The Best of Cambodia & Laos

great riverside location, although the design of the building means that only one room
actually has a riverside view. Rooms are tastefully furnished in an Art Deco style, though
they’re a bit pokey. It is family run and the family is very relaxed and friendly.
Ban Khili. & 071/212-664. www.villariverside.com. 7 units. $60 double; $70 triple; $80 VIP Private Balcony
River View. No credit cards. In room: A/C, TV.
Sala Prabang Here’s a trendsetter in developing Luang Prabang: an old
riverside colonial that’s been refurbished and refitted by its architect/owner, the walls
reinforced with stone, and good hot-water showers and air-conditioning installed. The
renovation was done with some panache, with beams and supports made of rough natural
wood, sponge painting, and cool neutral tones throughout. The lobby area is a chic
open-air space overlooking the Mekong, and top-end rooms on the second floor are large
and have great balcony views. A recent expansion added seven naturally styled rooms in
a riverfront villa down the street, as well as Nadao (under construction at press time), an
offshoot of the Vientiane favorite Le Nadao, promising the same high-quality French
cuisine at its riverside perch. Sala Prabang is a boutique guesthouse at its best, and a
model that will likely be copied.
Mekong Riverside Rd., 102/6 Thanon Ounkham, Xieng Mouane, P.O. Box 902, Luang Prabang. & 071/
252-460. Fax 071/252-472. www.salalao.com. 29 units. Low season $50–$60 double; high season $60–
$75 double. MC, V. Amenities: Restaurant; cafe; airport transfer; Internet access. In room: A/C, hair dryer.
Sayo Guest House This guesthouse isn’t trying to be anything more than it is, and
that’s its charm. Service is nonexistent, and the lobby is just a little hallway, but the rooms
on the second floor are enormous. Ceilings are practically barn height, and the rooms are
done up with tasteful Lao decorations. Rooms also feature four-poster beds if you are
suddenly feeling a little bit like Henry VIII and wish to relax. The upstairs family rooms
have a mezzanine area, which is great for children who wish to create their own den.
Bathrooms are clean, large, and of the all-in-one variety (shower and toilet together). The
rooms in the back are smaller, with exposed brick and unique loft spaces like little crows’
nests. Sayo Guesthouse is basic, but it’s an eccentric place with a lot of character. The
location is convenient to the main street.
Ban Xieng Mouane. & 071/252-614. 14 units. $40 double; $60 family room. No credit cards. In room:
A/C, TV.
Senesouk Guesthouse This is a really pleasant guesthouse decorated in a Franco-
Lao style. The furnishing is dark wood and silk. Some rooms are completely paneled in
dark wood giving them a very traditional feel. It is not everyone’s cup of tea since it is a
mite gloom-inducing, but if it is your style then you won’t be unsatisfied. The all-wood
rooms are not claustrophobic because they are very large indeed with high ceilings. The
nonwooden rooms are much smaller.
Sakkarine Rd. & 071/212-074. 19 units. $30 standard double; $35 standard twin; $40 superior double;
$40 deluxe twin; $50 deluxe double. MC, V. In room: A/C, TV, fridge.
Villa Sokxai I This is a basic guesthouse in an attractive colonial that happens to be
in one of my favorite spots in town. Clean rooms have wood floors, soft beds, and both
air-conditioning and a fan, a real plus for some. Try for an upstairs room overlooking the
balcony and Wat Phon Heuang—this is one of the first spots where monks receive their
morning alms, and the hotel staff can help you buy sticky rice if you’d like to make merit.
At dusk, you can sit on the balcony and listen to the hypnotic chanting drone of the
evening prayers. One drawback is the Sokxai’s poorly run reservations system; you should
263
LUANG PRABANG & NORTHERN LAOS 13
LUANG PRABANG