A watering hole near the capital's Motithang neighborhood

This boutique 4-star hotel is a popular watering hole for the capital’s elite. The cafe downstairs is a cozy and comfortable place to get some remote work done even as you enjoy a full restaurant menu + the standard cafe fare, backed by the hotel’s full-fledged international kitchen, headed by its able Thai expat executive chef Khun Chananthorn. 

It was started by Thimphu social worker, Gyaltshen, and his sweetheart (now wife), the eponymous Pema. The hotel offers a harmonious blend of modern luxury and traditional Bhutanese hospitality with three categories of rooms: 12 Standard Deluxe Rooms, 8 The Pema Suites and 6 Valley Suites.

The location on one side of Thori Lam, which links the capital’s high rent district of Motithang, and the Ministerial Complex, with downtown Thimphu, is a convenient location for social calls. On any given day the cafe, from where you can see the picturesque Changgangkha Temple, stays fairly busy. You might easily bump into young creatives, government officials at business lunch or senior retired officials out for a treat with their well-fed plump-cheeked grandchildren. The elegant cakes and pastries at the cafe are another reason why many of the capital residents screech to a stop for a quick poke into the cafe or a nibble while driving up or down the busy W Thori Lam.

The hotel’s rooms and suites are spacious and thoughtfully designed, offering panoramic views of the surrounding mountains and valleys. Each room is a comfortable sanctuary, with plush bedding, locally sourced furnishings, and modern amenities to ensure a restful stay. Their weekend dosa (a crisp South Indian fermented rice-and-lentil crepe) thalis are legendary. Try their mint, clove and cardamom tea, a concoction popularized by a special friend who’s a regular fixture there.