Shinta Mani Hotels in partnership with Kathmandu-based Sherpa Hospitality Group, will open the 29 suite Shinta Mani Mustang – A Bensley Collection luxury lodge in March 2023. The project will be Shinta Mani Hotels’ first internationally flagged property outside Cambodia.
Shinta Mani Mustang – A Bensley Collection will be an all-inclusive experience, with the guests’ journey curated to provide the most remarkable 360-degree, luxury experience in the Himalayas; one of the most unique and preserved regions in the world. “Mustang” in Tibetan, translates to “Plain of Aspiration” and is bordered by the Tibetan plateau with an elevation that rises from 1,372 to 8,167 metres above sea level.
Located in an area known as The Forbidden Kingdom; the gateway to Tibet, this spiritual destination has dramatic landscapes and is rich in Buddhist culture with many monasteries and has some of the highest snow-capped peaks in the world, including the formidable Mount Nilgiri.
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Each of the 29 suites – measuring 45 square metres – are designed in the style of a traditional Tibetan home with an open-plan bedroom combined with a living area and a separate bathroom. Floor-to-ceiling windows offer majestic views of the Nilgiri mountain.
The property will feature the 60-seat Nilgiri Restaurant, named after the mountain it looks out onto, and a large outdoor dining patio where modern Nepalese cuisine and western cuisine will be served, using locally sourced and foraged produce. The Aara Bar is named after an exotic local Tibetan/Sherpa liquor.
A mixed-use activity room can be used for meetings, presentation or yoga and exercise classes. The Wellness Center has two treatment suites with floor-to-ceiling windows facing the mountains; each with a hot plunge pool, steam room, sauna, shower and two massage beds. The Tibetan wellness program will be developed by a local 11th generation Tibetan Amchi Doctor, using traditional herbal medicine.
A highly privately guided guest experience program honours the traditions of local Sherpa hospitality and has been curated exclusively for guests. A selection of unique excursions enables guests to do a different trip every day for up to two weeks; including trekking, horse riding, rock climbing, cycling, archery, hiking, helicopter tours, wellness and more. Led by experienced Bensley Adventure Guides, guests will be taken on a variety of day trips, hiking along rarely travelled trails with dramatic landscapses and incredible vistas, dining on Shinta Mani gourmet picnics, made with the freshest farm-to-fork ingredients.
Before its official opening, designer Bill Bensley is adding his creative magic to the mountain Lodge, bringing a unique verve to a location that remains untouched.
Interiors will incorporate warm-coloured fabrics and materials to reflect the rich tones of the surrounding landscape. Huge fire pits on the outdoor terrace will allow guests to admire millions of stars in the night sky in warmth as the temperatures dip. Inside, every area will be complemented by the artwork of the late artist Robert Powell, a friend of Bensley’s who drew the region’s vernacular architecture in incredible detail. In his typical upcycling style and with his sustainable mindset, Bensley has used recycled materials that he has repurposed into unique new furniture.
Namgyal Sherpa, Owner of Sherpa Hospitality Group added, “It was our dream to create world-class, luxury hotel experiences in the Himalayas and we couldn’t find a better partner than Shinta Mani Hotels to collaborate with on this vision as we share similar values”.
“We are very excited to be pushing the boundaries and creating a new and exciting project that will position Nepal as a quality, luxury destination and not just for budget traveller,” remarked Sokoun Chanpreda, Managing Director of HMD Asia which owns and operates Shinta Mani Hotels. “We have incredible synergies between our brands and look forward to a fruitful and successful alliance in this unique and very special destination.”
Commenting on the partnerhip, Bensley said: “This is perhaps one of the most exciting projects we have ever had.”
“I have never seen such wildly dramatic landscapes as the mountains and valleys of Mustang, and am thrilled that Shinta Mani can be the first to introduce this Forbidden Kingdom to international adventurers – and all the more so under the special wing of Bensley Collection.
“This will be their base camp for explorations all around these phenomenal mountains, as always guided by our kind and infinitely knowledgeable Bensley Adventure Guides, for the experience of a lifetime,” said Bensley.
In keeping with Shinta Mani’s philosophy of giving back to the communities in which they operate, the Lodge will work closely with the Psang Lhamu Foundation which was founded by the owning family after their Mother became the first Nepalese woman to blaze a trail to the summit of Mt Everest in 1993. The Foundation is a non-profit, non-political, non-government organization with the core pillars of Education, Vocation Training, Health and Immediate Assistance. Details at pasanglhamufoundation.org/
Rates at the all-inclusive Shinta Mani Mustang – A Bensley Collection will start from US$1,700 per couple per night for a minimum 5-night stay, plus applicable service charges and government taxes.
Rates are inclusive of all food and beverage; private guided activities and excursions; unlimited spa treatments; personal Bensley Adventure Guide and transfers between Kathmandu and Jomson (by air or air and road). Helicopter transfers and private chartered flights are additional. Rates are valid until 31 March 2024.