The St. Regis Lhasa Resort in Tibet [In-Depth Marriott Review]

Open since 2010, The St. Regis Lhasa Resort is one of the most luxurious properties in Lhasa, Tibet’s capital. The grounds, decor, and style are quintessentially Tibetan — and beautiful. And it provides a great way for Marriott loyalists to earn and redeem points on a dream holiday.

At a brand known for its luxury, we found several elements of our 2-night stay decidedly not luxurious. Would we go back? It’s hard to say.

Here’s what we found during our stay in late June, including a suite upgrade from my Marriott Bonvoy status.

Booking The St. Regis Lhasa Resort

Among the many Marriott brands, you’ll find St. Regis — one of the most luxurious of Marriott’s brands. This means Marriott Bonvoy members can book The St. Regis Lhasa Resort with points or free night awards.

During our 2-night stay in late June, standard rooms were available for 45,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night.

However, the cash price was just $347 for both nights.

Redeeming 90,000 points here would’ve provided an abysmal 0.3 cents per point — well below our average value of Marriott Bonvoy points at 0.7 cents each. Thus we paid cash.

Hot Tip:

Paying for a hotel instead of using points? Take a look at the best credit cards for Marriott expenses to maximize your earnings. When we booked, the best rate was provided by the cardholder discount provided by my Marriott Bonvoy Business^® American Express^® Card.

It’s worth highlighting the many different room types available at The St. Regis Lhasa Resort. Premium rooms were available for $186 per night, junior suites for $209, and rooms with a view of Potala Palace were available from $250. The Shigatse suite cost $264, while oxygen rooms (those with oxygen machines for those experiencing altitude sickness) cost $291.

We also used 2 Nightly Upgrade Awards, which cleared 3 days before check-in. This moved us into a Lhasa Suite, which typically costs $320 per night. Nightly Upgrade Awards are available as a benefit option when you reach Platinum Elite or higher status with Marriott Bonvoy.

Hot Tip:

Earning elite status with Marriott Bonvoy is straightforward. Our guide can tell you everything you need to know.

Location of The St. Regis Lhasa Resort

The St. Regis Lhasa Resort sits just outside the old city, to the south of the main tourist areas. That puts it within walking distance of the Jokhang Temple (0.6 miles or 1 kilometer away) and the Potala Palace (1.9 miles or 3 kilometers from the hotel).

When arriving in Lhasa, however, you won’t be walking to the hotel. The train station is 10 kilometers or 6.2 miles away, and the Lhasa Gonggar Airport (LXA) is 37 miles or 60 kilometers from the hotel.

Checking In

The St. Regis Lhasa Resort felt like a fortress. Turning into the gated entry, we passed through a giant wall into a place that felt worlds away from the bustling city on the other side of the street.

Moving along the driveway with our driver, he commented that this was the nicest hotel in Lhasa, and our first impressions were great. The hotel mimicked traditional Tibetan style throughout.

The stone-lined drive ended with a circular drive around a fountain, and we were impressed.

“Chic,” my wife commented in the car.

Next to the valet stand at the front door, we noticed a luggage storage room to the right before entering the main door.

Tibetan art adorned the doorway and the rug just inside the door, while a large St. Regis rug covered the floor before stepping in.

Interestingly, the hallway ran straight into a Buddha statue in a wood-and-glass case, requiring guests to go left or right around the statue before entering the foyer.

Rather than entering the reception area like most hotels, we arrived in a foyer between the main restaurant and the reception area.

The reception area was on the right side of the foyer, and guests sat at chairs for a conversation with desk agents rather than standing at a typical reception desk. I loved this approach. A friendly employee summoned us to her desk, and I went to check in while my wife chatted with our tour guide and poked around the lobby.

We weren’t surprised when the friendly employee said that our room wasn’t ready yet — it was only noon, after all. However, she offered to tag our luggage and deliver it to our room when it was ready, so we could come back to check in and receive our keys later.

While she discussed the plan with the bellhop holding a cart with our luggage, I noticed an impressive seating area in the corner (shown in the featured image). It gave off library vibes and had complimentary tea and coffee in the far corner.

A sign in the other corner noted the hotel’s significant altitude: 2.27 miles above sea level. This matters for later.

After grabbing lunch and visiting temples with our tour guide, we returned to the hotel after 4 p.m. to finish checking in. The first thing we noticed was that our luggage cart was still sitting right where we’d left it — now abandoned in the foyer. It hadn’t been delivered to our room, and it wasn’t secured in any way. It didn’t even have the luggage tags the reception agent had given to the bellhop before we departed.

