The Happy House

Nestled in the foothills of the great Eastern Himalaya, just 30 km south of Mt. Everest, The Happy House is located in a small village named Phaplu. This ten-room hideaway overlooks the village of Phaplu with a pine-shaded garden, terraces, yoga and meditation center, and a candle-lit massage room. Each room is equipped with a wardrobe, working desk and chair, bedside lamps for reading. The beds are made with comfortable mattresses, duvets, pillows, and fine linens, and topped with cashmere blankets for cozy slumber. WiFi is available throughout the property, but internet speeds are sufficient for e-mails and text but slow for high data use. Once the abode and “happy place” for Sir Edmond Hillary, it is now a house where every single wall is painted by hand with ancient Buddhist Thangka paintings. Meals are customized and served among a selection of distinct, private settings within and around the property. For relaxation, guests can enjoy a candle-lit massage room, sauna, and singing bowl healing therapies. Days at Happy House take shape around completely personalized guided adventures. Trek into the Holy Forest, explore ancient yak trade routes, Himalayan cultures, Tibetan monasteries, and mountain bike to several hilltops for picnics or overnight camping to be rewarded with the most pristine panoramas of the Eastern Himalayas. This hotel is located a 10-minute walk from the Phaplu airport (accessible by helicopter/fixed wing aircraft) with a 35-minute transfer to Kathmandu.

Why We Love This Hotel

History: A joint effort between Count Guido Monzino, one of Italy’s most decorated explorers and Ang Tawa Lama, grandson to Sange Lama, a descendant of one of the first Sherpa families to settle in Nepal, the house was built in the early 1970’s and named the ‘Hostellerie des Sherpa’. This lodging became a wild & mysterious destination in the Himalaya and was later home to Sir Edmund Hillary and his family for many months becoming his “happy place”. The Happy House resonates a sense of history from its previous residents.

Activities: Trek into the Holy forest, explore ancient yak trade routes, Himalayan cultures, Tibetan monasteries, and mountain bike to several hilltops for picnics or overnight camping to be rewarded with the most pristine panoramas of the Eastern Himalayas; all activities available to guests with friendly Nepali hospitality.

Service: The Happy House is not so much a hotel as a team of over 30 people dedicated entirely to you. Meals are customized and served among a selection of distinct, private settings within and around the property, and your days take shape around completely personalized adventures with your dedicated guide.

Hotel Type
Historic
Location Type
Remote

Amenities

  • Bar/pub
  • Games Room
  • Garden
  • Library
  • Multilingual Staff
  • Wi-Fi In Public Areas
  • Yoga Classes/instruction On Site
Guests can stay in 10 spacious rooms and suites. Each room is uniquely decorated and is equipped with a wardrobe, working desk and chair, with bedside lamps for reading and power outlets for charging. The beds are equipped with comfortable mattresses, duvets, pillows, fine linens, and topped with cashmere blankets for comfy slumber.
Rooms

Rooms

Each room is uniquely decorated, equipped with a king-sized bed and hardwood floors with stylish carpeting.

Lama Suite

Lama Suite

This spacious suite is located on the house’s top floor and features a tall arching ceiling with large window views.

Monzino Suite

Monzino Suite

This spacious suite features a living area space with private library.

This place lives up to its name—a Happy Place. With a library and 2 fireplaces to cozy up to, a candle-lit spa for pampering treatments, and yoga and meditation center guests have plenty of options to unwind, relax, and center themselves.

Library

The library entices guests with a wide selection of books and a comfortable lounge to curl up and relax with a good read.

Spa

The candle lit spa room allows guests to experience the ultimate relaxation and rejuvenation with a spa massage therapy session, using all natural oils . Here guests can also immerse themselves in sound healing therapy through Tibetan singing bowls, a practice that has been used for centuries to promote physical, emotional, and spiritual healing.

Yoga Hall

This onsite yoga and meditation center includes an in-house instructor who can lead yoga sessions along with private singing bowl healing sessions to help guests reset.

The Happy House offers guests a communal style dining experience where all guests are welcome to come together for home cooked meals prepared. Conscious of waste, organic waste is disposed into a big compost, which is then used as natural fertilizer for the onsite garden. The kitchen also offers cooking classes to learn the art of mindful and intentional cooking.
Bar

Bar

Attached to the dining area, the small bar features a cozy place to pull up a stool and enjoy a crafted cocktail or vintage.

Dining Room

Dining Room

The dining room is the heart of the house where guests dine along a long table. All meals are prepared to the guest’s liking with a wide range of organic produce that is harvested onsite from the vegetable garden or source from local suppliers.

Why Remote Lands?

Exclusively Asia

With Remote Lands you'll travel with people who have made Asia the solitary focus of their own lifelong adventure. As our guest, you'll discover Asia on a journey that is completely, authentically your own, adapted from our own remarkable experiences and adventures over the years.

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