Amankora recently reopened its Paro and Punakha Lodges following an extensive period of careful refurbishment. Now welcoming guests once again, both lodges emerge renewed, with fully refreshed suites, reimagined social spaces, and additions to their wellness experiences.
Combining the Sanskrit-derived word for “peace” with kora, meaning “circular pilgrimage” in Dzongkha, Amankora has offered transformative journeys through Bhutan for more than 20 years. Across five distinct valleys—Paro, Thimphu, Punakha, Gangtey, and Bumthang—each lodge provides an insightful perspective on the Kingdom, while together, they form a unique journey through one of the world’s most remote and pristine landscapes. Further enhancing the experience, the recent updates invite guests to connect with nature on a deeper level, finding restoration through the elements.
Set at 7,382 feet in Bhutan’s serene Paro Valley, Amankora Paro is hidden within a blue-pine forest beneath the ruins of the 17th-century Drukyel Dzong fortress. A gateway to Bhutan’s monasteries, hiking trails and cultural landmarks, the lodge offers a feeling of remote seclusion yet rests just 20 minutes’ drive from the country’s only international airport. Following its refurbishment, Paro introduces two distinctive new wellness experiences, each offering a different path to restoration.
Tucked away beyond the pine forest, the new Spa House provides a tranquil sanctuary enveloped in nature. Designed by long-time Aman collaborators, Kerry Hill Architects, the standalone wellness retreat features a private hammam, a double treatment room, relaxation lounge, a heated swimming pool and a Jacuzzi, creating an intimate setting for private retreats.
Guided by hammam tradition, Spa House signature experiences combine steam, exfoliation, and invigorating massage techniques using aromatic soaps and oils to cleanse and restore the body, mind, and spirit. Options include a 60-minute Hammam Treatment, including a body scrub and bathing experience followed by time in the relaxation lounge, or a more all-encompassing Half-Day Journey, which combines the hammam ritual with a 90-minute body massage, refreshments, and extended time to reset.
In addition to the Spa House, the new Wild Nature Banya Experience offers a more invigorating expression of wellness. Crafted from Canadian Hemlock wood, the banya rests beside a glacial stream and is shaded by towering pines. Its panoramic windows frame views of the historic fortress, connecting guests with the landscape as therapeutic heat gives way to the contrast of cold water. The ritual combines intense sauna heat with traditional venik massage using oak and birch branches to stimulate circulation, before culminating outdoors with a warm pool and cold plunge or an invigorating dip in the river. Drawing on Eastern European and Scandinavian traditions, the experience creates a powerful connection between the self and the elemental nature of Bhutan.
Elsewhere, the lodge’s existing spa has also been enhanced, with upgraded interiors and timber finishes across its five treatment rooms, yoga studio, sauna, and steam room. Each treatment room opens onto a private terrace with its own traditional hot stone bath, while a new yoga pavilion among the pines provides a spectacular setting for private yoga and wellness sessions overlooking the river and fortress. The Spa House also features new bespoke artworks inspired by traditional Bhutanese wooden books, combining mandala motifs, and healing scriptures to evoke blessings and good health, while celebrating the country’s rich tradition of local craftsmanship. Created by six artisans over two months, the artworks reflect the time, skill, and care invested in this distinctive craft.
In addition to the enhanced wellness experience, all of Paro Lodge’s 24 suites have been fully refurbished with new timber flooring, ceilings, and wall cladding inspired by the surrounding landscape. Climate control systems, lighting, and in-room amenities have also been modernized, while the lodge’s social spaces have been subtly redesigned to create an even more intimate and residential atmosphere, true to Aman’s ethos of welcoming guests into the comfort of home. The dining room and kitchen have been reimagined, a new bar introduced, and the library enhanced to serve as both a tranquil retreat and intimate private dining space.
