5 best luxury hotels in Luang Prabang

This is my personal list of the best 5 luxury hotels in Luang Prabang.

If you search for hotels in Luang Prabang you will find a lot of prices in the $10 to $100 a night range. You will even find a number of hostels offering dorm rooms cheaper than that. It’s easy to get the impression that Luang Prabang is a town for backpackers but, while it is a great town for backpackers, it also offers many opportunities for those who prefer to stay somewhere offering a standard of luxury and service you won’t get in a standard hotel.

Firstly my methodology for this list.

I spent some time collating information from all of the major hotel review and booking sites. Different sites cater to different clientele and it was important to get as big a range of ratings and reviews as possible. This narrowed the search to the top dozen. Extensive questioning of people living in Luang Prabang narrowed the number to the top five and gave me the first ranking. Then I actually visited each of the hotels and walked the grounds and poked around in the rooms. I wasn’t about to give a list as my opinion without having seen the hotels myself.

So here it is; the top 5 luxury hotels in Luang Prabang. Each of the hotels on the list offers something different, they each have a unique feel and I was happy to find that none of them felt like a cookie cutter chain. There is little need to cover standard things like wi-fi and room service, every hotel on the list has exactly what you would expect in to get in that regard for the price you are paying.

 

5: The Belle Rive Hotel

Hard to fault in terms of location the Belle Rive is on the peninsula, in the heart of the World Heritage listed area of Luang Prabang. It consists of three separate side by side, recently renovated, colonial houses on the Mekong. Each building has a slightly different look to it but all have the colonial style that Luang Prabang is famous for.

Due to the World Heritage regulations the hotel has had to adapt itself to the limitations of using renovated buildings. This means that the lobby is a little small, with a bar squeezed at one end, and the three buildings are not connected to each other. A room with a view of the river will require negotiating stairs but this is a factor everywhere in Luang Prabang.

The rooms are a bit small, another product of working within the constraints of the building, but every room has a Mekong view, some with a balcony. It is that view that you are paying for, directly across the road with the only obstructions being a few coconut trees.

I found the bathroom to be a bit underwhelming in terms of space, fittings and amenities but the room had a small lounge and a couple of arm chairs that would be a comfortable place to sit while taking advantage of the free tea, coffee and soft drinks from the mini bar. There is also a desk with electrical sockets available for recharging.

The bed is a four poster and has a mosquito net. The net would be useful if you have been taking advantage of the view and the breezes by having the windows open in the evening. There is no TV in the room, one can be provided on request, but who would want one with the view. Timber floors and furniture fit the style.

The Belle Rive does not have a swimming pool, no hotel on the peninsula does. The restaurant is not in the hotel itself but across the road on a deck directly overlooking the Mekong. It’s a hard spot to beat if you just want to sit and dally over dinner while watching the sunset.

The Belle Rive has a charm that comes from the renovated style but its greatest assets are its location and its location with Mekong views and the heart of the tourist town within a very easy walk.


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4: Mekong Riverview Hotel

Mekong Riverview is right on the Mekong. No guesses where they got the name but it is accurate. The hotel is right on the end of the peninsula in the World Heritage listed area and spans 5 buildings along the Mekong. Unlike every other hotel on this list it is built in the style of traditional Laos wooden homes rather than a colonial style.

The lobby can be a little hard to find depending on which end of the 5 buildings you start and has a small tea and
coffee table and a small library if you prefer to sit there for some reason rather than your room.

Room access is via stairs and can be a little convoluted. The room is probably bigger than it feels but has a number of decorative items squeezed into it. The bathroom is fine but with a minimal supply of toiletries. It does have a rainfall shower head and the toilet is in a separate room of its own.

The desk fits in with a feeling of “colonial living in a traditional house” along with the general decorative style of the room. Timber is definitely the feel here which can darken the room slightly if the curtains are closed, but why would you close the curtains with that view. The bed is standard and there is a large flat screen TV.

The bar and restaurant for the hotel are across the road in the Riverview Café. Unlike the platform style of the Belle Rive this is a complete café/restaurant and has fantastic views of the confluence of the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers. The café almost deserves a review of its own and gives the hotel that something extra.

The Mekong Riverview Hotel lives up to its name, especially if you take advantage of the café. Complimentary bicycles are available or there is a golf cart to take you into the centre of the tourist strip even though it is only a few minutes’ walk away. Again, there is no pool but you are really staying here for its access to town and for that view of the Mekong.


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3: Satri House

For me it was a tough decision between 2 and 3 on this list and it probably came down to a gut reaction rather than facts and figures.

