Khampaseuth Hotel

We meant to stay four days and ended up there for over a week. The rooms were clean, the pool was beautiful and well maintained, and the staff were incredibly friendly and helpful. They really made us feel at home, especially Lisa. They also have a pet monkey called Manow, who we fell in love with and wanted to take back to ireland, though I don't think customs would have been too happy! I'd highly recommend this hotel to anyone visiting Vang Vieng. The people make it feel more like home than a hotel. It's a hidden gem.

We weren't able to leave a review on booking.com, where we booked, because the hotel asked us to cancel the booking so they wouldn't have to pay a fee, while still charging us the same price. The pool was nice to relax beside during the day, and the staff were friendly and helpful. Reception offered lots of tips about Vang Vieng and could book activities. Breakfast was included, with lots of food choices, though options were limited for vegetarians and there was nothing vegan. Our room was spacious and had a balcony. We knew when booking that the hotel was a 20-minute walk from town. There's an affordable restaurant with good food opposite, but other restaurants are in town, along a very dusty, busy road with no pavement. Scooter rental and activities cost a little more through the hotel, so I'd book at a kiosk in town. The hotel offered train tickets for double the price. If renting a scooter, go to the train station and buy tickets directly, under 200k compared with the $12 the hotel charged. It was hard to tell staff from guests because staff wore no uniform or matching polo shirts. Lots of staff seemed to sit around in the communal areas all day, which felt odd. We also had trouble with payment. Nobody told us the hotel would automatically charge the card we used on booking.com and add a 3% service fee. Usually booking.com takes payment without an extra service fee. Reception did refund the charge and let us pay cash instead, so we didn't have to pay the extra, but then they weren't very friendly and made it seem like our mistake. The hotel should have asked how we wanted to pay before charging the card and adding the fee.

The friendly people at reception gave us great recommendations and advice. When you ask for help, getting connected with activities and service is seamless. The hotel doesn't have as many amenities as some places, but it's good value for the price. I really enjoyed my stay. An easy winner when choosing where to stay.

This hotel is completely unreliable. I booked a room, but when I arrived late in the evening, they said it wasn't available because something was broken and they couldn't fix it. Nobody contacted me about the problem beforehand. They offered a night at the awful hotel across the road, where there were huge bugs in the bathroom. Since it was already late, I agreed. Before arriving, I'd asked them to pick me up from the bus station for 40 000 kip. They said the car would come, but nobody showed up, so I had to take a tuktuk. Another guest arrived at the same time and was arguing with them because they'd changed the type of room he'd booked. Maybe things go well in low season when there aren't many people, but in high season, be ready for bad surprises. I eventually found a cheaper, better place in the city centre with free breakfasts.