Ban Phone heuang, Unit 3, Kounxoa Rd, Ban Phone heuang, Unit 3, Luang Prabang, Lao People's Democratic Republic | (888) 223-6949
Rooms on the street side overlook the monks' alms procession in the mornings
Orchid Suite has funky design with a lot of space
Water Lily rooms and Orchid Suite have bathtubs
Pleasant courtyard to sit in for breakfast
Located in the heart of the old heritage area of Luang Prabang
Free Wi-Fi and breakfast
Safes need personal padlocks, and are very small
Standard Frangipani rooms have open showers with no curtains or doors
No toiletries provided other than soap, bottled water, and toilet paper
No televisions in rooms
Few on-site amenities; no pool (they aren't allowed in the UNESCO area) or gym
The Lotus Villa is a small hotel with just 17 rooms, set in an old teak wood building in the heritage area of historic Luang Prabang. The resort is on a quiet, tree-lined street, close to Wat Xiengthong temple and a block from the Mekong River. Rooms here are small, but do have large beds and free Wi-Fi, although they don't come with televisions, and only the upper category ones have bathtubs or a bit of space. The hotel has no facilities like a pool or gym, and there is just a small area with tables in the courtyard where they serve breakfast. The rooms are somewhat more expensive than those at nearby properties, like Sayo or Calao, but the hotel is known for its attentive service and quiet atmosphere, so it can be a good base for old town Luang Prabang stays.
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Scene
With a pleasant open courtyard for reading and breakfast, this hotel is housed in an old wooden traditional teak building.
There is minimal public space at the Lotus Villa. The rooms are housed in an old teak wood building that is quite charming and fits perfectly in the heart of the UNESCO heritage district of Luang Prabang. Even higher-end properties in this district come across looking more like guesthouses, as everything is on a very small scale, and regulations don't allow any tall buildings to be built. The entrance into the hotel is through a dim lobby, which is basically just a narrow corridor with some books and a couple of chairs. Most guests don't linger here past their finishing off their welcome drinks.
Far more appealing is the open courtyard which the rooms surround. It has wood tables in the middle, some of which are set under a tent canopy, and this is where breakfast is served; it's a perfect spot to read in or meet one's neighbors. One spot which doesn't get much attention at all except at 6 a.m. is the dark wood deck that fronts the upstairs of the building where the Lotus rooms are. Wooden stairs lead up from the lobby, and this is the place to be come dawn, when the monks do their alms rounds right in front of the hotel. Other than this, this is a very quiet, laid-back place.
Location
In the UNESCO heritage area -- a block from the Mekong River -- on a quiet, leafy street
The Lotus Villa is located in the center of the UNESCO heritage area of Luang Prabang. It's at the quiet end of the peninsula, near the confluence of the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers. The hotel is not on either river street, but a block inland, on a quiet and leafy street with almost no traffic. It's a great location from which to enjoy the old town on foot or by bicycle, and it is about a 10-minute walk to the main restaurant area and a 15-minute drive out to the airport. The renowned L'Elephant French restaurant, the finest in Luang Prabang, is just a few minutes walk from here. Aside from this, there are a minimal amount of shops and other establishments directly next to the hotel, but enough to keep guests satisfied, and this neighborhood is surrounded by temples. Wat Xiengthong, Luang Prabang's most noted temple, is just a few minutes' stroll down the road.
Rooms
Small rooms with minibars, free Wi-Fi, and bright decor -- but no televisions
There are several categories of rooms at the Lotus Villa, none of them really spacious with the exception of the large and funky Orchid Suite, which has purple walls, old-fashioned light switches, and a large living room to go with the sleeping quarters. None of the rooms at the hotel come with televisions, and there are no regular safe boxes -- only small, drawer-like affairs that require padlocks and can't hold much more than a money belt and a mobile phone, and perhaps a point-and-shoot camera. The rooms do have minibars and electric hot water kettles, plus some free instant coffee and tea bags, and there are hair dryers, fans, air-conditioning, and plenty of free Wi-Fi. There are minimal toiletries -- just minuscule bars of soap, a bottle of water, and a roll of toilet paper in each bathroom (all of which are tiny). The standard Frangipani rooms have no doors nor curtains for the showers. The higher category Water Lily rooms and the Orchid Suite come with a separate bathtub, and the Lotus rooms overlook the street, making a good spot from which to watch the morning alms procession by the monks for which Luang Prabang is famous. The rooms are not really meant for hanging out in, but more for a decent sleep after a good day of touring.
Features
Pleasant courtyard area for breakfast and free bicycles for guests
The Lotus Villa does not have many extra features, partly due to the fact that hotels in the UNESCO heritage area cannot build swimming pools or other external additions. Thus, the hotel has no pool, nor does it have a fitness or spa. It doesn't have a restaurant either, but there is a pleasant outdoor courtyard area with tables where the hotel does serve free breakfast each morning. Other than this, there are no other public spaces, as the lobby is just a small and dark entryway. The hotel does have free bicycles for guests to use, which is a great way to get around town.
