The House of Shambhala is the first serious attempt at a heritage-style boutique hotel in Lhasa. Opened in mid 2006, the 10 room hotel is housed in a historic Tibetan residence that sits slap bang in the heart of the bustling Barkhor quarter, a short walk from the sacred Jokhang temple. The man responsible is Laurence Brahm, already well known for his Red Capital restoration projects in Beijing. The House of Shambhala is part of Brahm's passion for conserving traditional heritage. With the onslaught of new development in Lhasa, Brahm hopes his efforts will encourage greater protection of the historic enclave. Tibetan craftspeople were engaged to carry out the restoration work, including woodcarving masters who helped restore Lhasa's Norbulingka Summer Palace and the stone carving master at the Nechung Oracle. Brahm says as far as possible traditional methods and local materials were used throughout the hotel, which is also managed and staffed by Tibetans. The traditionally furnished rooms (sans television and phone), 360 degree views of Lhasa from the rooftop, a yoga-spa center, an excellent restaurant and its immersion in sights and sounds of a Tibetan neighborhood make the House of Shambhala a great choice to end a 48 hour train trip. The Shambhala Foundation commissions local artisans to make products for the hotel and provides an outlet to sell their crafts. For more information visit www.houseofshambhala.com.