Satri House

Style

Right royal residence

Setting

An amble from the old town

Built as a residence for a branch of the Lao royal family in the late 1900s, Satri House was once the childhood home of Prince Souphanouvong. Once again it is fit for the aristocracy after an extensive renovation. The original house is the centrepiece of masterful design, somehow managing to be intimate and homely yet striking and grand all at once. This is a glorious tribute to a bygone era.

Facilities

Rooms

31, including seven Junior Suites and three Satri House Suites.

Checkout

Noon, but flexible. Late check-outs charged a half-day rate. Check-in, 2pm.

More Details

Rates include breakfast.

Also

Bikes are available to borrow, but you can't book in advance; pick them up at the front desk when you wish to use them. A times, there may be music playing in the neighbouring market (especially during the festive season).

Pool

Spa

At the Hotel

Free WiFi in the lobby, bar and by the pool, library, gardens, spa. In rooms: flatscreen TV on request, minibar, local-brand toiletries.

Our Favourite Rooms

Book 222 has an inviting terrace with views over the garden and pool. An equally panoramic vista over the pool and spa is on offer in 523, but it also has his ‘n’ hers sinks. Feeling flush? Satri House Suite 422 promises seclusion and its own lounge bedecked with antiquities. Every room boasts four-poster beds, retro phones and wooden furnishings from an era when quality meant more than quantity.

Poolside

In a stroke of inspired indulgence, there are two pools to recline beside. The main pool sits in the shade of the original royal house. The new pool is below, near the spa complex (which boasts high-ceilinged treatment rooms).

Spa

The serene spa has high-ceilinged treatment rooms arranged around a lily-filled pond, a large Jacuzzi, a plunge pool and an herbal steam room. Choose from a classic range of massages, body scrubs and facial treatments.

Packing Tips

The Red Prince once lived here, so swot up on some of Laos’ turbulent history in the 20th century. Pick up A History of Laos by Martin Stuart-Fox and revel in your surrounds.

Also

Peruse the elegant lobby while awaiting your welcome drink: built for a branch of the Lao royal family, this is a place of refined taste, replete with antiques and regional handicrafts.

Children

Welcome: cots are free for infants and extra beds cost US$30 a night for under-12s.

Gallery

Food & Drink

Top Table

Hold court on the balcony facing the spa pool – at night, when the low lights illuminate the grand buildings, it’s the epitome of atmospheric. Alternatively, romance it up in the private pavilion overlooking the lotus pond.

Dress Code

Regal, as Satri House was once fit for a prince. Or revolutionary (Marx & Spencer will do at a pinch, but Soviet is hipper) if that’s easier – Souphanouvong was the Red Prince after all.

Hotel Restaurant

Satri House Restaurant is the place to sample a symphony of Lao and Thai spices. Try sa pa, a do-it-yourself fish wrap with banana flower.

Hotel Bar

Re-opening 1 October 2022, Satri Bar is open from 11am–11pm, but the bartenders will keep the drinks flowing if you have the legs.

Last Orders

The restaurant is open until 10pm. Slow out of the blocks in the morning? Lucky for you, brekkie is served until noon.

Room Service

Available 24 hours, but with a more limited menu of Lao classics and western snacks.

Planes

Fly into Luang Prabang International Airport (www.luangprabangairport.com), about five kilometres (or a 10-minute drive) from the hotel. Connecting flights from capital Vientiane take about 40 minutes. Taxis are available at the airport for US$6 (50,000 kip).

Automobiles

Self-drive is not currently possible in Laos. Chartering a chauffered car from Vientiane via mountain-fringed marvel Vang Vieng is an option if you’ve got plenty of time – the drive takes about 11 hours.

Worth Getting Out of Bed For

Inspired by the subtle silks of Satri House? Release your inner weaver in a weaving class at the Living Crafts Centre in Ock Pop Tok. Learn about natural dyes, weave a scarf or try making silk. Come on, Mr Smith, get with the programme – you can always fashion a tie. The hotel has its own boat for lazy meanderings along the Mekong; join for a sunset cruise or hire out for a romantic private ride. Spend a while in the lemongrass-scented spa, with a soak in the Jacuzzi, or drift along in the emerald-hued pool. There are dozens of gilt-trimmed temples to stop into; Wat Xieng Thong is a stand-out, with its intricate paintings and dramatically vaulted roofs. To see the community's faith in action, wake before sunrise to catch the daily almsgiving ceremony, when Bhuddist monks collect donations of sticky rice from residents.

Earn or Redeem Points with World of Hyatt

This Mr & Mrs Smith hotel participates in the World of Hyatt loyalty program. As a member, you can earn and redeem points and enjoy exclusive benefits for qualifying nights. .