Pemako Hotels, a Bhutanese-owned and managed luxury hotel group, has announced expansion plans via a third property set to open in Paro in 2029.Pemako (which translates to “hidden lotus-shaped land”) currently comprises two hotels—one tented villa retreat in Punakha and an “urban” hotel in Thimphu. The addition of a new hotel in Paro will extend Pemako’s presence in Bhutan further, with the brand saying it will soon offer “hotels in all of Bhutan’s key locations.”The popular Bhutanese destination of Paro is not only the site for Bhutan’s only international airport, but the historic town is also surrounded by small villages, historic buildings, and home to as many as 155 temples and monasteries dating back to the 14th century.
The new hotel will be designed in partnership with Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), the Danish architects behind the new concept of the Gelephu Mindfulness City (intended to be the “world’s first mindfulness city”).Although Pemako Hotels is only three years old, its owner Wangchuk Dorji, Co-owner of Bhutan’s largest private conglomerate, the Tashi Group, says he has a global vision for the brand. Said Dorji: “Whilst Pemako remains a local brand, we have the aspirational goal to go global, bringing the beauty of Bhutanese hospitality to other special destinations in the future. In the next five to eight years, we hope to be internationally present.”
While many details about the upcoming Paro property have not been announced yet, guests can—as with Pemako’s existing hotels—experience “a unique take on luxury, a modern simplistic approach rooted in Bhutanese culture.” Both Pemako Punakha and Pemako Thimphu are set among natural surroundings and are infused with Bhutanese design, culinary offerings and hospitality.Good to know: Pemako is also deeply committed to fostering coexistence and symbiotic relationships with the local community. As a brand, 99% of its employees are locals; it also strives to use locally produced agricultural and farm products.