Satri House is a little off the beaten track in terms of the tourist heart of town. Not that it’s far, only a five minute walk from the night market, but it’s down a side road and hidden behind a large wall which gives it a feeling of seclusion that I liked. Reception is small and can be a little hard to find but there are a number of other places to sit, it’s just a matter of finding them.

If you are interested in the history of Luang Prabang then there is probably no better place to stay than Satri House. The renovated former residence of Prince Souphanouvong it is now home to an amazing collection of antiques spread around the hotel. The former royal rooms are preserved and feel like you really have stepped back in time.

In fact the entire feel is one of having stepped back in time with the maze of rooms, steps and corridors. Each corner you turn seems to throw up a new view or artefact or fish pond. The library is decorated in true colonial style with worn leather furniture and white linen dresses and suits would not seem out of place if you sat here with a brandy in the evening.
The rooms are a good size and decorated in an antique style that fits with the hotel as a whole. The bathroom, while fitting with the style was a bit underwhelming with minimal toiletries and a shower that was not screened in any way leading to a wet room situation.

The swimming pool (yes we are off the peninsula now) has the added touch of having a wide brimmed straw hat provided along with a towel on each chair. The restaurant is smallish but tasteful and fits the surroundings.

For me the real charm of Satri House is its seclusion inside a high wall and the feeling that you can spend some time just exploring the hotel itself with a number of discoveries to be made. The history and artefacts on display would keep me entertained for quite a while.


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2: The Luang Say Residence

The Luang Say is not in the most prepossessing of spots. It’s a little distance from the centre of town and there is not much around it in terms of tourist attractions. It is however in a little world of its own.

This is a hotel in a grand colonial style. The lobby is large and has a curving staircase up to the second floor. The lobby floor is black and white checked tiles rather than timber and all of the public areas seem to have a feeling of space. There is just a feeling of shabby chic that gives the Luang Say a sense of age and elegance while still having a quality edge.

The rooms are a reasonable size, if a little compact, with a seating area and four poster bed. The balcony looks out over the hotel gardens with the neighbours being screened by growths of bamboo. The TV is large but fits into the room décor so well that I didn’t notice it on first inspection and the desk is comfortable and practical
The bathroom is very good with a double sink, a rainfall showerhead and a good selection of toiletries with the toilet itself in its own separate room.

The swimming pool is the most impressive of all five on this list. It’s large, private and with ample seating without the feeling of being jammed next to the person beside you.

The word “colonial” may be becoming overused by me but that really is the feeling that comes through here. The restaurant and bar have that feeling with the open fire place, seating and decorations, and the rooms have that feeling with the wicker furniture on the balcony and the dark rich timber floors and white French doors. The impression I got strongest was of walking into a hotel designed by Disney to recreate the French colonial period but that this was actually the real deal.

From the moment you drive up the curving driveway and park under the porte-cochère you know the Luang Say is colonial elegance.


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1: Belmond La Résidence Phou Vao

The Belmond is probably the furthest from the tourist heart of Luang Prabang of the 5 on this list but don’t let that put you off. If you are looking for luxury and quality in a hotel then this is the place for you.

That distance from town does place the Belmond in the unique position of being on a hill, giving it fantastic views over the town towards the Mekong and the iconic Phousi Mountain. It is also unique for being the only hotel on this list that could be described as contemporary. Timber is still important but is part of the décor rather than overwhelming.

The Belmond reeks class and quality. It is the little touches that have made it number one on my list. The rooms are a good size with large glass windows and balconies to take full advantage of the views. The bed is good and comes with mosquito netting. There is a seating area and the desk is supplied with electrical adapters so you can plug in no matter where you come. An added bonus if you are just sitting on your balcony is your own espresso maker rather than the standard coffee sachets. There is a TV but it is tucked out of the way so as not to take away from the view.

The bathroom is large and has a generous selection of quality toiletries arranged with an eye to please the aesthetically critical with even the flower petals carefully arranged. Of course there is a rainfall showerhead.
The bar and restaurant are open to take advantage of overlooking the pool and the bar exudes a sense of gentlemanly relaxation with a humidor and the self-proclaimed best Bloody Marys in town. The German chef demands standards and quality that only a German chef could.

The pool is not huge but is an infinity that has one of the best outlooks in town.

The grounds of the Belmond are extensive, by far the largest on this list, and boast a pétanque rink and an archery range. Cocktails can be taken around the fire pit while you mingle with other guests and a private dining space is available in the garden that will be lit with 500 candles for a romantic diner.

Even the spa is luxurious with private villa style rooms set in the gardens that come complete with balcony spa baths. The spa was voted best in Laos.

The Belmond La Résidence Phou Vao screams luxury and class with an attention to detail and level of service that easily makes it my pick for number one luxury hotel in Luang Prabang.

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