Intouch Riverside Hotel

The reception staff were friendly, and the doorman was kind about opening and closing the doors. Still, we didn't feel comfortable here and can't understand all the positive reviews. When you walk in, plastic flowers are everywhere, which felt odd in Laos with all its beautiful real flowers and plants. Our room was okay and the bed was fine, but there were so many mosquitoes and flies that it took several nights to get rid of them. The bathroom door wouldn't stay closed from outside, so it remained open at night. Every shower flooded the bathroom and left a musty smell. We were unlucky with our room's location too. Live music from the neighboring rooftop restaurant played until early morning every night and was very disturbing. The pool itself was nice and clean enough to swim in, but badly in need of renovation. Tiles were coming loose all over, and the entry ladder was completely detached, not secured with even one screw. That felt dangerous. There were only six hard loungers without cushions and around four or five pool towels each day. The rooftop terrace felt neglected, with no table to sit at and enjoy the Mekong sunset. There's much more potential there. Breakfast was the biggest disappointment. The selection was extremely poor for European guests. Every day there was only old toast, despite Laos being known for excellent baguettes and croissants. The fruit was usually gone shortly after 9 a.m., the noodle soup tasted old and partly sour, and the mayonnaise upset our stomachs. The only fried eggs were cold. At 9:20 a.m., with breakfast officially served until 10, staff were already cleaning beside us, spraying products and hanging up old cleaning cloths. The coffee tasted stale, probably because it had been sitting there since early morning. We wouldn't recommend this hotel.

The rooms were exceptionally clean, and there's a lovely pool and a great breakfast. Staff were welcoming, and the location was great. We were working in our room and had good Wi-Fi, but the kettle tripped the power. Reception replaced it and let us work in another room opposite. Highly recommend.

After each day's adventures in southern Laos, it was lovely to come back to the quiet of this hotel. It's across from a park and the Mekong riverside, which suited my morning runs perfectly. Two laps easily added up to more than 5 km, with a cool breeze from the two rivers and fantastic morning weather. Pakse gets its name from where the Xe River flows into the Mekong. The rooftop pool has a full view of the river and looks beautiful at night, with a cool breeze. The night market is growing and within walking distance, as are restaurants. The staff were amazing and always willing to help. Thanks for everything while I was there.

It's clean and reasonably priced, with a nice Mekong River view. The night market is right in front, so in the evening it's easy to head downstairs for shopping or just to hang out. There's a rooftop swimming pool too, if you want a swim.