further north, in Bhutan’s subtropical Punakha Valley, Amankora’s lodge centres around a meticulously restored 300-year-old farmhouse once owned by a former Je Khenpo, Bhutan’s chief abbot. Surrounded by rice fields and Jacaranda trees, Amankora Punakha reawakens with a host of additions designed to deepen connection to the heritage of its exceptional setting.
In an effort to maintain and uphold the guest experience for which Aman is renowned, all twelve guest suites have been fully refurbished with new timber flooring, ceilings and wall cladding, and enhanced climate control systems, upgraded light technology and thoughtful in-room comforts including heated TOTO toilets, additional shower handsets and minibar refreshment stations – creating a residential-style experience while carefully preserving all original character for years to come.
Enhancing the lodge’s communal facilities, the first floor of the original farmhouse now houses a new intimate dining room seating up to 18 guests, alongside a dedicated Aman retail space. Designed to exude the comfort of home in both style and atmosphere, the new dining venue embraces the charm of the historic farmhouse while offering greater guest privacy and discretion. Continuing the lodge’s preservation efforts, the second floor remains home to the farmhouse’s original altar room, where a resident monk performs traditional Buddhist ceremonies, prayers and blessings. Meanwhile, additional spaces on this level have been reconfigured to incorporate an intimate library, media room, workspace and lounge designed for moments of stillness and reflection.
The wellness offering has also been significantly enhanced with the spa’s upper floor now incorporating three treatment rooms and a yoga studio, and the ground floor introducing brand new hydrotherapy facilities including a steam room, Jacuzzi, cold plunge, bucket shower and relaxation lounge, alongside upgraded changing and locker facilities.
Through these sensitive upgrades, Amankora ensures its commitment as a guardian of Bhutan’s heritage, spirituality, tradition and ritual for years to come, alongside an even more restorative guest experience. Amankora’s Paro and Punakha lodges are set to reopen on 15 September with reservations now available.
