Bill Bensley designs Rosewood Luang Prabang as brand’s second resort in Southeast Asia

Rosewood Hotels & Resorts recently opened Rosewood Luang Prabang in Laos, the brand’s second resort in Southeast Asia and its first to include tented villas.

Designed by Bill Bensley and the Bensley design studio, the property is located within a forest, and draws inspiration from the concept of a Laotian hill station from the turn of the 20th century.

A river—emanating from a waterfall—runs through the heart of the property that takes its cue from the French-Lao architecture for which the town is known. The interiors reflect the influences of ancient temples.

Either centered around the waterfall and river or elevated among the trees, the 23 accommodations range from riverside rooms and suites that are more than 969 square feet in size, to secluded riverside villas, waterfall pool villas and luxury hilltop tents.

Furnishings instill a sense of place as well as historical significance, including early 20th-century illustrations to vintage Kodak cameras.

The resort's luxury 807-square-foot tented villas, a first for Rosewood, are situated on a hillside. Each has oversized balconies with mountain and river vistas and have ethnic patterns dedicated to a specific Laotian hill tribe.

Sense, A Rosewood Spa, has three individual tented villas overlooking the river.

The property also has a swimming pool situated in the center of the resort, adjacent to a natural waterfall.

For dining, Rosewood Luang Prabang has the Great House, which has indoor seating and an open-air terrace with daybeds and sofas overlooking gardens and waterfall; as well as The Elephant Bridge Bar, which overlooks a river.

The city of Luang Prabang is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Located where the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers meet, Luang Prabang is known for its well-preserved French colonial architecture and IndoChinese villas, monk communities and gilded temples.