La Residence Phou Vao

Rooms

All rooms at La Residence are gorgeously airy and spacious, and come in the same cool style. They are categorised by their view (prices rise as the views get better), so choose from garden view, mountain view, mountain and pool view, or two suites. We had a garden view and loved it, but mountain view rooms are not much more expensive, so you may want to splash out on one of these. And while some rooms overlook the pool this makes them slightly less private, so if solitude is what you seek, stick to garden or mountain rooms.

The hallmark here is an impeccable simplicity (don’t come looking for clutter). You’ll find whitewashed walls, contemporary four-posters kitted out in crisp white linen, shiny teak floors and a wall of glass opening onto shaded balconies or terraces. Here you get two opium-bed loungers embedded in wooden frames. In between, there’s a small coffee table with sparkling tea pots, so sip your Earl Grey, read your book, snooze through the afternoon. Inside, you get cushioned sofas, good lighting, TVs and mini-bars that are hidden away in pretty wooden cabinets. There are bowls of fruit, too. Big airy bathrooms are equally wonderful and come with polished rosewood surfaces, huge wall mirrors and terrazzo baths in green with overhead showers; all come with robes, slippers and soothing oils.