Review: Rosewood Luang Prabang, Luang Prabang

The site’s six Hilltop Tents all offer dramatic vistas towards the Mekong River and the ancient temples of Luang Prabang. Each takes design cues from one of the local Akha, Hmong, Lahu, Lisu, Mien and Palaung hill tribes, with their colourful indigo, red and denim textiles adorning the walls and ceilings.

Culinary director Sebastien Rubis makes the most of the natural larder encircling the resort by utilising local herbs, flowers and roots in dishes such as lon som (pork and eggplant curry with sour fish eggs) and nem thadeua (crunchy rice with sour pork, chilli paste and vegetables).

Based in the local village, Mr Xong is a traditional wellness expert with over 25 years’ experience. Guests can arrange for a consultation with him at the signature spa, Sense, where his treatments utilise ingredients foraged from the nearby forests and on-site organic garden.

The Nam Dong River cascades down from its spring 7km up the mountainside and wends its way through the resort. While all of the rooms are spread out along the river side, the view is best enjoyed with a gin and tonic in hand at the Elephant Bar. Straddling the burbling stream, the breezy sala-style bar is decorated with a multitude of statues of the national animal of Laos.

Under the vision of designer Bill Bensley each of the 23 rooms looks to celebrate a different guest who could have stayed here during the French-Indochinese era. That covers a range of weird and wonderful objects from military caps and a travel trunk in honour of Francis Garnier, captain of the French Mekong expedition, to the croquet sticks used to win the gold medal at the 1900 Olympics in Paris.

rosewoodhotels.com/luang-prabang

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