Anou Paradise Hotel

I was here for just one night while handling my visa through a company, and there are definitely better options nearby. It looks like an old Chinese-style hotel, I think. The rooms are big and have a toilet, fridge, and TV, but the furniture and walls seem from another era, with battered wallpaper and holes here and there. The Wi-Fi in the room kept cutting in and out, and many rooms don’t have windows. Still, it was fairly clean and had all the toiletries. The buffet menu wasn’t good at all, so forget it.

I came back for a second visit a week ago. This is a well-known place for tourists using a visa agency. It’s right by a grocery store and mini shopping mall, in the heart of Vientiane, and around a 300-meter walk from the night market beside the Mekong River. The rooms have wooden furniture, a TV, a heated shower, and towels. They can have two beds or even three, depending on how many room partners you want as an Asian. For Europeans and other nationalities, the agency requires one person per room. The lobby Wi-Fi is strong. In the evening, the bar and restaurant become a karaoke spot, which is fun, but the meals aren’t appetizing except for spaghetti, vegetable salad, and bread. Feel free to press like if you found this informative.

I slept comfortably in a spacious room, and the staff were friendly. The hotel is in the city proper, surrounded by restaurants, with coffee shops nearby and the Mekong River within walking distance. At night, they sell all sorts of things by the river. Breakfast is a simple buffet. You're not in Hongkong, Singapore or Thailand. The place is clean, has a lift, cold air conditioning, nice bedding, and strong Wi-Fi. The television was too fuzzy to watch, with all the channels blurred. It’s affordable, and I loved having karaoke at night, singing while drinking instead of going out. Pick a higher floor because the club noise is loud enough to keep you awake. Many foreigners staying here are only here to extend their visas, and the border is near. Tuk tuk rides are expensive, so bargain for your destination.

It’s an old-style hotel, with large rooms and a large flat-screen TV. The location is good for getting to restaurants and the night Market.