Punjab Hotel Hunza

Converted into a five-star mountain retreat in Pakistan's Hunza Valley, Punjab Hotel sits at elevation with the Karakoram peaks — including the Rakaposhi massif — filling the horizon from its upper-floor rooms.

The valley's main Karimabad bazaar lies within a short drive, offering access to local apricot markets and the centuries-old Baltit Fort. At this altitude, clear nights expose some of the darkest skies on the subcontinent, with no urban light pollution for hundreds of kilometres.

Hunza sits along the Karakoram Highway between Gilgit and the Chinese border at Khunjerab Pass, making the hotel a practical staging point for travellers crossing into Xinjiang or trekking toward Ultar Sar base camp.