Lao Poet Hotel

The friendly staff and location near the night market were positives. The rest had a few problems. Road noise outside woke us several times every night. The pool photos are misleading: it's about 10m long, there are only 8 beds so it's hard to get one, and many tiles are loose or missing. Breakfast choices are limited, and the food, especially the eggs, was often overcooked. Rooms are very dark because there are no lights in the concrete ceiling.

We stayed at THE LAOPOET HOTEL Vientiane Laos twice on our first trip to Laos, a lovely country. It has unusual, interesting Middle Eastern decor and was clean throughout. Our first room was small but very clean; the next day we upgraded to a larger room overlooking the front street. It was comfortable, clean, and had a good shower and plenty of space. The location was excellent for walking to restaurants, bars, and the night market. The eighth floor has a pool, sauna, and dinner service, plus a fantastic view. We were there for the 50th Laos Independant Day celebrations and got a bird's-eye view of the amazing fireworks and drone show, which lasted over an hour. It felt like a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The complimentary breakfasts were great, and the dining room service was amazing. All the girls were helpful and friendly, and service from everyone was great. May at reception especially stood out for being helpful and accommodating. Her English was good, which may be why we tended to go to her for information, but she also seemed more knowledgeable and helped us a lot. Thank you, May, for your time and information. Keep learning English and you'll go far in your career. The construction site next door was one issue beyond the hotel's control. It was quiet at night when we went to sleep, and should be quieter once the site is finished. Another hassle was arranging our return flight to Saigon. We'd advise getting return tickets before going to Laos. We struggled to find a travel agency booking office, and Vietnam Airlines would only take cash, not card. An independent third party eventually got us tickets, but although we said up front that we only wanted to pay by card, a hotel employee booked and bought the tickets for us outside the hotel and then told us we had to pay cash. Getting cash from the banks was a real hassle. I hope everyone learned from that.

The interior design was probably our favorite part, though we enjoyed the room, quiet, food, and service too. Such a charming hotel. Make sure you visit the upstairs cocktail bar, Madame.

The rooms are peaceful and beautifully decorated, the breakfast is great, and the staff are kind, friendly, and helpful. I loved staying here, especially the wonderful rooftop bar. This place deserves to do well.