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The onetime palace of a Lao prince is moving into the portfolio of hotels managed by the Spanish hotel group, Meliá Hotels International. The Grand Luang Prabang will be the first hotel in Laos to join Melia Hotels International’s growing presence in the region.
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The Luang Prabang property will undergo a 12-month rebranding process to become the first member of the Melia Collection in Southeast Asia. Meliá Collection hotels were launched in 2022 to bring together some of the group’s most distinctive and one-of-a-kind properties. As the one-time palace of a Lao prince, the Lao property has the kind of unique story that distinguishes a collection hotel. With its rich culture and architecture the destination of Luang Prabang has held UNESCO World Heritage status for two decades.
“For the Meliá family, we are extremely happy to begin our journey in Laos with this extraordinary hotel,” said Gabriel Escarrer, Chairman and CEO of Meliá Hotels International. “We expect destinations like Luang Prabang to become more popular with modern travelers who are seeking new and unique experiences, and I’m sure that this hotel, with its unmistakable sense of place, will enable guests to fully enjoy the destination.”
Situated on lush riverside in Luang Prabang, The Grand Luang Prabang is a 75-key property spread out over eight buildings, comprising of a 1920-built palace and a collection of annexes. The property commands the high ground of a six-hectare bluff on a bend of the Mekong with sweeping views of mountains and river, and majestic sunsets.
Once known as Xiengkeo Palace, the roots of the property reach deep into French colonial-style architecture, albeit with decidedly Laotian touches. Prince Petcharath, the aristocrat who once lived on the grounds, is well-known among Laotians and held a tenure as prime minister during World War II.
Balconies from guest rooms overlook manicured gardens and lotus ponds, and the environs beyond. Interiors ooze charm through traditional wooden furnishings and timeless appointments. The property also features an expansive swimming pool in the gardens. Meliá plans to add Spanish hospitality to the mix, while ensuring the hotel retains its distinct character.
“Luang Prabang is a hidden gem in Asia, steeped in so much history and culture with a myriad of ancient temples and monasteries,” said Ignacio Martin, Managing Director Asia Pacific at Meliá Hotels International. “We want to immerse guests in the story here through a hotel that is truly part of the beautiful essence of this destination.”
Under Meliá’s umbrella the hotel will undergo a renovation and refurbishment over the next year, remaining operational throughout.
Meliá Hotels International landed in Asia for the first time in the 1980s with the opening of Meliá Bali. Since then, the region has become strategically important for the group, where it currently has a portfolio of 50 properties (operating and in the pipeline) in Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, Myanmar, China and Laos.
The first Lao property expands on a partnership with Thailand-based TCC Group that began with the opening of Meliá’s first hotel in Vietnam over two decades ago.