17 Mar 2020
Six Senses Bhutan opens “Forest Within A Forest” lodge
BY Stu Robarts
Six Senses has opened the fifth and final lodge in its multi-location Bhutan project, with the Six Senses Bumthang "Forest Within A Forest” lodge, designed by Habita Architects.
The five-lodge, five-valley Six Senses khamsa or "journey" will take guests on a circuit of locations in the western and central valleys of Bhutan.
The idea for the concept was first unveiled in 2016, with details of the first three lodges revealed in 2018.
The opening of Six Senses Bumthang follows that of Six Senses Gangtey – the "Traditional Bird Watching Bridge" – in October 2019.
Six Senses said of the location for its latest addition: "As the gateway to the east and the site of some of the country’s earliest settlements, Bumthang is considered as Bhutan’s spiritual heartland and is home to some of its most ancient monasteries and sacred monuments."
Comprising four valleys with forests, rivers, pastures and fields, the region is well suited to providing a location for guests to slow down and unwind.
“The brief for the masterplan had the architects chewing their pencils in deep thought,” said Sally Baughen, general manager of Six Senses Bhutan. "The ambition for Six Senses Bumthang was to immerse guests in the natural beauty of its surroundings, history and traditions, honouring the natural environment rather than impacting it."
The lodge is set in a pine forest on a hillside above a stream, with its wooden structure constructed around the trees and landscaping by P Landscape.
It contains eight suites, each with balconies, forest views and a pine sapling planted in an open-air vestibule at the centre.
Weathered timber floors, walls and ceilings feature hand-carved details and are complemented by a palette of earth tones and handwoven fabrics.
Guests can also enjoy a cosy restaurant with a fireplace, a traditional Dotsho hot stone bath and a Hingsangsa Zoni bathing ritual.
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