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