The Grand Luang Prabang Hotel & Resort, Louangphrabang

The Grand is a large resort hotel located well outside of town, but right on the Mekhong. If you're looking for a quiet, relaxing time with a great river view, this is it. Each room has a balcony overlooking the Mekhong. The breakfast buffet is fairly weak, not much selection or day-to-day variation. And when you want to go into town, you are limited to the timings of the hotel's shuttle service. They do offer bikes you can borrow, but there's just 5 little pink girl's bikes, and they are frequently in use. You could rent a bike in town, but people in town don't want you keeping their bikes overnight. The rooms at the Grand are lovely, the views are excellent, the staff is friendly and accomodating. There's just one computer for guests to use, and it's painfully slow and 4 times the price of a faster internet connection in town. If you want to spend your vacation sightseeing in Luang Prabang, you ought to stay in town. But if you've got kids, or just want to relax and read a book, the Grand is a great getaway.