The rhythmic sound of drums in the distance indicates the beginning of 'tok bok', a religious ceremony that happens every single day in Luang Prabang. At five o'clock in the morning locals and travelers get ready in the streets of the city center to offer food donations to the more than one hundred Buddhist monks who leave at this time from their temples. Their long orange robes standing out in the darkness of the morning, with their big wooden platters - where they receive donations, usually rice - hanging from their shoulders. A solemn procession and the monks return to their respective temple for breakfast, and we head over to the little mountain Phou Si to see the sunrise, the delicate rays of the rising sun slowly illuminate the traditional teak roofs of the villages that make up Luang Prabang. It is instants like these, full of magic, which makes us fall in love with this picturesque city in Laos.
A few steps from the famous That Lunag temple, where religious royal cremations used to be carried out, we find ourselves in a world of fantasy, disproportionate luxury, and intimate beauty: Satri House.
The historic residence of Prince Souphanouvong, built in the beginning of the last century and beautifully restored in 2002 by Mrs. Lamphoune Voravongsa, it was here that prince enjoyed his childhood to later become the first President of the Democratic Republic of Laos. Today this beautiful mansion is the luxury boutique hotel Satri House, belonging to the prestigious Secret Retreats collection.
Secret Retreats introduces us to the most spectacular secrets in the world of high hospitality in Southeast Asia, unique and authentic touches make the properties stand out, expressing the true soul of the destinations where they are, making us fall in love with their most intimate secrets.
Both the design of Satri House and its cuisine mix the best of the East and the West, playing with the most distinctive flavors of Asia and Europe. Decorated with an elegant colonial style and with divine views of its gardens, the aromas and flavors of its excellent cuisine exhume the authentic culture of Luang Prabang.
From the beautiful and elegant Satri House we see the most sophisticated face of Laos, where luxury, comfort, and traditions go hand in hand. Visiting Luang Parabang is like taking a dive into the rich history of the country, immersing ourselves in its past, its culture, and its traditions, still alive and authentically vibrant. Luang Prabang is a city with a unique charm, where colonial buildings coexist with ancient temples, timeless, existing almost out of time.
