Nepal’s luxury credentials have been given a major boost with the opening of Shinta Mani Mustang – A Bensley Collection resort in the Himalayas.
The 29-suite property is the first outside Cambodia for Shinta Mani Hotels and is located at an elevation of 2,800 metres in the Lower Mustang area of the Annapurna mountains.
All suites have been designed in the style of a traditional Nepalese home with an open-plan bedroom combined with a living area and separate bathroom. Floor-to-ceiling windows give guests views of the Nilgiri mountain.
US designer and Shinta Mani Hotels co-owner Bill Bensley has brought his unique touches to the resort’s interiors, including artwork by the late artist Robert Powell and furniture created from recycled materials. The outdoor terrace also features fire pits to allow guests to admire the night sky even as temperatures plunge.
The resort’s facilities include Nilgiri Restaurant with mountain views and an outdoor dining patio, while the Aara Bar is named after a traditional local liquor.
The Wellness Centre offers two treatment rooms each with floor-to-ceiling windows, as well as a hot plunge pool, steam room, sauna, shower and two massage beds. The programme of treatments on offer has been developed using traditional Tibetan herbal medicine.
The property’s location gives guests the perfect opportunity to take part in trekking and other excursions, such as horse riding, rock climbing, cycling, archery and helicopter tours – all led by experienced Bensley Adventure Guides.
Bensley described Shinta Mani’s new Nepalese resort as “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 I am thrilled that Shinta Mani can be the first to introduce this mystical land to international adventurers - and all the more so under the special wing of Bensley Collection,” added the designer.
“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.”
Shinta Mani Mustang is owned and operated by HMD Asia, in partnership with Kathmandu-based Sherpa Hospitality Group.