When we went to finish checking in, we spoke with a different employee who seemed unaware that we had a confirmed room upgrade or that we had luggage on the cart in the lobby. She was friendly, and I hate to use the word “clueless” here, but I can’t think of a synonym that would describe her giving us room keys, swiping my credit card, and then simply leaving without telling us anything about the hotel’s amenities, restaurants, elite benefits — nothing.

I left with key cards in my hand and my jaw on the floor.

Elite Benefits

We had to wrangle information about elite benefits for ourselves, which we did after going to the room and waiting for the luggage to be brought up. Then, I went back to the reception desk to ask questions.

St. Regis properties don’t typically offer free breakfast to elite members. Instead, the welcome gift options include daily breakfast or 1,000 points per stay. Interestingly, I received both on this stay. I’m not sure if that was intentional, as no one told us breakfast would be free, though we were told the points were being added to my account immediately during our first attempt at check-in.

If we’d had to pay for breakfast, we still would’ve eaten at the hotel. Continental breakfast cost $20 for adults, while the full breakfast buffet cost $28 per person.

We also received a welcome gift of fruits and yogurt in our room. After all the walking we did in the afternoon, my wife snagged the orange before realizing I wanted to take a picture.

Getting Acquainted With the Property

The St. Regis Lhasa Resort property was much bigger than we realized on arrival. We stayed in the main building, connected to reception and the breakfast restaurant.

However, multiple other buildings were within the compound, each with a number and centered around courtyards. Rooms in these other buildings could be reserved in blocks, including the entire building for some of them, ideal for groups traveling together.

These buildings had individual names, as well, and we even found one of them, the Namcha Barwa Manor, halfway up the drive from the street to the main entrance.

It’s also worth pointing out that reception was on the third floor, owing to the ascent on the driveway when entering from the main street. That threw us off when we pushed 1 on the elevator shortly after checking in and didn’t arrive at reception.

The Room: Upgrade to Lhasa Suite

Using my 2 Nightly Upgrade Awards (1 for each night of the stay), we snagged a Lhasa Suite with 1,270 square feet of luxury. Without the upgrade awards, we could’ve waited until we arrived at the hotel for space-available upgrades, but we definitely felt using the upgrade awards was worth it here.

We stayed in room 1207 on the second floor, which was 1 below the lobby (third floor). Hallways were lined with artwork in deep blue tones, while soft colors in the carpet made for a sleek look.

And though our room faced the elevator, noise wasn’t a problem.

Half Bathroom

When we entered the suite, we found a half bathroom on the right side. It was incredibly spacious, with a toilet and trash bin on one side and a large wooden counter with a sink and mirror on the other side. The tile floor had a sophisticated look.

Butler’s Pantry

On the left side of our suite’s foyer, we found a butler’s pantry with numerous cabinets, a sink, and a side entrance to the hallway beyond.

Living Room

The room unfolded in a T shape, with this small sitting area to the left. It had a couch, 2 armchairs, and a round, wooden table holding the fruits and yogurt from our welcome gift.

Turning right at the T led to the bedroom beyond the rest of the living room. A privacy door could slide out, but it didn’t block the light or completely obstruct vision.

Here, we found a large wooden table with 4 chairs. On the wall were numerous outlets and inputs for both audio and video throughout the suite.

Along the other wall, we found the minibar. On top was a kettle, a Nespresso machine, bottled water, and cans of air. In our suite, the cans of air were complimentary; in other rooms, these were not included but available for purchase.

Small boxes held tea and coffee supplies, which also were complimentary.

Below, we found glasses, cups, and saucers in the drawers, as well as an ice bucket and a minifridge with both sodas and beers. These also were complimentary, which we found out after calling the front desk to inquire — another item not explained during check-in.

Bedroom

The first thing we noticed about the bedroom was its size. It was huge. We had windows on 2 walls: across from the bed and to the right of the bed, and that wall also had a large TV.

The king-size bed was comfortable, and the 4 pillows combined provided a medium amount of support. Each side of the bed was flanked by a lamp hanging from the ceiling, a reading light on an adjustable arm, and a nightstand.

Each nightstand was round and wooden and held bottled water, plus a drinking glass. One side of the bed had an oxygen machine with tubes and a nasal cannula — like you might see in a hospital. We overexerted ourselves on the first day, and I got a bad headache plus feelings of nausea. Those are clear signs of altitude sickness, and the staff set up the machine for me after my wife called reception.

The other nightstand had a notepad, phone, bottled water, and a drinking glass. On the floor was a small air purifier.

Each side of the bed had a panel with outlets, including USB-A and USB-C, a button for the digital “Do Not Disturb” sign at the door, and a master light switch. This panel also had a mystery red button we thought might be an emergency call button, but we were afraid to push it.

On 1 nightstand, we found a note about conservation efforts. However, it had seen better days, with clear signs of people handling it repeatedly.

