Truly a home away from home
We came to Dhumra as guests, and left with warmth, friendship and lot of insights about Punakha and Bhutan. Here is why:The people: Sangay and Rinzin are making a home, not a 'guest house'. They both are incredible individuals with deep experiences, however they are very humble and generous with their time. Mr Sangay's book 'Seeing with the third eye' is a very accessible and beautifully written account of his experiences with Punakha, the Bhutanese culture and tradition. I personally looked forward to getting back to Dhumra early to be able to have conversations with both of them. The place: What stood out the most about Dhumra to me was how easily a wide range of people can access the farm house. It isn't gentrified unlike a lot of accomodations do (not just in Bhutan but everywhere). The space is representative of the thoughtfulness - rainwater harvesting, organic produce from the garden that makes it to the plate, very traditional Bhutanese elements coexisting with scandinavian minimalism in the rooms, etc. I personally spent hours sitting in the beautiful garden, looking at the Punakha Dzong while reading and sketching, sipping hot tea.The rooms: Rinzin has a keen eye for design and functionality which combined with the skills and expertise of traditional bhutanese craftsmen creates a beautiful synergy in the rooms. The Bhutanese architecture, minimal wooden interiors, Bhutanese textile used in the rooms, minimal and spacious bathrooms make it a delightful, restful and inspiring space. The food: During the booking process, Mr Sangay took our dietary preferences over email, and everyday they carefully curated delicious, fresh tasty menu for breakfast and dinner. I think my apetite increased everyday. I was also delighted by the attention to detail on simplest of things like table placements - on christmas, they made christmas trees out of table napkins. The staff: Everyone at Dhumra walks a line of attentiveness and privacy. You never get bothered but somehow the staff knows when you are arriving to farm, for breakfast, etc. so that they help with luggage, etc. Room service was impressively quick, very accepting of requests and very warm. Overall, very smart, attentive, warm and forthcoming staff that made us feel pampered.
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