Worry-Free Non-O-Visa Savannakhet

[jeab1980]

7 hours ago, Denim said:

You'll forgive me for saying that just going by the pictures on booking.com it doesn't look 1000 times better. The furniture looks a bit cheap and the mattress on the bed looks a bit hard.

 

Joli:

 

Avalon 

 

Must have been hell of a free breakfast 

Your pucture is of the new hotel next door the auroa i belive it certainly not like that in the avalon for sure.

[Denim]

3 hours ago, jeab1980 said:

Your pucture is of the new hotel next door the auroa i belive it certainly not like that in the avalon for sure.

Those pictures are taken from Booking.com . 

 

Perhaps you are thinking of somewhere else not the Avalon. The Avalon has two buildings ....the new with 5 storys and the old restored French colonial house next door. This house is very nice but was full on my arrival. Downstairs you there is a cool lounge where you can sit and read on one of the sofas.

 

The Avalon looks like this :

 

 

Old Colonial house annex :

 

Our actual room at the Avalon was this one.

 

Room in the old building is a bit cheaper but much nicer :

 

 

For a good cheap breakfast the Baguettes with pate and salad sold opposite the hotel in the morning are very tasty.

Edited September 13, 2017 by Denim

[jeab1980]

5 minutes ago, Denim said:

Those pictures are taken from Booking.com . 

 

Perhaps you are thinking of somewhere else not the Avalon. The Avalon has two buildings ....the new with 5 storyies and the old restored French colonial house next door. This house is very nice but was full on my arrival. Downstairs you there is a cool lounge where you can sit and read on one of the sofas.

 

The Avalon looks like this :

 

 

Old Colonial house annex :

 

Our actual room at the Avalon was this one.

 

Room in the old building is a bit cheaper but much nicer :

 

 

For a good cheap breakfast the Baguettes with pate and salad sold opposite the hotel in the morning are very tasty.

No im thinking of the Avalon and te new one next to it. But hey i only gave my opinion that the Joli is far superior in my eyes used them all and found a food one for me.

[Denim]

1 minute ago, jeab1980 said:

No im thinking of the Avalon and te new one next to it. But hey i only gave my opinion that the Joli is far superior in my eyes used them all and found a food one for me.

 

Well....the area around the Joli is more central that's for sure so when the evening comes on there is more action and a better choice of places to eat. Very quiet where the Avalon is and could get a bit boring if you had to stay several days. That's one of the problems with the town, not much public transport around late at night.

[transam]

9 minutes ago, jeab1980 said:

No im thinking of the Avalon and te new one next to it. But hey i only gave my opinion that the Joli is far superior in my eyes used them all and found a food one for me.

How far is the Joli guest house from the Thai consulate and l can't see anything about them having an eating place on their site..?

[jeab1980]

36 minutes ago, transam said:

How far is the Joli guest house from the Thai consulate and l can't see anything about them having an eating place on their site..?

They do a fantastic breakfast theres plenty of eating places around them. A good restaurant almost outside the door.  Consulate i would say 10 mins in a tuk tuk. Wasnt there for consulate just holiday took our own vehicle. 

Oh and the beds are not hard.?

Edited September 13, 2017 by jeab1980

[Denim]

41 minutes ago, transam said:

How far is the Joli guest house from the Thai consulate and l can't see anything about them having an eating place on their site..?

About twice as far as the Avalon.

 

But if you drop into the consulate in passing, your driver usually won't mind waiting before going to your hotel so no need to walk there.

[jeab1980]

19 minutes ago, Denim said:

About twice as far as the Avalon.

 

But if you drop into the consulate in passing, your driver usually won't mind waiting before going to your hotel so no need to walk there.

Its not always about being close to the consulate. If you dont mind nothing around you and just intend to sit in room in hotel for a day then great Avalon is best suited although the tv stations are crap. I like to get out and about and the Joli or pilgrims kitchen suit us better. More to see and do. Close to the town and its night life. Half the problem when people say Savannakhet is boring nothing to do, is that they choose to stay nearer the consulate as its always on here "yes its great and only a 10 min walk to consulate" and stay in hotel so yes it will be boring with nothing to do!.

