Vang Vieng Plaza Hotel

The room was okay and spacious, with a balcony we couldn’t use because of the dust. The bathroom wasn’t great: the shower head was broken and left on the sink, and the pipe under the sink leaked whenever you turned on the tap. Construction across the street made mornings noisy. It was noisy inside the building too, with people smoking next door with their door open and playing loud music late at night. Management really should remind guests this is a hotel, not their home.

There didn’t seem to be many guests when I visited at the end of May, so the place felt eerily quiet, which I liked. I was upgraded to a family room with a balcony overlooking the mountains and people paramotoring. The hotel is on its own in the middle of the road, about one block from the night market and very central for getting around town. They offer a simple breakfast, which I didn’t try. There’s no laundry service, but there are nearby options. The water heater wasn’t hot enough, though it didn’t bother me much.

This is my second stay at the Annecy Hotel, and both visits were five nights. I’ve come to quite like the blunt staff, even with the poor breakfast and the hotel’s poor upkeep. The room was a decent size, the front pool is okay, and I always bring earplugs for the local roosters and noise from adjoining rooms. The shower kept switching between hot and cold, normal in Asia, and the TV and remote were broken. The hotel really needs a good refurb, though I doubt that will happen. Breakfast was much the same each day: foreigners get fried or scrambled eggs, bread and jam, some fruit, and a coffee jug that holds about three cups for around 50 guests. You might get juice, and there’s no toaster anywhere. See you next year, I expect. 😆

The location was great, and there’s a beautiful view from the rooftop. The hotel itself is nice, though the doors didn’t close all the way, so insects and other things could get in. Breakfast was alright, but nothing amazing.