Dewachen Hotel & Spa

We arrived to find there was no reservation under our name, even though an agency had booked and paid for our room in advance. Our guide had called the hotel the day before to check that everything was arranged, so we had to go elsewhere when we got there. Two other couples had the same thing happen that evening. My guess is that the hotel took more bookings than it could handle, perhaps because so many people wanted to stay after reading the good reviews. It seems they sent guests like us to another hotel and got a kickback from it. That would make for good business, I suppose. Book at your own risk.

There are no landlines in the rooms, and the WiFi doesn’t work, so if you need something you have to get dressed and walk through the cold to find reception, if anyone is there. After 8 PM the hotel seemed to disappear. There was no staff, reception or service that I could find. I ran out of matches and drinking water in the middle of a freezing night, with nobody to help. If you don’t already have what you need, you’re left to manage on your own. There are no electric heaters, either. You have to keep a small wood stove going through the night, getting up every two hours to add wood or risk freezing. That made it impossible to rest or sleep. This showed no understanding of basic hospitality. I’d suggest the owner spend time staying at actual hotels before trying to run one. It felt more like an endurance test than a stay.

The food was a favorite, and I found the Bukhara in the room quaint and interesting. A wonderful hotel in Phobjika.

The people were so friendly, and the cozy rooms had a lovely view from a beautiful location. I’d definitely recommend it to anyone heading to Phobjika.