Avani + Luang Prabang opens in Laos

The hotel's swimming pool in the shelter of an ancient banyan tree
800 534 Hamish Kilburn
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AVANI+Luang Prabang in Laos, imagined by Pascal Trahan, evolved around an ancient Banyan tree, which now shelters the 25m pool…

AVANI Hotels & Resorts’ latest 53-key boutique hotel has opened in Luang Prabang, within the pulsing centre of Laos. AVANI+ Luang Prabang, set amongst picturesque streets and artisanal stores, is just steps away from the city’s most fascinating sights such as the Mekong River, Royal Palace, and Night Market.

Maintaining the authenticity of the UNESCO Heritage Town, the hotel is converted from a bungalow built for the French military brass in 1914. It now shelters a 53-key hotel that features a cosy pleasure dome with its roofline, wraparound balconies and façade quietly merging into the surrounding streetscape of colonial architecture. Inspired by the Laotian aesthetic, the hotel incorporates hand-stitched and waxed batik into the rooms as well as cement tiles and local timber.

The hotel in Laos features large beds with French-styled louvered wooden doors

Architect and interior designer Pascal Trahan from Trahan Architects built the hotel around an ancient Banyan tree that dates back hundreds of years. Stretched out under the shade of this tree is the hotel’s 25m pool, creating a contemporary yet balanced look and feel.

The property has retained its French history while embracing traditional Laotian design elements. The influence of France is felt in the hotel’s contemporary French neo-classical architecture which is integrated into the guest spaces with French-styled louvered wooden doors and an intimate, open-plan feel.

Guests in search of relaxation can find an oasis from the bustling activity of Luang Prabang at the hotel’s AVANISPA, or rest in the shade of the ancient Banyan tree which is rooted by the swimming pool. The hotel’s signature restaurant, The Bistro, is the perfect opportunity for visitors to get a taste of local Laotian cuisine. Heavily focused on sustainable dining, the restaurants ingredients are often sourced from local farmers that use the most traditional and organic of farming and fishing techniques.

This individually crafted AVANI+ blend continues through to reimagined dining concepts with specialty restaurants and rooftop or al fresco bar concepts.

AVANI+ Luang Prabang is the first property of the AVANI+ brand extension and demonstrates this through an unflinching dedication to culture and modern design aesthetics and promises to offer all that millennial-minded travellers would expect when visiting the UNESCO World Heritage Site in Laos.

 

Hamish Kilburn / 15.05.2018

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