DESIGN
MONASTERY of
HEALING
BHUTAN SPIRIT SANCTUARY ’ S ALL-INCLUSIVE WELLNESS STRATEGY FOCUSES
ON MINDFUL LEISURE .
By BARBARA BOHN , MANAGING EDITOR
You could argue that simply being in Bhutan is a wellness retreat in itself : The tiny Himalayan country measures itself by the Gross National Happiness of its 800,000 mainly Buddhist and Hindu inhabitants , and it aims to become 100 % organic within a few years .
So perhaps Bhutan Spirit Sanctuary , which opened in August and bills itself as the only 5-star property in Asia with an all-inclusive well-being program , has a head start . Owner Louk Lennaerts came to Bhutan for the first time more than four years ago to scout properties and was entranced . The “ great luxury ,” he says , of the hillside land he and partners purchased in Paro ’ s Neyphu valley , is the spectacular view . Other companies are moving in as well , including Dusit Hotels & Resorts and Six Senses Resorts & Spas , with five scattered lodges , opening a total of 386 rooms within the next two years .
The building is new — more than a year to plan and nearly three to build – with the design led by Lorenz Lennaerts , Louk ’ s son . “ We could not come there and say , ‘ We want to design this how we would design a Western building ,’” says Lorenz Lennaerts . Being required to work within strict architectural parameters according to royal decree , he didn ’ t have much choice . The result : a building modeled after a dzong , or fortress , with pitched roofs , courtyards and thick walls . While the 24 rooms have a view across the valley of historic Eutok Samdrupcholing , a Buddhist monastery and school dating to the 15th century , the beds are arranged so that guests ’ feet don ’ t point toward it ( that ’ s considered offensive ).
MINDFUL LEISURE Louk Lennaerts , who estimates project and land costs ranged from US $ 7 million to US $ 10 million , says 100 % foreign ownership came with the obligation to create a
32 hotelsmag . com December 2018