The Best of Cambodia & Laos

wood floors, and fashionable room dividers separating the bathroom area from the living
space. Modern dark-wood furniture is highlighted by four-poster beds covered with
hand-woven silks and plush pillows. Smaller standard rooms are just as airy. French doors
leading to either a patio by the road or a second-floor balcony let in an abundance of
light, especially in the morning. The bar and restaurant are top-notch, but early-tobedders
beware: Two second-story rooms are immediately above the restaurant and can
be noisy until closing time. Large families or groups should inquire about the nearby
Villa Savanh, a three-bedroom traditional house that the hotel rents on a nightly basis.
Ban Vat Sene. & 071/254-670. Fax 071/254-252. www.theapsara.com. 13 units. $70 Standard downstairs;
$75 Superior downstairs; $80 Standard upstairs; $120 Superior upstairs. . MC, V. Amenities: Restaurant;
bar; Internet. In room: A/C, fridge.
The Chang Inn Here they have made a real effort to create luxury but in a very Lao
traditional style (although it is actually Thai owned). The rooms are dark wood throughout
from floor to ceiling. We found that a little claustrophobic but do appreciate their
intensely skillful design imperative. It is a rambling place with lots of little passages and
hidden corners all artfully decorated with silk and woodcarvings. In some ways the
meticulous attention to detail might start to grate. The Chang Inn is, without a doubt,
artful boutique perfection but the very efficiency of the warm atmosphere appears clinically
calculating and screams business. Still, the hotel is in a beautiful location, the staff
is wonderfully friendly with good English, and the design is genuinely creative. For those
reasons, the Chang Inn has done a successful job of separating itself from the crowd.
93, Unit 3, Phoneheuang Village. & 071/253-553. www.thechang.com. 22 units. $200 deluxe; $220
Khan deluxe; $250 Khan suite. MC, V. Amenities: Restaurant; Internet; room service. In room: A/C, TV,
fridge, minibar.
La Residence Phou Vao Luang Prabang’s finest hotel offers deluxe accommodations,
excellent service, and a lofty perch away from the fray of the busy town
center. Rooms are priced accordingly, but worth it. The Phou Vao is named for the hill
on which it stands. Shallow ponds trace the courtyards that connect the buildings, and
bushes of bougainvillea, palm, and frangipani frame views of Mount Phousi in the distance.
The views are especially lovely from the pool area and the balconies of the more
choice rooms. The accommodations are like small suites, decorated with a bamboo-andwood
inlaid headboard, fine rosewood furniture, and retro fixtures such as fans and
mosquito netting. The large marble bathrooms feature oversize stone tubs and dark-teak
sink stands. Private balconies come with low, Lao-style divans. The Phou Vao combines
the amenities of a city hotel with a boutique, upscale rustic charm. The recently opened
spa, consisting of luxury cottages set around an infinity pool and lily pond overlooking
the town below, further solidifies the Phou Vao’s position as the premier hotel in Luang
Prabang.
Phou Vao Rd. & 071/212-530. Fax 071/212-534. www.residencephouvao.com. 34 units. $511 Garden
View; $554 Mountain View; $510 Mountain Pool View; $569 Suite. MC, V. Amenities: Restaurant; bar;
concierge; health club; Internet; outdoor pool; room service. In room: A/C, TV, fridge, minibar.
Les 3 Nagas This hotel’s original structure was built in 1898 as an unofficial reception
area for the royal family before being converted into an ice-cream factory in the
1930s. A newer wing across the street was built in 1903 by a counselor to King Sisavang
Vong. The inspired recent renovation has just the right mix of style, convenience, and
connection with local living and history. That style can be seen in the clean-lined rosewood
interiors, contemporary Asian furniture, and Lao touches such as woven floor mats
259
LUANG PRABANG & NORTHERN LAOS 13
LUANG PRABANG