Hotel Review: Ugyen Ling Resort in Bumthang, Bhutan

We were stationed in Bumthang for two nights and a day, and chose Ugyen Ling Resort for our stay. A little away from the main town (perhaps a 5 minute drive away, 15 minutes walk away – nothing is really far in Bumthang), we got to the resort around 7.30 in the evening after a long drive from Wangdue (Read Drive from Punakha to Bumthang). It was raining when we arrived, and hence, quite cold. The staff were expecting us, and so the check-in was prompt. Plus, sonam, our guide, had already placed order for dinner. And so, we were advised to ‘quickly wash up and head for the dining room for steaming hot dinner”. Music to our ears!!! 🙂

How are the rooms at Ugyen Ling Resort in Bumthang, Bhutan? Sensing that we’d be cold, the staff had already switched on the heaters, and so we entered a ‘warm room’ that had a large firplace by the seating area, a decent sized bedroom, a cosy dressing area and a good enough bathroom/shower. We were clearly taken in by the size of the room – it didn’t have a wall between the seating and sleeping area, thereby giving it a large, open feel. We discovered in the morning that it had an attached verandah.

We discovered that Ugyen Ling Resort was a rectangle-shaped, two-storied place with rooms on either side, a courtyard in the middle with the verandahs overlooking it, and the office and dining on one side. Pretty neat. Made with stones, the place gave the feeling of staying in a hostel!

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How is the food at Ugyen Ling Resort in Bumthang, Bhutan? Very simple. No frills at all. But the Momos they served that cold night were outstanding. And even more outstanding was the tomato-chilli sauce that were served as accompaniment to the dumplings. They served Chicken Curry Bhutanese style, Red Rice and Veggies. Note – the menu is fixed unles your’s is a large group to justify individual preferences.

Breakfast, too, was a spread of the basics – bread, bananas, jam, butter, milk, eggs and tea/coffee. Oh, they served canned juice too. The only lunch that we had in Bumthang, was at a restaurant in the main market.  But should you need lunch at the Ugyen Ling, order beforehand. Also, MUST order the Red Panda beer  here.

Final Verdict For Ugyen Ling Resort in Bumthang, Bhutan: Without mincing any words, we highly recommend the place. Very well maintained, ever-helpful staff, close to most places like the main market, the Dzong, the Ugyen Ling Palace, yet so quiet, we had an extremely comfortable stay there. Did I mention they have free wifi too? Go to the lobby to make those travel posts on your social-media handles. The rooms have poor connectivity since they are spread out.

Once again, Ugyen Ling is a very good stopover in Bumthang (Bhutan)