Songtsam begins construction in Tibet of 120-room Songtsam Linka Retreat Lake Basong Tso

This will be the first zero-carbon hotel and largest property in this luxury hotel collection expected to open July, 2023.

Songtsam, an award-winning luxury boutique hotel collection and Destination Marketing Company, located in the Tibet and Yunnan Provinces of China announced the construction of Songtsam’s first zero-carbon hotel, the Songtsam Linka Retreat Lake Basong Tso located in Tibet. Expected to open in July 2023, the 120-room Retreat will be Songtsam’s 16 and largest property.

Founded in 2000 by Mr. Baima Duoji, Songtsam has always had a strong commitment to the preservation of the essence of Tibetan culture, as well as environmental conservation and sustainability by supporting the economic development of the local communities.

In making the announcement, Mr. Baima noted, “Songtsam Linka Retreat Lake Basong Tso will partner with Siemens and Schneider Electric to strive to build Songtsam’s first zero-carbon hotel. The entire hotel will achieve maximum zero carbon dioxide emissions through building energy saving systems and by making full use of solar power generation and energy storage.”

Songtsam Linka Retreat Lake Basong Tso will also give 5% of the operating income to the adjacent Jieba village every year. Songtsam Linka Retreat Lake Basong Tso will provide at least 120 jobs for villagers from the local community. The property itself will be built in such a way that it will become an integral part of the beautiful landscape surrounding the local village.

Mr. Baima hopes that the opening of the hotel will allow more guests to experience the beautiful Tibetan scenery, and also hope’s Songtsam’s zero-carbon implementation will serve as a model for other businesses in the area to become more sustainable.

Lake Basong Tso Area – Popular for Hikers and Outdoor Adventure

Songtsam Linka Retreat Lake Basong Tso is situated near Lake Basong Tso in Gongbujiangda County, Nyingchi. The largest natural lake in southeastern Tibet, Basong Tso means “green water” in Tibetan. It is a 4 ½-hour drive from the holy city of Lhasa and the world-famous Potala Palace, as well as the Songtsam Linka Retreat Lhasa. 

Legend has it that Guru Padmasambhava is said to have subdued “demons” in Lake Basong Tso, and the lake has since become sacred to members of Tibetan Buddhism. Every year the lake attracts a large number of pilgrims who come to honor their Guru.

In recent years, Zhongcuo, Xincuo and other places near Lake Basong Tso, have become increasingly popular hiking destinations, topping the list of favorites of many outdoor adventure enthusiasts. As tour routes are constantly expanding to these off the beaten track areas of breathtaking natural beauty with an abundance of places to see and explore, Songtsam recognized a need for upscale accommodation to meet the growing number of travelers exploring this area. Surrounding the lake are a number of villages and Cuogao and Xincuogou, where the two snow-capped mountains of Basong Tso, “the King’s Throne” and “Burning Flame,” can be seen towering over the blue-green waters of the lake.

About Songtsam

Songtsam (“Paradise”) is an award-winning luxury collection of hotels, resorts, and tours located in Tibet and Yunnan Provinces, China. Founded in 2000 by Mr. Baima Duoji, a former Tibetan Documentary filmmaker, Songtsam is the only collection of luxury Tibetan-style retreats within the wellness space focusing on the concept of Tibetan meditation by combining physical and spiritual healing together. The 16 unique and sustainable properties offer guests authenticity, within the context of refined design, modern amenities, and unobtrusive service in places of untouched natural beauty and cultural interest. One of the Songtsam Properties is a Virtuoso Preferred Partner and four of the Songtsam Properties are Serandipians Hotel Partners. Songstam welcomes all travelers including families with children, travelers with disabilities and is LGBTQ+ friendly.

About Songtsam Tours

Songtsam Tours provides guests an opportunity to curate their own experiences by combining stays at its different hotels and lodges designed to discover the region’s diverse culture, rich biodiversity, incredible scenic landscapes, and unique living heritage.

About Songtsam Mission

Songtsam’s mission is to inspire their guests with the diverse ethnic groups and cultures of the region and to understand how the local people pursue and understand happiness, bringing Songtsam guests closer to discovering their own Shangri-La. At the same time, Songtsam has a strong commitment to sustainability and the preservation of the essence of Tibetan culture by supporting the economic development of the local communities and the environmental conservation within Tibet and Yunnan. Songtsam was on the 2018, 2019 & 2022 Condé Nast Traveler Gold List. 

For more information about Songtsam visit songtsam.com/en/about.

SEEN IN IMAGES: 3D Architectural Renderings of the upcoming Songtsam Linka Retreat Lake Basong Tso – images courtesy of Songtsam

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U.S. Contact for Songtsam

Florence Li, Director of International Sales and Marketing

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U.S. Editorial Contact for Songtsam

The Bradford Group

Karen Hoffman/ Amanda Marconi 

Tel: (212) 447-0027  E-mail: [email protected]