The Riva Vientiane Hotel

The calm atmosphere and Mekong River view made for a relaxing stay at Amari Vientiane. My room was clean and comfortable, and the front desk team were so welcoming. Mimi was especially kind and helpful, and made me feel right at home. I had a great time and would happily come back.

The breakfast was excellent, with chili paste and boiled vegetables, fried vegetables, northern-style sausage, rice porridge, cereals, desserts, and lots of drinks. Staff were friendly and kind. The hotel is right beside the night market, and our spacious Family Room on the fourth floor, room 405, had one single bed and two double beds. There’s no swimming pool. Parking is available on the street in front, except during the night market, when you’ll need to use the nearby temple for 30,000 Kip. An extra room key requires a 300,000 Kip deposit, which is refunded at checkout.

The room was large and well appointed, and mine had a balcony. The beds were comfortable, staff were friendly, and breakfast was buffet style. The central location is within walking distance of most sites, across from the night market, with a couple more food night markets a few streets away. Even so, I felt it was overpriced for what it offers.

Breakfast was a generous buffet, mostly aimed at local and Chinese guests, and you could also order a hot dish, which was a nice extra. The staff were very polite. Our room was spacious and spotless, with an Android TV that let us watch international news. The bathroom felt five-star, though the shower floor is level with the rest, so water gets in front of the toilet, and the glass screen is too short to stop splashes. There are no bedside lamps, so turning the lights off means going back to the door. The hotel is on the main road, opposite a very loud night market that stays open until 11 pm. The Mekong view was pretty pathetic.