Luang Prabang is also famous for its high concentration of French colonial architecture, which you can see in the shophouses lining the main street, as well as in many of the grand private residences. The hotel pictured here is the Villa Santi, which used to be the home of a Lao princess. It's a small hotel that when we visited was the best in town, but unfortunately full. We did stop for lunch in the outdoor balcony, which is quite atmospheric. Nowadays there are a few more old colonial homes that have been converted into hotels as Luang Prabang has become a must see stop on the off the beaten path tourist circuit.