Yarkay Thimphu - Ihcl SeleQtions

Very good option in Timphu. The hotel is modern and clean. The service was really good.

Bhutan has been on our bucket list for a very long time and at long last we could make it with a group of very close friends. We reached Thimphu from Phuentsholing by road, which was quite a long drive and at times bumpy. The hotel reception was pretty jammed with a lot of people but we were ushered to the sofas and chairs in the lobby where we completed all check-in formalities. Front Office staff were all very courteous. The room was functional but very clean and fairly modern. Dinner at the hotel was a part of our tour package, therefore, we could taste and relish various local and Indian delicacies over our two nights stay. The location is absolutely central and as a result we could take a walk in the evening for shopping around the area after our days city sightseeing. All in all, it was a highly enjoyable experience!

I would have loved to rate this hotel higher because the staff is so courteous and helpful but I really have no other option but to go with the “Average” rating for now 😞. The bottom line is will I come back at stay at this hotel the next time I visit Thimphu? Probably not and I will prefer Le Meridian or one of the other hotels in the city So let’s go with the good things first: 1. The hotel is at a prime location near the clock tower in Thimphu 2. The staff is really courteous and cheerful. One thing I really liked about the staff is the most of them are women and so this hotel believes in diversity 3. The rooms are pretty decent and with good views to the surrounding hills 4. The food served in the buffet is a combination of Indian and Bhutanese food and is pretty decent. I was surprised for example on how good they make the “phulka” rotis. The food is not very oily and spicy and has a homely feel to it. Ok so now the list of not so good things and which is why I gave the average rating: 1. It seems that they keep the rooms in the “heat” mode during the night which makes sense since it is cold outside. But the air circulation within the room is horrible and it can get so stuffy sometimes during the night that you will find it difficult to sleep. There is no provision to lower the temperature even if you want to (although there is a temperature controller panel but it doesn’t work). We had to call their technicians several times during the night to at least help us with the air circulation in the room and they huffed and puffed but couldn’t do much about it. Their solution - open the window because that’s what the other guests do. For a hotel that calls itself a 5 star property, this is really unacceptable. 2. They have a rooftop restro bar which is where we went to have lunch when we checked in. Most of the dishes are continental. Since we are salmon aficionados, we ordered salmon steak which is also the most expensive dish at 2500/- Nu (without service charges). I am sorry to say that it was not at all good. It was over cooked and therefore was hard and chewy and left a bitter after taste in the mouth for everyone. The other dishes were ok although the bolognaise was good. But try and avoid the restro bar. It is expensive and not worth the money 3. We had booked 2 rooms and one of the rooms had a horrible smell every time the toilet was flushed. Thankfully they fixed it once we complained. 4. The staff did not do a great job in refilling the toiletries and other things (like tea bags) once they were finished. We had to call them up to send us a refill. 5. The buffet spread is decent but nowhere close to what you will see in 5 star hotels (or even 4 star hotels) in India. Also you need to keep reminding them to refill dishes that have emptied out.