Heritage Line Anouvong

With pool, garden or mountain views, La Residence Phou Vao’s 34 spacious, zen-style suites are elegantly but simply furnished with polished rosewood and fresh linens. All suites offer a double bedroom, separate living area and a very high and attentive level of service throughout. The freshwater infinity swimming pool drops dramatically over a cliff edge overlooking the valley below with gold pagodas and shrines scattered across the hillside and views across to Luang Prabang (the hotel is 2 kilometres from the city centre). Set in lush gardens guests will enjoy the fragrance of flourishing bougainvillea, papyrus and frangipani trees. Meals can be taken al fresco in the gardens lit by the glow of lanterns and candles in the evening, or dine inside in sophisticated comfort on a blend of inventive Lao and French cuisine.

Muang La Lodge provides guests with an incredible opportunity to stay in one of northern Laos’ remote villages in the comfort of this charming hotel. With its wooden buildings and discreet size, the resort manages to blend in with its surroundings, whilst offering its guests the luxuries of a sauna, massage services, gorgeous fragrant gardens, and ten en-suite rooms decked out in polished wood and jewel-toned fabrics, each with its own terrace; the furniture is all made by local craftsman Oudom Xai. Right by the lodge, the village’s natural hot spring fills the outdoor plunge pool, in which guests can unwind in this blissfully tranquil environment while soaking up the water’s therapeutic effects. Traditional life still prevails up here, and the Muang La has a unique agreement with the village chief, which has allowed it to slot into village life and to have spearheaded several projects, such as the maintenance of the river bank to prevent flooding and the building of a bridge. The resort also employs locals and buys its produce from the village, all of which allows visitors to experience this culture in the most ethical, eco-conscious way possible. Guests at the Muang La Lodge can use this as their base to explore the beautiful, untouched surroundings of the village, with rainforest treks, mountain biking, village visits, and trips to nearby waterfalls. Onsite, there are also Asian cookery classes for those who want to take home a taste of their journey to Laos.

Your peaceful and pleasant pitstop on your Luang Say Mekong River Cruise, this lovely yet modest riverside lodge is where you will overnight in comfort. After a full day cruising the Mekong, it feels good to put your feet on terra firma and even more so when staying in the delightful Luang Say Lodge overlooking the river and set against a wild jungle backdrop. Its seventeen teak and rosewood pavilions are typically Laotian in build and elevated for better views. Each one comes with a Western en suite bathroom, comfortable beds with mosquito nets and fans. The restaurant serves a buffet-style dinner using mainly organic produce sourced locally and there is a well-stocked bar for pre and post dinner drinks. If there are more than twenty guests staying than a special folkloric dance is usually put on. Continental breakfasts are served up in the morning along with great views of the river, and the perfect send off as you rejoin the boat to complete your cruise.

Together with its great location in a peaceful corner on a confluence of the Nam Khan and Mekong rivers, set beside the Wat Xiengthong Temple, in the heart of Luang Prabang’s historic centre, the boutique hotel Victoria Xiengthong Palace is both ideally located and a stylish base to explore this city. Converted from one of the last residences of the Royalty of Laos, the 26 rooms and suites are steeped with history and grandeur without compromising on modern comforts. Most of them have balconies or terraces too. ‘Kitchen by the Mekong’ offers a fusion of carefully crafted Laotian and European cuisine, and meals can be taken in the gardens with atmospheric views overlooking the nearby Wat and the Mekong. Sink into the relaxing spirit of the locale with a whole menu of treatments at the hotel’s Ayu Spa.