Naksel Boutique Hotel & Spa

What a peaceful, lovely place! It's at the end of a bumpy rural road, up in the foothills, surrounded by birdsong, forest, crisp fresh air and expansive views all the way to Taktsang. The grounds, common areas, and rooms are well kept and comfortable. The restaurant has excellent meals, both a la carte and buffet style for the small groups. Service is excellent, especially a mention to Ms. Rinzin Choden, the assistant manager, who went out of her way to take me to a shop for traditional clothing where I had some beautiful Kira made. The spa was excellent - I enjoyed the therapeutic hot stone baths as well as several Thai massages which were professionally done. Rooms were large and well appointed, with comfortable bedding, AC/heat units, hot showers/baths, and a sitting area. Upstairs rooms have a better view. Rooms in the 100's are furthest up the hill, if you are affected by altitude request a room lower down near the main building.

I was on the 4 nights 5 days Bhutan tour early this month during monsoon season with my family. This hotel was booked by our travel agent in Bhutan upon our request. I was looking for bit more decent place as I didn't liked much last hotel I stay in my last trip 2018. As I was searching for better 4* hotel this camp up very well. We stay at this hotel for 2nd and 3rd July 2024. Our room was 403 and 404. Room was spacious, clean and with nice view of Garden and Taksang(Tiger nest) in Horizon. We were given higher floor room they much nicer then ground floor. We had one dinner and one breakfast. Food was great even it limited option. Staff were very attentive and polite. Our stay end up really comfortable and satisfying. There was indoor heating swimming pool. We enjoyed first night. We were only family using pool. No other tourist as it was monsoon season. We liked the quietness. It was bit of drive from city center of Paro. Full of nature and quietness. It turn out to be best hotel during our Bhutan trip. I highly recommend this hotel for those traveler looking for bit of luxury and bit further from the city center. Thank for your great hospitality. I will definitely use it again for clients and if If return back to Bhutan in future.

Naksel was both our first and last accomodation in Bhutan, and it was the perfect bookend to a wonderful trip. The hotel is set high up a hillside on the outskirts of town, this provides with you stunning views across the valley, including Tiger's Nest and Jomolhari Mountain. The smaller cabins circle the main building, which houses the family room, business centre, lobby kitchens etc. The grounds themselves are beautiful, carts are available if the mild hills prove too steep for luggage. We stayed in the family room and it was simply gorgeous. Floor to ceiling windows make the most of the view, with a large living area and beds available for my family of four. The room was large, but cosy and warm - which wasn't the case everywhere in Bhutan. The heated tiles in the bathroom were an especial treat, as was the huge bathtub after a long day hiking. Food at the restaurant was a nice mix of Bhutanese, Western and Indian styles. It was always generous - extremely so! - and the quality was good. We enjoyed a hot stone bath to relax at the spa. However the best thing about Naksel is the service. Staff are incredibly helpful, friendly, attentive, thoughtful. We were taken up for an impromptu archery lesson one afternoon, the bar man treated me to some of the local spirit, ara, one night. Everyone was so friendly. I always felt cared for. When we come back to Bhutan I will definitely stay here.

I was in Bhutan for 10 days and wanted to finish the trip with a better hotel near the Tigers Nest and that is why I selected the Naksel. This was my choice rather than the suggested hotel from the guide. I’m not quite sure how it gets its 4* star rating or what quite qualifies it to call itself luxury and boutique. It reminds me of 1970s ski lodges with a lot of pine and it does have that old-fashioned feel about it. We were greeted with a lukewarm drink upon arrival and I was disappointed to find that the security lock to the bedroom was broken and that the room safe opened with a standard default number. That means anyone could open your safe if they had access to your room. The double bed in the bedroom was very small despite having adequate room for a larger one. The toiletries in the bathroom were of a budget quality and certainly didn’t reflect what the hotel was trying to achieve. The pillows on the bed were of a cheap foam and not particularly comfortable. There was only one toilet roll in the bathroom which ran out. The bar area was pleasant with a nice terrace outside with good views, however there were no cushions or blankets on any of the chairs. You would struggle to sit out there in the cool weather. There was also a nice room on the terrace with a log burner but it was hopeless trying to use it as the fire was never lit. There also no fresh flowers anywhere or complementary fruit etc which is unusual for a hotel that calls its self 4* star and luxury. The nuts that were served with my apéritif prior to dinner were the standard that you would probably feed your hamster. This was the only place in my 10 day trip where all the prices were quoted in US dollars which is strange for a country that wants to maintain its own identity. It was also adds another 10% service and 10% tax to all bills. It called itself a spa but the spa was slightly away from the hotel and nothing was included in the room rate. Usually a steam room or sauna would be included in your price. The restaurant was alright but unfortunately breakfast finished by 9 am . There was also no fresh fruit on one of the days and the jams available were the cheapest catering ones you could ever find. It would be so easy to improve this place but until then I would say somewhere else on my next trip.

Nak-Sel Boutique & Spa offers superlative service. From the moment I arrived until I departed, each aspect was flawless. I was greeted with a wonderful warm apple cider, escorted to my room and given a helpful resort overview. The restaurant team went truly above and beyond to tailor meals to my dietary requirements (vegetarian and no dairy). On my final morning, when I asked if the smoothies were available with soy milk, the team especially acquired soy milk for my smoothie. I had what is described as a superior room: it was very well-appointed and serene. Nak-Sel was a sanctuary. I also indulged in the Nak-Sel "signature" spa treatment and I highly recommend this for those who wish to luxuriate in a Bhutanese hot stone bath followed by a traditional Bhutanese massage. Of the places I stayed in Bhutan, Nak-Sel was my absolute favourite.

Property is damn luxurious and hence expensive too!! Everything is priced in USD!!! But you can also pay in either their local currency or INR. Damn peaceful and the beds were extremely comfortable. We had our early morning outbound flight, but they were so sweet to give us packed breakfast even at 4.30 in the morning - floored us!!!