Near the bathroom entrance was a digital thermostat and a panel of switches that controlled lights in both the bedroom and bathroom. They weren’t labeled, so we just flipped them until we got what we wanted.

Across from the bed was a sitting area with a chair, table, stool, and a small sofa. In the corner, we had a wooden desk and chair. The other corner had a folding luggage rack.

Master Bathroom

This might be the best hotel bathroom I’ve ever used. We loved it, plain and simple. This was the furthest point in the room.

First, we loved the fact it had 2 entrances without any doors, meaning you didn’t have to wake up your partner when heading to the toilet in the middle of the night.

The bathroom was also huge, and its layout really maximized space to fit in a lot of amenities without being crowded.

On the far wall, a large mirror was above twin sinks set on a wooden counter, which had plenty of space for our personal effects.

We found a digital scale, a trash can, and towels under the sinks. Next to one sink was a Dyson hair dryer.

Strangely, the pump bottles of lotion and soap in the bathroom were bolted down.

Between the sinks, we found bottled water, tissues, mouthwash, a travel-size bottle of lotion, and several individually wrapped items. These included a comb, shaving kit, and 2 dental kits. Inside a small wooden box, we found floss, cotton swabs, and a nail kit.

Near the window was a soaking tub that wouldn’t fit a very tall person, but my wife is 5 feet, 6 inches tall and rated it A+ for relaxation. The small tray at the foot of the tub had a loofah mitt, miniature bottles of toiletries, and a can with soaking salts for the bath.

There was a large, wooden closet opposite the sinks, and at the far end of the bathroom, there was a floor-to-ceiling mirror between the shower and toilet.

The closet had ample space for hanging your clothes, including numerous hangers. Inside, we also found a flashlight, shoehorn, umbrella, laundry bag, fire blanket, and a small safe. The top shelf also had extra bedding.

The bathroom had 2 robes: 1 hanging near the shower and 1 in the closet. The toilet and shower were in private cubbies behind frosted glass doors at the opposite end of the bathroom from the tub.

The shower had a rainfall showerhead and handheld wand, and pump bottles of Sachajuan products were attached to the wall. The rough tiles in the shower gave off a different vibe from the sleek feeling in the rest of our suite.

Across from the shower door, a different door led to the toilet. It had a sophisticated control panel for sprays, flushing volume, and more.

Views

The windows in our room overlooked a courtyard below, facing into the center of The St. Regis Lhasa Resort’s compound.

Amenities

Given its size and upscale nature, The St. Regis Lhasa Resort had a ton of amenities to offer. Surprisingly, though, there was no gym.

Parking

On-site parking was complimentary, including valet parking. Employees were available for parking assistance around the clock.

Internet

Wi-Fi speeds weren’t impressive, but the connection was reliable. We got average download speeds of around 17 Mbps and uploads of 45 Mbps — more than double the download speed.

Elevators

The main building had 2 elevators, around the corner from the lobby and near the hallway to the art exhibition and boutique (discussed below). Waiting areas on guest floors had rugs. The waiting area on the lobby floor had wooden floors.

The elevators were compact. When we checked out, the elevator felt very full with 2 adults and 2 suitcases.

Signs near the elevators indicated which amenities were on which floors. It was strange to see the spa and Chinese restaurant listed here as being on the first floor, because they actually required going outside from the first floor and walking for a while. “Exit from the first floor to access” would’ve been more clear.

I found the warning about potential elevator malfunctions disconcerting.

Art Exhibition

An interesting display of local art and culture was past the elevators on the lobby floor. Officially called the Thangka Art Exhibition Hall of Tibetan Buddhism and the National Non-Heritage Culture, the hallway started with a beautiful mural.

The walls were lined with local artwork — mostly paintings but also some mandalas. Glass cases held items like handmade jewelry and knives.

However, art was also available throughout the property, including large paintings at building entrances.

Boutique

A small boutique selling local handicrafts was after the exhibition. The 2 employees inside gave me 2 different answers about operating hours, so it seemed like the boutique opened around 9 or 10 a.m. and closed around 5 or 6 p.m.

Clothes Shop

A small store selling traditional Tibetan clothes was in a hallway past the main restaurant. It was open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Painting Studio

Above Social, the main restaurant, a painting studio was accessible by stairs.

Here, local artisans painted and even offered lessons.

Meeting and Event Spaces

The St. Regis Lhasa Resort had over 4,800 square feet of event space divided across 3 event rooms and 3 breakout rooms.

The largest room could hold up to 250 people, and these rooms were directly across the entry area from reception, at the opposite end of the valet circle. Access was possible from a door directly into the events area or by walking through the hallway from the main restaurant, passing through the hotel’s interior.

Cell Phone Charging Station

On the lobby floor, near the elevators, was a charging station for cell phones. You could pay using the QR code on the machine.

