It may be a long journey to this remote new hotel in the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan, but you know you've made the right decision from the second you arrive. The vast, double-height lobby-lounge has an entire wall of glass with gripping views of the 17th-century Gangtey monastery, which appears to float above a wide, misty valley speckled with grazing yaks and ponies. Staff greet new guests with a song, a glass of mulled cider and a shoulder massage, which is a great start in anyone's book. The bedrooms are big, with wood-burning stoves, underfloor heating and a free-standing bathtub in a bay window for views of the monastery. Australian architect Mary Lou Thomson has created a seriously smart take on the rustic vernacular, with plenty of exposed stone, polished wood and local woven fabrics. Innovative touches such as inside/outside log fires make the private terraces usable year-round, and the kitchen uses organic ingredients to make slow-roast pork belly or exotic Bhutanese dishes such as ema datshi, a chilli-and-yak-cheese stew with wild mushrooms.