Agent SECRET
KATE DOTY
The first time I arrived at I knew I’d found a place set apart from anywhere else, concealed by moss covered walls, huge ferns and palm trees, which cascade down into the river gorge below. The sheer, lush green-ness of it all lets you know you are somewhere very special. It makes you catch your breath, but it also opens you up.
I’m fortunate enough to spend a great deal of time in luxury hotels all over the world. But over the years, I’ve found that they are mostly doing things ‘their way’. They offer an ‘experience’, often a very formal one, which guests are invited to go along with. Sure, COMO Shambhala Estate has a strong sense of its own identity, as a place of healing. But that’s pretty much where the rulebook ends. While lots of places say they’ll tailor the experience to your needs, at COMO Shambhala it actually happens. That’s what I love about it.
Before you even get here, they will have worked out already if you’re super-fit (and lots of guests are) and therefore might enjoy rock climbing, or if (like me) you’d prefer to hike around the estate, and explore those hidden gardens and natural pools you just caught a glimpse of. The staff aren’t just porters or doormen or room service waiters. Every one of them is an expert in intuition, whatever their other role. They research your story, and empathise with your needs. They look for a resolution not by being preachy, but by listening. It’s all about ‘how can we support you and make sure you get the most out of your stay?’
It’s for these reasons that I will often recommend the Estate to dynamic, busy clients who really do need to get away from it all, reboot and perhaps leave with their lives calibrated a little differently. Sure it’s perfect for honeymooners or for a mother and daughter, or a small group of friends, but I have successful male clients who regularly spend a week at the Estate on their own. It strikes this perfect balance between incredible glamour and relaxed warmth. It’s not at all stuffy. If you want to feel like you are in magicland, this place delivers, again and again.