Need to know
Rooms
Seven standalone villas.
Check–Out
9am, but flexible, subject to availability. Earliest check-in, 11am.
More details
Rates include a seasonal breakfast spread of freshly-picked fruits from the orchard, local herbal teas, Indian coffee blends, and a selection of traditional savouries. A free steam room and sauna session is also included.
Also
The mountain setting and split-level villas mean that the resort is virtually inaccessible for wheelchair-users.
At the hotel
Kitchen garden, orchard, Himalayas-facing terrace, doctor on-call, charged laundry service, and free WiFi. In rooms: smart TV, coffee machine, air-conditioning, herbal-tea-making kit, oxygen support, and Bare Necessities organic bath products.
Our favourite rooms
Each of the seven duplex-level villas is a cocooning stay clad in locally made materials. The exposed emerald-green stone walls (sourced from the nearby village of Chilling) are softened by yak-wool throws, cushion covers, and earthy-coloured rugs which have been hand-woven by women from Kharnak. Every little detail has been carefully considered – including the two beautifully crafted wooden trunks at the foot of your bed, which hold extra blankets for chilly Himalayan nights. The views from your rabsal balcony across the fruit-tree-dotted courtyard towards the purple-tinged peaks are equally enchanting from every villa, and change quite dramatically with the seasons from snow-blanketed in winter to apricot- and apple-laden in the warmer months.
Spa
Like the rest of the resort, the spa is a soothing space which is rooted in Ladakhi traditions, using specially concocted oils, singing bowls and such… Ancient healing rituals are infused with local aromatic herbs, and guided-meditation sessions with breathwork ease you slowly into high-altitude life. The steam shower and sauna are perfect post-hike relaxation zones, to help warm weary muscles from mountainous treks. And there’s an alfresco activity deck for yoga classes to really get into the Himalayan flow.
Packing tips
Dolkhar’s connections with Ladakh’s creative community of potters, metal-workers, and weavers will make you want to save room in your suitcase for some hand-crafted treasures.
Also
Accessing your villa is a bit of an art form. You’ll be given a hand-forged key to a traditional Ladakhi lock, turning an elaborate lever mechanism which will satisfyingly clunk into place.
Children
Welcome, but tackling Himalayan trails and acclimatising to the high altitude is best left to older Smiths.
Sustainability efforts
The Dolkhar villas are a top-to-bottom tribute to the landscape, community and culture of Ladakh. The plastic-free resort keeps everything hyper-local – the buildings are constructed using locally sourced materials (such as willow and poplar wood for the roofs), and supported by traditional columns and beams crafted by Ladakhi artisans from neighbouring villages (who also helped with the interiors). Bathrooms are stocked with eco-friendly products from zero-waste, community-driven brand Bare Necessities, recycled toilet paper from Good Karma, and locally made soaps by Leh-based Ladags Organic Store (using hand-picked apples, apricots and sea buckthorn). Ladakhi wooden barrels (known as dzems) have been repurposed as dustbins, and the resort works with PAGIR (People’s Action Group of Inclusion and Rights) which creates socially-responsible employment for locals with disabilities who transform waste into the stationery and laundry bags you’ll find in your villa. Old tree stumps around the property were given new life as rustic side-tables, and the reception lights are made from left-over wood waste from the villas’ construction. The vegetarian restaurant is also a sustainable showcase for plant-based, nature-inspired, seasonal ingredients gathered from the surrounding valley.