COMO Uma

Punakha, Bhutan

High on a hilltop carpeted with pine and rhododendron, Malaysian architect Yew Kuan Cheong crafted this wood and stone lodge from locally sourced materials. All 11 of its rooms and villas boast majestic vistas encompassing snow-capped mountains, the glacial waters of the Mo Chu River, apple orchards and terraced rice fields. Guests return from mountain treks and white-water rafting to unwind in these spare, light-flooded private sanctuaries centred around plump beds and Bhutanese wood stoves. Cheong’s thoughtful placement of windows welcomes optimal sunlight and natural breezes. The in-house COMO Shambhala Retreat spa features a traditional Bhutanese hot stone bath, prepared with camphor leaves foraged from the surrounding forests. Bali- and Singapore-based Cheong also designed Uma’s sister lodge in Paro, a five-hour drive to the southwest.