Stairway to
Heaven
A STAY AT THE KIRIDARA LUANG PRABANG Hidden away atop a Luang Prabang hillside, the Kiridara Hotel is an ideal hilltop getaway By Cameron Darke
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here’s an overwhelming number of things to do in Luang Prabang – temples to visit, cooking classes to take, museums to explore, and waterfalls to climb. So much so, in fact, that sometimes the best thing to do might be nothing at all. And where better than to do just that, than the Kiridara Hotel?
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character, Kiridara is instead a retreat set well away from the relative hustle and bustle of the heritage town.
The Kiridara – Sanskrit for “star upon the mountain” – has established itself as a refuge for the travel-weary in the World Heritage-listed town of Luang Prabang. The hotel is a sprawling complex of rooms featuring a central infinity pool, cocktail bar, and the 'most gorgeous mountain view this side of Shangri La.
Lao architect Bounkham Chaleunphol built the hotel in 2011, seeking to maintain the natural beauty of the surrounds while highlighting the essence of Lao culture. And the hotel’s style indeed captures the spirit of Luang Prabang, seamlessly merging regal Indochina with European discernment. Cascading ceramic rooftops overhang a maze of stairwells and corridors, with cosy lounging areas set into every corner. Outside, the ivy-covered rock walls and manicured garden terraces lend a distinctly oldworld feel, creating an atmosphere not unlike an alpine chalet.
Unlike the many Luang Prabang hotels that occupy the renovated colonial buildings that give the town its
Kiridara’s spacious rooms are similarly decorated; teak wood floors match soft tones and sweeping local silks, while
