| Lhasa China isn't everybody's idea of a vacation | | | | sort of Medieval feel to it, with the stone walls and |
| destination although Lhasa remains one of the most | | | | wooden floors. The pillows and lampshades have the |
| apparently remote mysterious, and even romantic | | | | eyes of Buddha and all the nooks and crannies have |
| places on earth. Once completely inaccessible it still | | | | yak butter lamps throwing shadows and emphasising |
| isn't easy to get to, and then when you do, there is the | | | | the medieval feel to the place. The beds are raised |
| question of where do you find a decent Lhasa Hotel. | | | | onto a Chinese style platform which just goes to |
| The House of Shambhala could well be the perfect | | | | emphasise the whole traditional feel of the place. The |
| answer, and whilst it may not be the perfect example | | | | ensuite bathrooms have stone walled showers, heat |
| of a luxury boutique hotel it nevertheless by anyone's | | | | lamps which are needed and fragrant Tibetan soaps. If |
| standards it is a unique small boutique hotel only | | | | you can, book an upper floor room because they get |
| recently opened in Lhasa Tibet, now of course in | | | | more of the sun, or alternatively if you want privacy |
| China. It is certainly vastly preferable to the faceless | | | | there are two rooms which form their own courtyard, |
| Chinese hotels to be found in Lhasa. The House of | | | | with their own separate staircase. The view from the |
| Shambala is quite unlike anything that most people | | | | roof of the House of Shambhala, whilst sipping a local |
| have ever seen in terms of it being an hotel. It is | | | | cocktail and watching some local dancers is absolutely |
| situated in the Barkhor area in the historic heart of old | | | | breathtaking, and is just one of the things to make this |
| Lhasa, and it looks like nothing at all as you enter off | | | | a unique luxury boutique hotel. The second of course is |
| the street. In fact you will wonder if your guide has | | | | the position astride a lane deep in old Lhasa Tibet. |
| brought you to the right place as you pass a row of | | | | Unexpectedly the rooms are warm even with snow |
| prayer wheels, then suddenly you find yourself in a | | | | on the ground, and there is unlimited hot water. The |
| traditional Tibetan Lhasa House which has quite | | | | restaurant has great food, a mixture of Indian, Tibetan, |
| obviously been lovingly restored, and turned into a real | | | | Chinese and Oriental with absolutely stunning tikka. |
| funky boutique hotel The House of Shambalha is the | | | | Surprisingly the yak meat is delicious and well worth |
| kind of house where a nobleman would have lived, and | | | | trying. The Spa next door has a wonderful soaking tub, |
| is three storeyed, built around a courtyard, with prayer | | | | and you can have a superb massage to round of a |
| wheels and a shrine in the lobby. There are 10 | | | | day spent wandering around Lhasa. The staff are all |
| bedrooms and each is different from the other in size | | | | friendly and very willing, although their understanding of |
| and design, painted in gold, saffron, crimson, or | | | | English is less than perfect, but this is Lhasa after all! If |
| cinnamon, and filled with hand painted antiques, | | | | Lhasa Tibet China is somewhere you want to go, then |
| meditation chairs, yoga mats, furry white rugs, and | | | | the House of Shambhala is the best place to stay, |
| exquisite Buddhist paintings. The whole thing has a real | | | | very comfortable and ideally situated to see old Lhasa. |