Gardens

The property had a pond and gardens in its center, behind the Chinese restaurant and spa.

While wandering around the grounds, we saw signs for amenities and restaurants.

Iridium Spa

The spa was near the pond and gardens, between the main building and the Chinese restaurant. It offered a full range of services. Oddly, the yoga studio was closed, citing COVID-19 restrictions.

Pool

The spa had a heated pool, open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., and towels were available poolside. However, this was a plunge pool and wasn’t big enough for swimming laps.

Food and Beverage

The St. Regis Lhasa Resort had 2 restaurants and 2 bars for guests.

Social

Social is the main restaurant, off the main foyer where guests arrive. It operated from 6:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily, and this is where we had breakfast each morning. Continental breakfast cost $20 for adults, while the full buffet cost $28.

When we arrived in this reception area for the restaurant each morning, staff scanned our key card to see what room we were in rather than asking us. This avoided the serious language barrier, which I’ll discuss later.

Social had abundant seating, both in the main room where guests entered and in 2 adjoining wings off to the right.

The breakfast buffet had numerous pastries on both mornings, with some rotating and some staying the same.

The main buffet line in the center of the rear room, where food was available, held pastries and several hot dishes that varied each morning.

There also was an egg station, and chefs could whip up made-to-order dishes.

There also was fresh honey for guests.

On the opposite wall were cereals, soups, oatmeal, and salad fixings.

Next to the salad, we also found several snacks and sweets. That surprised us.

We could always go back for clean plates at the buffet, meaning we didn’t have to use just 1 plate and overload it. We could start with a few items and then return to the buffet.

Upon arrival at breakfast, staff also took orders for tea or coffee, including espresso-based drinks.

Tubo Bar

Tubo Bar is on the sixth floor of the main building, open from 11 a.m. to midnight. It operated as both a bar and a tearoom.

The main room had a mix of chairs and sofas around knee-high tables, plus a TV in the corner.

In the corner, there was an oxygen machine, just in case.

An outdoor patio provided views over the hotel property and toward the Potala Palace in the distance.

Further into the bar was a smaller room with leather sofas and armchairs.

There was a separate deck off this room.

Even further down the hallway was an intimate tearoom with a wide collection of teas, some of which gave me sticker shock because of their price tags.

There also were restrooms at the entrance to Tubo Bar.

Yan Ting Chinese Restaurant

Yan Ting is a Chinese restaurant serving upscale food from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for lunch and 6 to 10 p.m. for dinner. It wasn’t in the main building. Instead, the entrance was past the spa and gardens on the ground floor. You could also access Yan Ting from a pedestrian entrance on a side street.

The restaurant’s waiting area matched its upscale vibe, highlighting the numerous wines on offer.

Decanter by Haut-Brisson

Decanter is a traditional bar on the ground floor. The hotel’s website says the bar offers over 50 labels of “the world’s most prestigious vintages, aged cognacs, and cigars.” The website also says it’s on the sixth floor, which wasn’t true during our visit. Instead, it was locked up. Decanter may be in the process of relocating.

Service

For an upscale hotel, we simply weren’t impressed by the service offered at The St. Regis Lhasa Resort. I’ll highlight a few reasons why.

First, the confusion at check-in was surprising. Employees didn’t know about the confirmed upgrade and didn’t explain some of the necessary information about the hotel, plus there was the confusion about our luggage.

Second, we were surprised by stains from water damage on carpets in several locations. We found this large one near our room.

And there was significant staining in the hallway near the Tubo Bar entrance.

The most significant issue with service was the language barrier at breakfast. The manager who checked us in both mornings greeted us in English, giving off the impression he spoke some. That turned out to be untrue when we asked for his help with communication problems.

When we asked for lattes with some type of plant-based milk, such as soy, on the first morning, the waiter seemed to understand. A different woman returned with our drinks. Using a translator app, we asked if these had soy milk. She couldn’t understand our question, so I went to ask the manager to translate. He referred me to reception, saying he didn’t really speak much English.

Apparently, the only people at the hotel who spoke English were the reception staff and the head bellman. So while there were printed signs and menus in English, our inability to communicate with staff at the restaurant was confusing in a surprising way — not something we expected at a luxury Marriott brand.

Final Thoughts

The St. Regis Lhasa Resort is one of the most luxurious hotels in Tibet’s capital. The grounds are beautiful, and there are numerous amenities on offer. However, the hotel didn’t measure up to our expectations in several ways.

While we loved our suite, the water stains and communication issues were surprising letdowns. The hotel provided great value, and I wouldn’t tell anyone not to stay here. But I would warn you to temper your expectations and bring your patience for language barriers you don’t normally expect at an international luxury brand.