Ogyen Chholing Guest House
The superbly rustic Ogyen Chholing Guest House in the palace grounds has two excellent suites and four smaller basic rooms and offers a tranquil overnight retreat. Proceeds go to the trust.
Bumthang Dzongkhag hotels and hostels
Hotel Arya Zambala
Situated alongside the main road, before the turn-off to Ura, this tavern has rooms for rent, some with attached bathrooms, and can provide basic meals. Their main business is in herbal medicines and dried mushrooms.
Shingkhar Retreat
Shingkhar Guest House is a great base from where to explore the village. The rooms are basic but cosy, with mud walls and solar electricity. Meals are available.
Swiss Guest House
It doesn't get more bucolic than this wooden farmhouse surrounded by apple orchards on a hill overlooking the valley. In 1983 this was the first guesthouse in Bumthang, but there have been plenty of upgrades since then.
River Lodge
This popular place has a variety of rooms overlooking the valley south of town. The lodge has helpful management, a small library and a hot-stone bath (Nu 750 per person) in the laundry.
Mountain Lodge
This cosy lodge has wood-panelled rooms in a large two-storey building overlooking Wangdichholing Palace. Friendly staff, tasty food and good rooms and bathrooms make this a very pleasant place to stay.
Lodge Rinchenling
This hotel is run by amiable Dasho Jampel Ngedup and family. It has spacious rooms with large bathrooms, and an excellent restaurant. Rooms are in buildings scattered among the apple trees, and there is an ingenious hot-stone bath set-up.
Yangphel Guest House
Near the Jampa Lhakhang, Yangphel is a lovely guesthouse in traditional style with a large hot-stone bath, cosy open-plan dining hall and balcony seating. The carpeted rooms vary in size and the shared bathrooms are clean.
Kaila Guest House
This is the closest hotel to Jakar bazaar and is frequented by NGO workers, who get a hefty discount on the cosy rooms.
Leki Guest House
The Leki is one of the oldest hotels in the valley and is showing its age, though 15 new rooms were under construction when we visited. The dining room is decorated with home-made weavings (for sale), and some Japanese dishes are available.
Wangdichholing Lodge
A BTCL luxury option next to Wangdichholing Dzong.
Gongkhar Guest House
This excellent hotel, 1.5km southeast of Jakar, has spacious and comfortable rooms with bukharis and superclean bathrooms.
Wangdicholing Resort
This is another well-run place, on a bluff overlooking the valley to the south of town. The main building has a relaxing balcony festooned with climbing flowers. Rooms are a bit old-fashioned but spacious and comfortable.
Jakar Village Lodge
Boasting some of the best food in Bumthang, this hotel situated down a narrow village lane below the dzong is run by an ex-dzongdag (district administrator) who will regale you with stories as you sample his assortment of teas and real f.
Sidhartha Guest House
A place whose pine walls make it look like a giant sauna; mostly used during tsechu time.
Tamshing Tourist Lodge
Tamshing Tourist Lodge is on a bluff overlooking the valley, with great views but so-so rooms.
Udee Guesthouse
A small family-run farmhouse with simple room.
Amankora
The last word in luxury in Bumthang, the dzonglike Amankora sits beside the Wangdichholing Palace in serene grounds. Rooms are spacious with king-size beds, soaring ceilings and a central, sumptuous bathtub.
Mepham Guest House
This secret guesthouse belongs to the Namke Nyingpo Goemba and nestles below the monastery. The rooms are basic but comfortable, and the best have views across the valley to the dzong.
Hotel Wangdichholing
Owned by one of Bhutan's biggest travel agencies, this hotel is close to the Wangdichholing Palace and offers above-average accommodation.
Hotel Pelling
This lavish new hotel has very spacious rooms with big bathrooms and balconies, and exceptional valley views abound. Rooms are heated, but there are no TVs. There is a dedicated bar and a cavernous restaurant, and a hot-stone bath is available.
Yozerling Lodge
This typical Bumthang hotel has comfortable pine-clad rooms and an extra-large dining hall. The comfy sofas around the bukhari in the dining hall make for cosy pre- and post-dinner drinks.
Yu Gharling Resort
This new luxury option overlooking the valley is as enormous as it is luxurious. Rooms are massive and the views are spectacular.
Hotel Home
Hotel Home has simple pine-clad rooms – try and get one with a valley view – with large bathrooms that oddly face the corridor. The large dining room is made cosy with a big bukhari.