Edited September 13, 2017 by jeab1980

[Nong Khai Man]

12 hours ago, Denim said:

Well then ....in those two weeks either the price has gone up or else you are a better looking geezer then me  

Probably The Latter,Mate.....LOL !!.........

Nah,I Was quoted 680 Baht,But just asked If we could get a discount as I'm A Cheap Charlie...And straight away was told O.K You can have for 600 ....LMFAO.......BTW, The place next door " The Aura " Does some excellent food & Very Reasonably Priced.....

Edited September 13, 2017 by Nong Khai Man

[jeab1980]

Ive always found walk in rate is cheaper than any of the booking sites.

[Nong Khai Man]

2 minutes ago, jeab1980 said:

Ive always found walk in rate is cheaper than any of the booking sites.

Agreed in MOST Cases Mate....

[anto]

27 minutes ago, jeab1980 said:

Ive always found walk in rate is cheaper than any of the booking sites.

It varies i think .

[jeab1980]

Just now, anto said:

It varies i think .

? Varies how? I never book when going to Savannakhet.  Always get a room and when i check the rates on booking .com or another booking site,  for a hotel we like. Go in ask for room and rates always cheaper. If it wasnt would quote them booking site price and if need be book it through site but never needed to do that.

[anto]

I always book ahead .Read reviews before committing myself .Last time at Savannakhet ,last june stayed at a Guest house called Sala Thongyon on Ban Xayyamoun .B300 a night .Light breakfast B50 extra .Lovely people running it .Nice individual rustic bungalows around a pond .Lovely tropical garden

           Its about 5 km from the Consulate .I walked everywhere .Nothing much else to do .Carried a cane at all times for the very aggressive dogs all over that dust bowl . 

[transam]

I now always book on the Net for Sav...Print off the booking and pay at the hotel desk, 100% sure of a room and no riding around in a tuk tuk fishing..To me it is common sense as the room prices cost about the same as a few beers on a night out...If we were talking farangland prices l may think different but we ain't...

[jeab1980]

1 hour ago, transam said:

I now always book on the Net for Sav...Print off the booking and pay at the hotel desk, 100% sure of a room and no riding around in a tuk tuk fishing..To me it is common sense as the room prices cost about the same as a few beers on a night out...If we were talking farangland prices l may think different but we ain't...

As we always yake the vehicle over we have no worries about tuk tuks. Always found a place even if the booking sites say there full (sites only have a % of the hotel/guest house rooms.) Plus we usualy do 3 or 4 days there. Next time we go for non o going to drive up to Vientiane loa side stopping a few nights on way up.

[transam]

2 minutes ago, jeab1980 said:

As we always yake the vehicle over we have no worries about tuk tuks. Always found a place even if the booking sites say there full (sites only have a % of the hotel/guest house rooms.) Plus we usualy do 3 or 4 days there. Next time we go for non o going to drive up to Vientiane loa side stopping a few nights on way up.

I want to get home as soon as possible....

[anto]

2 hours ago, transam said:

I want to get home as soon as possible....

Savannakhet is not a place i want to hang around also .Its pick up my visa and strait to the bus station .

[jeab1980]

1 minute ago, anto said:

Savannakhet is not a place i want to hang around also .Its pick up my visa and strait to the bus station .

Horses for courses we enjoy it

[Denim]

11 minutes ago, anto said:

Savannakhet is not a place i want to hang around also .Its pick up my visa and strait to the bus station .

First couple of trips there, several years ago ,  we hired bicycles and went exploring. Luckily it was the cool season and is a pretty little town. 

 

However, I think we've seen all there is to be seen now and can't be bothered any more. Prefer to stay in Mukdahan for a night then just one night in Savannakhet  before driving home ,via Khon Kaen  , to Petchabun. The Lao consulate in Khon Kaen is useful  since I get my Lao visa there on the way through to save a lot of form filling at the bridge.

