First Holiday Inn in Bhutan To Open in 2025

Updated: July 10, 2023, 3:15pm CDT

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New Hotel in Bhutan’s Capital
How To Get to Bhutan
Final Thoughts

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IHG Hotels & Resorts announced plans for a new hotel in the pipeline, the Holiday Inn Thimpu, the first Holiday Inn and second IHG brand in the South Asia country. The latest announcement is one of several in the company’s plan to open more than 50 new hotels over the next 3 years.

Here’s what we know so far about Holiday Inn Thimpu.

New Hotel in Bhutan’s Capital

Holiday Inn Thimpu will be ideally located in Bhutan’s capital city and near tourist attractions. It will also be close to Paro International Airport (PBH), the country’s only international airport.

Kenchosum Lhakhang temple Bhutan. Image Credit: cascoly2 via Adobe Stock — Visit the prayer wheels of the Kenchosum Lhakhang temple of the Three Jewels in Bumthang, Bhutan during a visit to the country. Image Credit: cascoly2 via Adobe Stock

The hotel will feature just 100 guest rooms and suites along with the 3 dining venues. Additional amenities will include a swimming pool, spa, and fitness center.

Business travelers and those looking for a space to hold events can look forward to multiple meeting and event facilities on the property.

How To Get to Bhutan

There are no nonstop flights from the U.S. to Bhutan. Instead, you’ll have to fly into Delhi if continuing by air to Paro. Alternatively, you could travel overland from India by bus or car to 3 cities in Bhutan: Samdrup Jongkhar, Gelephu, or Phuentsholing.

U.S. citizens are required to obtain a visa before entry to Bhutan and on-arrival visas are not available. The country also has a mandatory sustainable development fee of $200 per day for adults and $100 per day for children aged 6 to 12 years old. There is no fee for children 5 and younger. The sustainable development fee replaces a former requirement that visitors must enter Bhutan as part of a tour.

There aren’t many points hotels available in Bhutan to date, but you can redeem IHG One Rewards at one of 5 Six Senses lodges in the country. And travelers have plenty of options for booking airline tickets to Southeast Asia with points on a number of airlines.

Bottom Line:

Though certainly not easy or inexpensive to get to, the new Holiday Inn Thimpu adds to the growing list of hotels bookable with points that are available in Bhutan.

Final Thoughts

Holiday Inn Thimpu, scheduled to open in 2025, is IHG Hotels & Resorts’ second brand in Bhutan. The new and conveniently-located hotel will be a welcome addition to points enthusiasts eager to visit the country while traveling on hotel points.