The Six Senses Lodges, Bhutan: Superlatives "Beyond Sky & Earth"

Bhutanese people say "namey-samey" when reaching for superlatives that defy expression—it means something is 'Beyond Sky and Earth,' literally the highest praise one can give.

This Bhutanese expression of ultimate regard would be well-reserved for Bhutan's luxe Six Senses resorts. The superlative new lodges appear poised to fill all five senses, and perhaps even the extra-sensory sixth. Rugged mountain views, a sky-mirroring pool, a cantilevered scenery-saturated restaurant, pine-forest seclusions overlooking an aquamarine river, a birdwatching "bridge" that snags prime views of soaring Black-necked cranes, these are only the beginning at each of the five lodges in the five dominant cultural regions: Thimphu (the capital), Punakha (the old administrative center), Gangtey ('the gateway to central Bhutan'), and Bumthang (the sacred heartland).

Thimphu: "Palace in the Sky"

The dominant architectural theme here is a fusion of minimalist Nordic aesthetic combined with the impressive Bhutanese post-and-beam timbered construction style. Built on a grand, panoramic scale with floor-to-ceiling views of the surrounding landscape, this is the largest of the five lodges. Nicknamed "Palace in the Sky," this spectacular property, while impressive, blends well with the surrounding wooded slopes and pine forests. Its main building and restaurant, separated from the outdoors by barely perceptible cascades of reinforced glass, looks across an infinity pool that mirrors the sky at all hours of the day, toward spreading capital city views, and has a direct sight line to the 170-foot (52-meter) giant Buddha Dordenma, the city's iconic religious landmark.

Punakha: A "Flying Farmhouse" overlooking rice fields

The lodge has a rustic feel inspired by the valley's balmier climate and traditional farmhouse architecture. The striking "Flying Farmhouse," a restaurant and viewing area cantilevered over the lodge's turquoise-blue swimming pool and the green rice terraces—which turn gold in the fall—is a signature call sign of the lodge, a sort of hinterland Bhutanese marvel in the spirit of Frank Lloyd Wright’s "Fallingwater." Guests can take in sweeping views of verdant Punakha slopes and rice terraces from its oversized decks, and expansive indoor and outdoor spaces present awe-inspiring valley views. Large windows and balconies open to vistas of rice paddy cultivation or harvesting, depending on the season, and the surrounding lush vegetation astounds all year round

Gangtey: “Baazaam,” a Traditional Birdwatching Bridge

With unobstructed views of the endangered, Black-necked cranes' roosting grounds, some would say the location of this scenery-saturated lodge alone is worth the price of admission (which is not insignificant!). However, if you do have that chunk of change, consider the lodge's high vantage good value for money, especially when birding enthusiasts from the world over descend on this serene outpost of central Bhutan each November to witness the arrival of the endangered cranes returning from the Tibetan plateau. Each of the eight suites at the lodge has valley-facing, horizon-stretching views of the cranes' flyway and private outdoor balconies outfitted with daybeds and binoculars for a most civilized viewing of the rare cranes. Some of the buildings are connected by a restaurant which takes its name, and its design, from the country's visually pleasing traditional, cantilevered bridge-building style, called “Baa Zam”


Bumthang: "Forest within a Forest"

The Six Senses Bumthang Lodge offers eight beautifully appointed suites with attached balconies immersed in an all-enveloping pine forest and an additional two-bedroom villa with private spa treatment facilities. Wood is the dominant theme here, and each suite has a courtyard with a tree growing from the middle. Every room faces out toward soothing valley views and overlooks the tumbling, frothing glacier-fed Chamkhar-Chhu river. "Forest bathing" has never been easier


Paro: "Stone Ruins"

To honor the stone remnants of the now long-crumbled 12th-century Dzong that once stood adjacent to the property, the Six Senses Paro Lodge is themed "Stone Ruins." Much of its walls are built of hand-chiseled, local stones mimicking the ancient rocks. Its bathrooms feature a privacy screen and a bathtub arranged next to an expansive timber-framed window, offering serene views of the surrounding ridges and mountains. The neutral, relaxing tones of the living spaces are augmented by the minimalistic lines of natural timber furniture with Bhutanese touches in each suite, such as the "bukharis"—hygge-inducing traditional wood-burning stoves placed prominently in every room—and the made-to-order vegetable-dyed, antique-washed Himalayan rugs on the floor in every suite

Understated and subtle yet surpassingly luxurious, the Six Senses lodges of Bhutan meet and exceed every expectation, 'Beyond Sky and Earth.'