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