Malinamphu Hotel

The front desk staff weren't helpful when I raised the problems soon after check-in and showed them photos. They just told me to contact the manager. To her credit, she was understanding and professional on WhatsApp, acknowledged the issues, and said she'd speak with Agoda about arranging a full refund. I appreciate that, and hope management takes the feedback seriously and improves the property, because the condition didn't match the online photos or description. I booked through Agoda, and what we found was far below an acceptable standard. The room and facilities were in terrible shape: the bed was held together with makeshift brackets, the table was broken and peeling, and thick dust covered the headboard, floor, lights, outlets, and bathroom fan. Several outlets were loose and coming off the wall, which felt unsafe. The pool water looked stagnant with scum on top. The place was run down and clearly not maintained. The garden smoking area was awful too, with fumes coming into the room and making it hard to sit there without getting smoked out. I'm perplexed by the positive reviews calling this place lovely. We paid around $50 NZD and have stayed in much nicer places across Laos and Southeast Asia.

The location was good, with lots of different options nearby that I'm sure would be better. We had a really disappointing stay. You can choose a preferred room, but they just give you whatever they decide, and ours was falling apart. The aircon did nothing until I cleaned its filters myself, the shower water was boiling hot, and everything felt dusty and dirty. The so-called swimming pool was unusable, covered in grime and smelling like bleach. It felt like there had been no maintenance for years. Staff didn't seem bothered or interested in fixing any of it. The whole place is grubby and depressing and needs a major refurb.

This was my fourth stay at the hotel, and I left deeply disappointed. I arrived around 11pm to check in, but the staff member was irritated and dismissive. He said only one room was left on the fourth floor, though I checked and saw more rooms available and reservations still open. I took screenshots as evidence. He didn't offer to help with my heavy luggage, so I struggled up the stairs. The key card wouldn't open the door. When I returned to the lobby, he laughed and told me to try again as he handed the card back. I couldn't accept being treated that way, so I took my luggage and left, saying I'd file a formal complaint. Since it was past midnight, I couldn't cancel the reservation. I tried to request a refund, but it was already midnight, so I couldn't try.

The location worked well, close to the main attractions but still quiet enough to rest. I stayed at Mali Namphu Hotel for two nights and found it clean and attractive, with a calm atmosphere that made the visit relaxing. The staff were very friendly and helpful, greeting me with smiles, and breakfast was fresh and delicious. Great value and hospitality. I'd recommend it to anyone visiting Vientiane.