 

 

[jeab1980]

Just now, Denim said:

First couple of trips there, several years ago ,  we hired bicycles and went exploring. Luckily it was the cool season and is a pretty little town. 

 

However, I think we've seen all there is to be seen now and can't be bothered any more. Prefer to stay in Mukdahan for a night then just one night in Savannakhet  before driving home ,via Khon Kaen  , to Petchabun. The Lao consulate in Khon Kaen is useful  since I get my Lao visa there on the way through to save a lot of form filling at the bridge.

 

 

But waste a lot of money getting visa there.

[Denim]

Just now, jeab1980 said:

But waste a lot of money getting visa there.

Depends how you define ' a lot of money '.

 

When traveling with the wife I never bother trying to do things as cheap as possible. If saving money was an issue I would travel alone. Luckily , as I get older and have more money available I don't bother much with cutting corners to save a hundred baht here or there. Since I cut down drinking seem to have money to spare 

[transam]

4 minutes ago, jeab1980 said:

But waste a lot of money getting visa there.

How is that...?

[jeab1980]

11 minutes ago, transam said:

How is that...?

35 dollars (1159 bht) at bridge correct.

KK consulate 1600bht.

[transam]

1 minute ago, jeab1980 said:

35 dollars (1159 bht) at bridge correct.

KK consulate 1600bht.

Sorry I do not understand....Explain..

[anto]

20 minutes ago, Denim said:

First couple of trips there, several years ago ,  we hired bicycles and went exploring. Luckily it was the cool season and is a pretty little town. 

 

However, I think we've seen all there is to be seen now and can't be bothered any more. Prefer to stay in Mukdahan for a night then just one night in Savannakhet  before driving home ,via Khon Kaen  , to Petchabun. The Lao consulate in Khon Kaen is useful  since I get my Lao visa there on the way through to save a lot of form filling at the bridge.

 

 

I usually go back via Udon Thani which i like.Plane from there to Chiang Mai .Another time i got the sleeper bus overnight from Savannakhet to Vientiane .

[anto]

1 minute ago, transam said:

Sorry I do not understand....Explain..

You have the choice to pay US$35 or B1,500 or is it B1,600 ? at the Friendship bridge .US$35 is around  B1,200 .

[jeab1980]

1 hour ago, anto said:

You have the choice to pay US$35 or B1,500 or is it B1,600 ? at the Friendship bridge .US$35 is around  B1,200 .

1600bht at laos consulatein KK

$35 (1159bht at todays rate) at VOA desk at bridge.

Or 1500bht at VOA desk at bridge.

[BuckBee]

I normally stay near bus station, avalon okay but got 3 other pretty decent options all close so no real fishing or hassle.

Avalon bit too popular now for my liking.  I like walking down to old town and like the bus station area as drop off bags and have shower before heading out for food etc, following day it close for visa pickup etc . where you stay depends on your transport preferences and how long you staying mainly. If you been a lot it will loose its magic but for first couple trips if you bored it your own fault for making no effort lol . have seen some lowso playing highso thai wives get pretty grumpy in savanakhet so those husbands best going alone lol .

[JT65]

Its not always about being close to the consulate. If you dont mind nothing around you and just intend to sit in room in hotel for a day then great Avalon is best suited although the tv stations are crap. I like to get out and about and the Joli or pilgrims kitchen suit us better. More to see and do. Close to the town and its night life. Half the problem when people say Savannakhet is boring nothing to do, is that they choose to stay nearer the consulate as its always on here "yes its great and only a 10 min walk to consulate" and stay in hotel so yes it will be boring with nothing to do!.

Hi
Last year i found the place boring as hell. Im heading off on Sunday from CM and will be staying Monday night in Savannakhet. What hotel do you suggest is the best to be amongst some sort of nightlife and decent food?



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