I first learnt about Luang Prabang 3 years ago when I was reading the Alila hotel brochures in my hotel room in Alila Ubud (those were the days before I even knew Aman exists!). It looked like a small charming Buddhist town on papar and the property looked gorgeously restored from a former prison. Back then, it was still managed by Alila. Unfortunately our trip to Laos kept getting postponed due to work and other reasons. And meanwhile Alila has recentred their management focus back to Indonesia, passing over property in Maldives to Park Hyatt and one in Luang Prabang to 3 Nagas. We, on the other hand, have been converted into Amanjunkies and find it difficult to return to a non-Aman hotel Amantaka was the perfect choice for our short intra-Asia hop out of fanatically busy HKG and back to the peaceful embrace of Aman. We were immediately charmed by its calming atmosphere, beatifully restored ground, kind Laotian staff and warm welcoming management, so much so that we decided to extend our 3 night stay for another 2 nights. Another top notch Aman property!

Arrival
Transiting in Bangkok or Hanoi is usually needed as LP’s airport only has a short runway (This is going to change soon though with the new airport being built next door). We flew in from Bangkok on a turboprop and landing was quite fun involving close proximity to the Mekong mountain ranges. Unlike the Indonesian Aman, no VIP visa service here. The queue to visa-on-arrival can get rather long. It is a good idea to sit at the back rows if flying in on a turboprop as those passengers deplane first. Or get a pre-arrival visa done through the local Laos embassy which was what we did. Aman staff in white uniform whisked us to the hotel on a 15 - 20 minutes drive, with cold towels and water of course. We noticed that people are not driving crazily fast or honking manically like most other South East Asia countries... and our guide told us the true meaning of Laos PDR - People Don't Rush

Location
Luang Prabang is a small town perched on a penisula at the confluence of Mekong and Nam Khan river. Declared a UNESCO heritage site in 1995, it is a living Buddhist town with more than 30 temples, where saffron-robed monks are common sights. Few larger temples and the previous royal palace line the main street, while restaurants and shops catered for tourists are dotted alongside. Young European backpackers are sipping their Beer Laos on street cafes with their huge rucksacks. It felt like going back to Siem Reap before the massive tourist construction work began 5 to 10 years ago.

Amantaka is located on one of the main roads going into town. A 5 minute walk from where all the buzz is happening, or a easy bike ride down to the river. Similar to Amansara, it is not as isolated as other Aman resorts in Indonesia or Thailand. But once we entered the front lawn, the street traffic and noise seemed to gradually dissipate. And we’re back in our little piece of Oasis...

View of Amantaka from adjacent hilltop



Grounds
Restored from an old French colonial hospital, the resort’s architecture and preservation work are stunning. Its footprint may not be as big as the Indonesian Amans though it has created an expansive and calming ambience through clever use of the resort’s public space. The original hospital buildings were well preserved and the central lawn was transformed into a beautiful turquoise tiled swimming pool. The property is cleverly laid out with a well manicured verdant front lawn buffering the street noise. The lobby, restaurant and library open up to the swimming pool and the 25 suites line the central lawn located further back. Old frangipani and teak trees offer welcoming shade against the harsh sun. The decor is typically Aman - minimalistic yet elegant. Olive green painted louvered doors, dark ochre colored roofs, lovely floral displays of white chrysanthemum and local flowers and B&W prints of local monks (by a german photographer Hans Georg Berger, more on him later) blend together very well with the revived French colonial architectural style to provide a soothing environment.

Entrance







Front lawn



Corridor



Lobby



Room
We were very lucky to receive a massive upgrade into an Amantaka suite (#1), thanks to GM Gary I believe it was the same suite that <B>Groombridge</B> has stayed in previously as the exterior looked identical. These are the only two standalone suites in the resort which used to be admin office in the hospital. The interior space is expansive with phenomenally high ceiling, completed with a private pool and verandah at the back with two daybeds. The suite inherits the soothing design throughout the resort and is adorned with more of Han’s lovely prints of Laotian monks. The living area is separated from the bedroom, functioning a bit like an antechamber. The beautifully crafted 4-poster king-sized bed is the centrepiece of bedroom, which is flanked by two alcoves - one side houses an island bathtub whilst the other side a mini-office with desk and bookshelf. Unfortunately we found the bedroom a bit too dark during the day as the windows are shaded by outdoor plants for privacy reasons. The shower room with two rainforest shower-heads is probably the largest we have ever seen. The outdoor verandah at the back is situated by a side street. Street noise somtimes crept through but that didn’t stop us from enjoying our nap on the daybed :P The private pool was quite shaded though temperature was perfect for a mid-day dip when the sun was scorching hot. Not sure if it was heated though as it felt pretty chilly to me in the early morning and evening. Mosquito coils and repellant are necessities as we found out the itchy way on the first night!

Suite exterior



Living area



Bedroom



Wonderful tub



Mini office



Shower room



Outdoor verandah



Outdoor daybed



Private pool



Small courtyard