Sala Savan Guesthouse
Outstanding if you can afford it
What we say: 
The French-style building that houses Sala Savan was built in 1926 and is included as one of 20 notable historic buildings in Savannakhet in the brochure offered at the tourist info centre. The two-storey house with a classy cream-coloured exterior is indeed lovely, and all five rooms boast high ceilings, hardwood floors with traditional grass mats, classic wood furnishings, dim lighting and comfy beds draped in mosquito nets. WiFi and air-con come standard. Bathrooms are on the small side, though they do have hot water. The more expensive rooms at the front of the building open onto a large shared balcony with woven basket rocking chairs -- perfect for a late afternoon drink. You can't beat Sala Savan's location in the heart of the old town, a short walk from Talaat Yen plaza, the river and a bunch of good restaurants. This is a great spot for those with a little more to spend who want to feel like the French merchants must have many moons ago.
Contact details:
129 Kouvolavong Rd, Savannakhet. T: (041) 212 445, (041) 252 097 F: (041) 252 096Email them at: salalao@laotel.com
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Usually found exploring Bangkok's side streets or south Thailand's islands, David Luekens is an American freelance writer & photographer who finds everyday life in Asia to be extraordinary. You can follow his travails here.
What we were quoted
| Type of room | Low season | High season | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Superior - Double | 240,000 Kip | 240,000 Kip | |
| Standard - Double | 200,000 Kip | 200,000 Kip |
Added to Travelfish on: 31st January, 2013
Last visited or updated on: 31st January, 2013
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Read Sala Savan Guesthouse reviews
Rated 3 out of 5
Based on 1 ratings and 1 reviews
Best of a bad bunch in Savannakhet
We travelled down to Savannakhet from Pakse to get visas for Thailand at the consulate there. We booked a double room at the Sala Savanh because the Sala Lao company website appeared pretty professional (they promptly replied to our emails), the photos of the accommodation at Sala Savanh were impressive enough and, given that their bungalow complex Sala Inpeng in Vientiane looked so nice on our recent visit there, how could we not expect good quality for $30 a night? Our disappointment began even before we entered the premises. After leaving the relative bustle of the bus station our tuk tuk transported us to what we thought would be the city centre - which indeed it is! Put simply, Savannakhet - reputedly Laos' second largest city -has all the spooky charm of a ghost town. All it needs is tumbleweeds rolling down the streets and the picture would be complete. So the Sala Savanh, for all its faded French colonial charms, is basically marooned in a sea of urban desolation. Ironically, for us, it is also the former home of the Thai consulate but apart from its conversion into a hotel it does not appear to have been otherwise renovated since its glory days. It would be unfair to judge this hotel solely by its surrounds, however. The young man who greeted us and carried our bags up to our upstairs balcony room was professional and polite and understood English sufficiently enough. But, hopefully, he didn't see how crestfallen we were that our $30 wasn't buying us much more than what we'd had at our previous $15 lodging in Pakse - apart from the included breakfast. Really, it was comfortable enough: it had all the trappings of what in this part of Laos passes for luxury. It just disappointed our expectations, that's all. The step-up closet-like ensuite bathroom was odd but functional. The bed was okay for a reasonable night's sleep with clean pillows and sheets. And the balcony was well supplied with comfortable seating whilst the air-con functioned well and quietly. The European breakfast the next morning was well-presented in the garden sala and comprised the usual choice of tea, coffee, eggs and toast. Finally, I would have to say that the staff tried really hard to provide a professional service despite the Sala Savanh's inherent shortcomings. And, since reading reviews of the other accommodation options in Savannakhet, this would still appear be one of the best. However, I wouldn't bother going to Savannakhet just to stay here. In fact, don't bother going to Savannakhet at all - not even for your Thai visa if you can help it!
Sala Savan Guesthouse reviewed by linden51 (Total reviews: 1) on