Sofitel Luang Prabang

A lovely large pool, great dining, and leisure facilities that feel more like those at a much bigger hotel. The property is very well managed, with especially professional staff in the restaurant. In LP, this is the place to choose if you want luxury and high service quality in a genuinely small boutique setting, with just 26 rooms.

We came to Luang Prabang for a relaxed weekend, and the hotel made the whole trip a good experience. The garden in the middle is huge and well kept, the room was nice, breakfast was good, and everyone on staff was warm. Khun Max deserves special credit for being attentive, kind, and professional and making our time even better. We hadn’t known about the shuttle car into town, so finding out about that was a nice surprise. I also had a lovely spa visit with Khun Phone looking after me.

The best parts for us were the hotel’s architecture and its beautiful tropical garden, the big stylish pool, and a garden restaurant with great food and a wonderful breakfast. The staff were very friendly. When our daughter got sick, someone accompanied us to the doctor. There were free beer and snacks in the room on arrival, and we were given a late checkout at 3pm. There were several room issues too. Our toilet hadn’t been properly cleaned when we arrived, and the rooms seem old. The toilet seat had yellowed in places, with ugly stains on the wall beside it. The baby cot provided for our daughter was quite worn, though they brought a new one when we asked. On the first day, housekeeping woke us at 6:30 by talking outside our poorly insulated room. The toilet paper throughout the hotel was very low quality. Our room was cold when we arrived on a chilly January night and wouldn’t warm up. It had lots of windows, but most were covered with permanent shades, so even during the day we needed lights on. If you’re coming from Europe in winter for tropical brightness, that isn’t what you want.

The people were wonderful hosts, with that genteel Laotian quality, and the hotel’s history and charm made it hard to leave. Sofitel Luang Prabang has 25 rooms, each looking onto the large inner garden and green spaces. Roosters from nearby crow through the day, a reminder that the countryside is close, while a family of rabbits wanders freely and entertains guests. The buildings have been preserved as UNESCO buildings, with a past as a Governor's mansion, police station, and jail. We also had some of the freshest farm-to-table produce we’ve eaten in a while, with lots of support for local farmers. A beautiful treat. We’ll return.