KATHMANDU — Comsom, a small town tucked between craggy cliffs and the Himalayas in western Nepal's Mustang, has only been accessible to foreigners since 1992. This is the last place on earth where you will find a luxury designer hotel. But Shinta Mani Mustang, a luxury estate number 29 that opened in August 2023, has transformed the remote town into a destination for the smart.
Designed by renowned American architect and interior designer Bill Bensley, the hotel offers luxurious rooms furnished with Tibetan antiques, fine arts and crafts, wellness treatments and fine dining. The price is $1,800 per person per night (for a five-night minimum) — a rate that would have shocked the hippie adventurers who flocked to Kathmandu in the 1970s and paved the way for what quickly made Nepal a top destination for Western backpackers.