Vansana Vang Vieng

The breakfast is shocking, so don't pay extra for it. The rooms aren't especially modern, but they're very spacious and have a fridge and kettle. The shower was a little odd, though there was plenty of hot water. If you get a balcony facing the river, though, it's a winner. The boats and paramotors make noise at 7am and 5pm, but I found it really exciting. I'd stay again.

I was a bit worried after seeing all the negative reviews on Google Maps, but after three days I found it wasn't that bad. The room was roomy and the price reasonable. Cleanliness was only acceptable, not great, but the view was so good. Breakfast starts at 7am, which was too late for me, haha, so I didn't try it. Being near the river in such a spacious room also felt a little scary at night, haha.

Someone used a key card to open my room while I was inside. The room itself was old, with water stains on the ceiling and a swollen bathroom door.

The river terrace has a really beautiful view, and the pool has a Jacuzzi-like setup overlooking the mountains. When the lights are on at night, it looks lovely, but on days with few guests they turn off both the water system and the lights. The buffet has a good variety, though with no guests they serve a set meal instead. The hotel isn't expensive, and the views are a big draw, but the cleanliness details were easy to notice. It's an old building and the floors and furniture aren't well kept. Dust was everywhere, including on the bed headboard, in table corners, and on the floor. The balcony sofa was dusty and covered in cobwebs, as if it hadn't been used in ages. There were old bits of soap left in the bathroom, coffee stains still on the glass, and ants in the sink and kettle. The shower ran slowly and the temperature shifted between hot and cold. The room also wasn't soundproof. Chinese guests were very noisy, opening and closing doors loudly and talking late at night, so you could hear everything. The terrace view is worth seeing, especially in the evening for photos of the balloons against the mountain view.