We were really looking forward to this place after roughing it the weeks before, but we were pretty disappointed when we arrived. Check in consisted of us being handed the keys and pointed in the rough direction. Nobody offered to carry any bags. We've been in Lao guest houses costing 5 dollars a night where the friendly staff would take us to our room and help us with the luggage. We don't understand why a hotel charging ten times as much isn't capable of these basics.
In the room, the mattress was of bad quality, you could feel every spring in it. There weren't enough light sources in the room or the bathroom and there was no bedside lamp - if you wanted to read, the whole room had to be lit. The aircon remote didn't work and once we finally got the aircon on it was dripping all night. The TV didn't work (I found out it hasn't been working for two months and nobody has bothered to fix it). The toilet seat was made of cheap plastic (about the same standard as our 5 dollar guest houses) and wasn't properly attached. For a hotel in the upper price range, ensuring these things work should be standard.
Breakfast was underwhelming. The noodle soup was made with instant noodles and the egg dishes didn't come with baguette as the menu promised, but with cheap dry toast (even though baguettes are readily available in the whole town). We could have gotten a better breakfast at every street stall.
We could have lived with all of this if only the service staff had been more helpful and forthcoming - something you would expect considering what they charge. Staff spoke very limited English. At breakfast, the staff even asked me to translate requests of other guests because I happen to speak Lao.
The hotel also took no responsibility for damages. I left my glasses on the bedside table in the morning, was out all day, and came back at night to find the bed made but the glasses severely damaged. Someone had probably swiped them off the table while making the bed, accidentally stepped on them and put them back on the table without saying anything. Since it was late, I went to the reception the next morning to report the damage. All I got was a blank stare, no apology. They finally took down my name and phone number, but never actually called. In a desperate effort to relieve themselves of any responsibility, I was told that I should have reported the broken glasses on the same day. When I told them I got back late and only noticed around 10pm when I took out my contact lenses, I was told that I should have reported it then and there and that it was my fault that I didn't say anything soon enough. When I told them there wasn't even any staff available at that time, they said there was always someone available 24-hours at the reception. Now we did see this person...sound asleep on the reception floor under a mosquito net - and asleep isn't exactly what we'd call 'available'. Plus, what could he have done about the glasses anyway at 10pm?
Basically, the rooms are disappointing and the service even more so. We just felt ripped off. Even the view is nicer elsewhere (around 100m further into town) because that is where the larger carst mountains on the other side start. You're better off taking your money elsewhere.
