I'm heading to Vientienne in a couple of weeks and although I know there are lots of hotels all over the city I don't fancy walking around too much when I get there.

Has anybody recently visited and found a hotel that has surprised them for beauty & price? Something quiet but near the river? Reasonably priced, not expensive and not cheap?...

Any recommendations are appreciated - except for the depressing 'pale & stale' hotel rooms the cyclo drivers will recommend when I arrive in town...

Nikkijah

I was recommended a place called Mali Namphu Guesthouse in Namphu area. The rooms surround a courtyard garden. Clean, bright rooms with ac, tv, bath/hot shower. Nice. I paid 16US dollars which is probably about half a billion kip or something.

There's a guesthouse called Huen Lao and when you cross at the border the tuk tuk and song taew drivers seem to know it.....its very near the old temple in town...the one that has the city pillar behind the Buddha...its the first big temple that you get to when you get into Vientienne after crossing at Nong Khai. Nice garden....... reasonable prices....quiet.

Try the Inter Hotel. It's newly refurbished - well, a couple years ago - right on the riverside boulevard, beautiful rooms with lots of tropical wood and views of the river, and antiques in the foyer on each floor. A good deal at $30-$50.

Thanks for the replies and links, I'm checking them out but if anybody else has recommendations I'd be happy to see them

Okay so where do I start....

First up the higher end of the budget:

Settha Palace - most people favourite, colonial french building, near 5 star luxury, relaxing pool area and only 40 bedrooms so not over run or faceless. 5 minutes walk to most things

Lao Plaza - The first real multi-storey luxury hotel in Vientiane very nice inside and about 150m towards the mekong from Settha palace so even less of a walk

Don Chan Palace - Chinese build luxury hotel 11 storeys (if i remember) right on the mekong so you'd have great view - however a bit out of the way 10-15 minutes walk to places

Green Park Boutique Hotel - Great looking place with a nice pool area the only problem being is it's location - not close to much but walking distance although tuk tuk would make it easy.

EDIT: Novotel - It's a Novotel so you'll have some idea! Probably not what you are after but it's always go to know - the problem is it's out of the way not far from the airport - but not near much else.

These 3 avg around $90-$100 per room, per night.

Mid budget:

Taipan - (Mid-higher budget) Nice just of the mekong road has pool close.

Riverine - On the mekong road recently refurbed look smart but never been in

Inter Hotel - As already mentioned - a little bit further up the road from the mekhong

These are around $20 - $50

Lower budget:

Chaleunxay - The place I always used to stay before have a house - cheap between $15-$20 per night, air-con, shower, tv, minibar and most important clean. Functional and if you are driving a car over great as it's got it own free car park. Central about 3 minutes from Morning market and 10 minutes from Mekong.

There is a couple of hotels also up the road by the mekong at the far end (where it turns into a dirt track) and I can't remember there name but a they are supposed to be decent as well

I won't go on but basically most lower budget hotels in general attract the backpacker crowds thats was always one of the perks of the Chaleunxay is that it's big enough to look expensive so they don't go!

A couple to avoid (IMO):

Lane Xang - From what I heard from people staying in it basically it's delapidated and needs a total refurb

Parasol Blanc - Supposedly 4 star hotel - in the middle of nowhere and the rooms are terrible (air con circa 1970).

Edit: Also in general most place are within walking distance to pretty much everything around Vientiane as the centre ain't very big.

Hope that helps!

Edited August 16, 200718 yr by technocracy

That helps a lot technocracy! Thanks for the info, I'll check this lot out now

Inter-hotel looks right down my street! Love the antiques throughout the hotel, not unreasonable prices either, only problem is that I can't find a way to book direct with the hotel, trip advisor & agoda.com offer reservations but we all know what that means don't we!

Has anybody got a direct number for this place?

Thanks in advance!

Nikkijah

I stayed at the Novotel before and I have to say they provided better service and rooms than 95% of the hotels I've stayed in countries like Germany, UK or US.

I'm heading to Vientienne in a couple of weeks and although I know there are lots of hotels all over the city I don't fancy walking around too much when I get there.

Has anybody recently visited and found a hotel that has surprised them for beauty & price? Something quiet but near the river? Reasonably priced, not expensive and not cheap?...

Any recommendations are appreciated - except for the depressing 'pale & stale' hotel rooms the cyclo drivers will recommend when I arrive in town...

Nikkijah

We stopped at the Lao Orchid Hotel (try this link) hotel in early Jan this year and found it really nice although a little more expensive than most at about 1,400 baht per night but would deffinately recommend it if fits into your budget and only 2-3 mins walk to the river

Edited August 16, 200718 yr by princealbert

Inter-hotel looks right down my street! Love the antiques throughout the hotel, not unreasonable prices either, only problem is that I can't find a way to book direct with the hotel, trip advisor & agoda.com offer reservations but we all know what that means don't we!

Has anybody got a direct number for this place?

Thanks in advance!

Nikkijah

The number for the hotel is on the website previously posted on the reservations page:

Inter Reservations

Virtually all hotels in Vientiane you just need make a reservation - no need to pay in advance mainly as all but the 4 or 5 expensive one I list are cash only not credit card or debit cards. So there ain't any online booking services such as Asia rooms etc.

I stayed at the Novotel before and I have to say they provided better service and rooms than 95% of the hotels I've stayed in countries like Germany, UK or US.

Cheers rainman, the Novotel looks a bit too 'Hi-So' for me, I'm not sure I'd be able to relax in a place like that

The number for the hotel is on the website previously posted on the reservations page:

Inter Reservations

Virtually all hotels in Vientiane you just need make a reservation - no need to pay in advance mainly as all but the 4 or 5 expensive one I list are cash only not credit card or debit cards. So there ain't any online booking services such as Asia rooms etc.

Thanks again technocracy, I think this is the place!